The Arcani - Soldiers or Spies historically?

[Lord Tomyris]

Well folks, seems we have a little controversy raging as to the function of the mysterious 'arcani'. In the red corner, those who believe that CA's representation of them as a squadron of ninjaesque-warriors in Rome is grounded in historical evidence. In the blue corner, those who believe that they would be more properly represented, if at all, as a 'spy' agent on the campaign map.

Below is the only extant source which explicitly and definitely refers to this mysterious organisation. Try your hand at being an historian, read the source, and come to your own conclusion!

"During these outstanding events the areani, who had gradually become corrupt, were removed by him [Theodosius] from their positions. This was an organization founded in early times, of which I have already said something in the history of Constans. It was clearly proved against them that they had been bribed with quantities of plunder, or promises of it, to reveal to the enemy from time to time what was happening on our side. Their official duty was to range backwards and forwards over long distances with information for our generals about disturbances among neighbouring nations." - Ammianus Marcellinus Liber XXVIII III VIII; A.D. 368 28, 3, 8.

Were the Arcani more likely:

'Soldiers'
Elite Roman soldiers who would lay ambushes behind enemy-lines during pitched battles.

'Spies'
Agents or informants of some kind whose duty was to range backwards and forwards over long distances with information for Roman generals about disturbances among neighbouring nations.

You decide!

[Sharpe]

For me - covert couriers, possibly with some espionage involved.

[Greve Af Göteborg]

Definitely spies, that mostly deals with the political system within a faction.

[Prof]

How about both?

The Poll is incomplete.

[Anna_Gein]

How about both?

The Poll is incomplete.

Isn't the duties of spy and soldier quite different ? They can not be James Bond so unless you consider recon specialist as spies they can not be both.

[Marcus Aemilius Lepidus]

Isn't the duties of spy and soldier quite different ? They can not be James Bond so unless you consider recon specialist as spies they can not be both.

Offcourse you are right, but it could be very possible that these kind of agend/spies were recruited among soldiers.

[Anna_Gein]

Offcourse you are right, but it could be very possible that these kind of agend/spies were recruited among soldiers.

I agree but even then you are just talking about their background and not their role.

[oOIYvYIOo]

For what i understoud of your quote, and for the few i know , they were just a meere people,tribe,mercenaries that habited on Great Britain and that betraid the Romans on the Great Conspiracy by giving wrong barbarian plan attacks to the Romans.
They were just scouts,spyes,agents that lived on Great Britain nothing else.
I dont read nothing of beeing élite soldiers or what so ever.

So no ninjas! or élite soldiers,"arcani" was just a roman term used for local people payed to act as scouts and agents as logically they would know better the geography and the habits of the local tribes.

In my opinion.Opinions can be change by reasonable debates and documents.

[Spyhop]

[blank]

I'd take them both.
Anyway, from the description they clearly sound to be spies, not ninjas.

[RedGuard]

i want my roman uber-ninjas back! they should be able to go toe to toe with Spartacus's bodyguard!

[Incarnal]

Based on the source provided here they seem to absolutely be spies. Is there anyone with conflicting evidence to offer?

[daelin4]

The quote makes them out like informers or reconnaissance rather than specialized agents or soldiers. Considering bribery and promise of plunder it also sounds like they were mercenaries employed for spying or otherwise scouts that were not part of the regular army, likely locals with sufficiently convinced loyalty.

[Jokern]

They definitely sound like covert agents.

[Steel*Faith]

If they're like a mixture of the CIA and Special Forces merged in one. I think they could carry out the duties needed by their superiors; assassinations, espionage, bounty hunting, scouting/spying, ambushing - as I'm sure the Romans would need all of these missions carried out within Rome and outside in conquered or enemy territory.

[Sabre120]

I get the feeling of a kind of secret police/ covert operations agency, perhapd sabotaging and creating dissent in nearby towns and villages not under Roman control.

[Marcus Aemilius Lepidus]

I get the feeling of a kind of secret police/ covert operations agency, perhapd sabotaging and creating dissent in nearby towns and villages not under Roman control.

Yeah i can imagine how this would have worked, when a roman looking guy with roman cloath and silvermask enter a germanic/celtic/carthagian/parthian village/city and no one recoqnize him as foreign