Paolo,I really enjoy reading your research on the history of eunuchs. But your most recent post causes me to ask why would someone want a military filled with eunuchs? It is apparent this is far from isolated occurrences in history, but it seems rather counter intuitive to me. THe loss of testosterone would reduce the individual's raw strength in a eriod where personal combat was largly how armies fought.
Do you have any ideas, or anybody else for that matter?
But Why,
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Cleancut01 (imported)
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ZeuterMe (imported)
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Re: But Why,
I'll compare Roman-era eunuch armies to training racehorses to get a comparison, which may or may not suck. However…
While you reduce motivation, you reduce distraction.
Geldings are easier to train than stallions.
Good unit tactics trumps individual warriors fighting with little regard for their brothers-in-arms.
Sufficient physical conditioning can mostly to entirely overcome the strength gap.
Therefore, I presume that well-trained eunuch armies are easier to get than well-trained "stallion" armies, and given the right circumstances a weaker but better-coordinated force might carry the day more often than not.
While you reduce motivation, you reduce distraction.
Geldings are easier to train than stallions.
Good unit tactics trumps individual warriors fighting with little regard for their brothers-in-arms.
Sufficient physical conditioning can mostly to entirely overcome the strength gap.
Therefore, I presume that well-trained eunuch armies are easier to get than well-trained "stallion" armies, and given the right circumstances a weaker but better-coordinated force might carry the day more often than not.
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JesusA (imported)
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Re: But Why,
While Paolo and I are very good friends, we do very different things on the Archive. My role is primarily history and medicine regarding eunuchs.
To understand military eunuchs, it's important to start with eunuch personality.
Contemporary neuroanatomists have been able to discern and describe very subtle, but important, differences between the male brain and the female brain. These differences are hard-wired before birth, depending on the presence or absence of fetal testosterone (from the developing testicles). So, basic brain anatomy is set before birth.
Psychologists have described differences in male vs. female personality traits based on adult hormone levels (working, of course, on the set anatomy).
The great 500+ question survey that so many of the members here answered (nearly 3,000 of you), not only asked for assigned sex at birth and castration status, but also asked those who had been castrated about any hormone usage. Included in all of the questions was the complete Big Five Personality Inventory -- probably the most used personality test in the world.
We were able to compare various levels of hormone use with a matched set of controls from the "eunuch wannabe" group. Brains that were wired "male" before birth, but with different levels of testosterone as adults.
Across all of the cultures that have been reported, the most consistent and significant difference between male personality and female personality is that males score significantly higher on "Emotional Stability." The eunuch population using no testosterone in the Archive survey scored no different on that scale than did the "wannabe" control group. In fact, the eunuchs on no HRT scored just a touch higher on emotional stability (but not significantly so). Eunuch personality is NOT the same as female personality.
It was three of the other scales that are significant for military eunuchs -- "Openness," "Agreeableness" and "Conscientousness."
Eunuchs with no HRT were significantly lower in Openness -- meaning that they were more consistent and cautious than intact males. Eunuchs were higher on the two other scales.
Agreeableness refers to the ability to work well in groups, to cooperate with others on a joint task. Conscientiousness means that eunuchs, on average, were more efficient and well-organized than intact males.
Even with less physical strength than intact males, I'm certain you can see advantages for these personality traits in warfare.
Eunuchs weren't out in the front lines with swords and spears, but behind the lines as archers, calmly choosing targets. They drove the two- to five-man chariots where they needed to plan maneuvers, while those with greater physical strength wielded the swords. They were also behind the lines as officers planning strategy. (A high percentage of upper level officers in ancient armies were eunuchs.)
In the modern, mechanized military, eunuchs would probably do better than intact males as snipers, drone pilots, tank drivers, communication specialists, and high-level officers. Though I can't imagine it happening, these roles demand personality traits at which eunuchs excel. There are other roles where testosterone-soaked 18 to 25 year-old males excel.
To understand military eunuchs, it's important to start with eunuch personality.
Contemporary neuroanatomists have been able to discern and describe very subtle, but important, differences between the male brain and the female brain. These differences are hard-wired before birth, depending on the presence or absence of fetal testosterone (from the developing testicles). So, basic brain anatomy is set before birth.
Psychologists have described differences in male vs. female personality traits based on adult hormone levels (working, of course, on the set anatomy).
The great 500+ question survey that so many of the members here answered (nearly 3,000 of you), not only asked for assigned sex at birth and castration status, but also asked those who had been castrated about any hormone usage. Included in all of the questions was the complete Big Five Personality Inventory -- probably the most used personality test in the world.
We were able to compare various levels of hormone use with a matched set of controls from the "eunuch wannabe" group. Brains that were wired "male" before birth, but with different levels of testosterone as adults.
Across all of the cultures that have been reported, the most consistent and significant difference between male personality and female personality is that males score significantly higher on "Emotional Stability." The eunuch population using no testosterone in the Archive survey scored no different on that scale than did the "wannabe" control group. In fact, the eunuchs on no HRT scored just a touch higher on emotional stability (but not significantly so). Eunuch personality is NOT the same as female personality.
It was three of the other scales that are significant for military eunuchs -- "Openness," "Agreeableness" and "Conscientousness."
Eunuchs with no HRT were significantly lower in Openness -- meaning that they were more consistent and cautious than intact males. Eunuchs were higher on the two other scales.
Agreeableness refers to the ability to work well in groups, to cooperate with others on a joint task. Conscientiousness means that eunuchs, on average, were more efficient and well-organized than intact males.
Even with less physical strength than intact males, I'm certain you can see advantages for these personality traits in warfare.
Eunuchs weren't out in the front lines with swords and spears, but behind the lines as archers, calmly choosing targets. They drove the two- to five-man chariots where they needed to plan maneuvers, while those with greater physical strength wielded the swords. They were also behind the lines as officers planning strategy. (A high percentage of upper level officers in ancient armies were eunuchs.)
In the modern, mechanized military, eunuchs would probably do better than intact males as snipers, drone pilots, tank drivers, communication specialists, and high-level officers. Though I can't imagine it happening, these roles demand personality traits at which eunuchs excel. There are other roles where testosterone-soaked 18 to 25 year-old males excel.
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C&TL2745 (imported)
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Re: But Why,
The US Army has had a lot of bad press lately for the number of rapes and sexual assaults committed by these testosterone-soaked troops, as well as less-than-stellar behavior in dealing with the local population. This situation appears to be effectively leveraged by the enemy to recruit new fighters. So, aside from superior performance as soldiers, eunuchs might cause fewer such problems.
Sandi
Sandi