This coming weekend, October 20-21, the Legion will be involved in a parade and festival activities being held by the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, MD.  We need to be there and ready to roll about 9 AM, as the parade (called the ArtMarch) starts at 10.  It's about 6 blocks long, and will be followed by  an opening ceremony which should end no later than 11:30.  Anyone who doesn't feel up to marching will be on camp guard duty until the rest of us get back.  The tent will be set up, with a perimeter rope to keep the crowds from overrunning us (remember F&M!).  There will apparently not be space for javelin throwing, probably not for drill, either.
       For the rest of the day we'll be stationed in Mt. Vernon park (not to be confused with George Washington's domus in Virginia!) in the midst of the festival.  Activities will include " musical and other entertainment, cultural food and beverage stations, beer and wine gardens and interactive arts activities (Asian fish printing, calligraphy and illumination, painting, and more)."   Admission to the Museum is free, the armor gallery being a prime attraction.  Beware of slippery floors, though!  I'll bring tape to cover hobnails, for the safety of those inside (and the safety of the Museum!).
       We can break camp at about 7 PM, if not sooner.  On Sunday there is no parade but the rest will be pretty much the same, running from 12 noon until about 6:30 PM.
       Directions were said to be on the Walters' website, www.thewalters.org, but I couldn't find them.  The address is 600 North Charles Street, though there are three buildings including one on Centre Street at the southwest corner of the block which the Park is in.  Theoretically, folks coming from the north should be able to take Charles Street all the way down through deepest-darkest Baltimore until they hit the Park.  I'm coming from the south, of course, and plan to take I-95 North to Baltimore, then Russell Street north; that turns into Paca Street and eventually crosses Druid Hill Ave/Centre Street.  Anyone got any better ideas?  You might want to hit MapQuest.com, or call the Museum at 410-547-9000.
        Park in one of the pay lots closest to the Park and the Museum (No, I'm not sure which ones those are!), and we will be given vouchers so that it ONLY costs $3 for the day.  (And the Legion will be happy to reimburse participants for that, as well.)
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Here's an invitation from the Iberian Peninsula!
       "The LEGIO VII GEMINA wishes to make you a proposition: we will organize the TARRACO VIVA Roman Days around the 25th of May 2002; and we'd like to invite the whole of the XXth LEGION to perform your demonstrations.
       "About the staying and feeding, it would be all provided by us, but we don't know about the trip.  Do you know if you'd have special offers for your group?  We could talk about sharing expenses depending on the price.  What we can ensure is the whole staying and feeding for all the XXth LEGION members during all the days of
performance.
       "Sincerely yours:
       "MagÌ & Enric Seritjol, presidents of LEG VII GEM"

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       The Classics Department of the University of Maryland is having their annual Latin Day on Tuesday, October 23, with the theme of Roman Women.  For more information see their website: http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Colleges/ARHU/Depts/Classics/Latinday/LD-2001.html.  This is not a Legio XX event, but the University's program to introduce Latin and the Classics department to local high school students.

NOVEL
       "My name is Patrick Rivette and I have recently completed a novel  about a Roman centurion that has been published by Xlibris Publishing. If you  would be in any way interested in learning more about the book… then check out my web page at www.xlibris.com/thechiefcenturion.html where you can also read a sample chapter."

"HISTORY IN ACTION" AT KIRBY HALL, by Derek Forrest
       Large crowds enjoyed a full century of Ist century legionaries and despite a Tiger tank and Lancaster Bomber the Romans should as usual be high on the assessment surveys.  This was not achieved without difficulty and a great deal of help from our European brothers.  We were joined by legionaries from Austria, Holland, France, Belgium, and Germany, with Latin being the Lingua Franca for commands but pigeon whatever functioning rather inefficiently to fill in the gaps.  Contrary to general belief Germans do not all speak American  even if shouted.
       No gathering of Roman reenactors would be complete without a bout of the Tunic Wars.  Whilst the europeans managed something reddish The Roman Military Research Society however abandoned last years quickchange act and leant a rather nautical touch in their  dark blue.  Despite representations by the ESG Centurion Chris  Haines  the blue persisted.  We could be heading for problems next year  with English Heritage and the Public being the main sufferers.  If only there was a neutral colour.
       This year temperatures were much lower than last and with a revised parade route the physical exertion required was much reduced.  The camp site was better sited also and more accessable from the modern camping ground.  It was also well visited by the public particularly when there was the smell of food wafting from the camp fires.  The German contingent fielded a whole range of tentage including the first Centurions tent I have seen. The design and materials used were a bit debateable although the numbers used did give a good impression of order. The fencing posts  were used for their correct purpose to keep out the public!
       So what of the future? Realistically we are not going to resolve the tunic question.  Maybe we shall have to accept the differences  in the interest of keeping up the numbers.  After all in 69AD when the British legions sent their vexillations to the mainland they each would have retained their unit idiosyncracies of tunic and shield colour.
       English Heritage have learnt a great deal over the years and the mix is about right with audience and reenactors finding a great deal to interest them over the weekend.  There must be large numbers who return  each year. We Romans give them the same show each year.  Can we continue to do so?
 

CALENDAR
   October 20-21 -- Leg. XX at Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore for ArtMarch parade and festival.
   November 10 --Monthly workshop/muster--NOTE CHANGE OF DATE!  Not the first Saturday this time, but the second
   Dec. 1-2, 5, 8-9 -- Walk Through Bethlehem, Seventh Day Adventist Headquarters, Silver Spring, MD
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Directions to the monthly workshops/musters at Roger Moskey's house:
 From I-495 Capital Beltway, take Exit 12 B Route 267 Toll Road West towards Dulles Airport.  After paying toll (50 cents), take the first exit--Exit 16 Route 7 Leesburg Pike West for about 11 miles.  Go past Cascades Parkway, and at the next light take a right onto PALISADES Parkway, then an immediate left onto "Triple 7" (Route 777).  Pass Calvary Temple on right, take the next right onto Regina Drive; follow it to the end and take a right onto Markwood Drive.   At stop sign take a left onto Terrie Drive (culdesac).  #304 is just to the right of the middle.
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ADLOCVTIO is the Official Newsletter of the Twentieth Legion, published on the Ides of each month.  Sorry for the brevity this time, your Beloved Commander has begun house-hunting and is frightfully busy making his current domus presentable.  If you want a longer newsletter, write something for it, please!   The Legio XX website is http://www.larp.com/legioxx/