BETHLEHEM

       The dates for this year's Walk Through Bethlehem are December 10, 11, 15, 17, and 18 (that's two weekends and the Thursday between them).   Public hours are 6 to 8:30 PM each night, though it takes a good half-hour to get the last groups out after closing.  We need to be there by 5:30 at the latest to get dressed and in place before the crowds start coming through.  It would be good if we had at least two or three soldiers there each night, though there are "local" Romans there as well.  Just let me know which evenings you'd like to come.
       It is easiest to change clothes in the restroom by the entrance to the "village", and store your modern clothes behind the counter in the ccostume storage area.  Basic battle gear, with shields, but NO PILA.  No packs or other gear will be needed, either, though you can certainly sling your satchel over your shoulder if you like.  You may also wear your helmet crest.  If you want to use earlier gear such as hamata and Mainz swords, that's fine, but at these shows we aren't very strict. It's all indoors, on carpeted floors.  There will be a bucket of water and some food, but we really won't need much.  There is none of the usual living history that we do at other events, rather a constant flow of visitors being pulled into the spirit of the first Christmas.  We will either be posted at certain spots or circulating through the crowd, trying to recruit the kids, warning old ladies not to start riots, extorting protection money from the locals, etc.  Don't worry if you use the same lines over and over again, the public will only hear it once.  The crowds come through almost non-stop as soon as the doors open, so BE EARLY to be ready at showtime.
       The operative word for this event is FUN!

       The Seventh-Day Adventist Headquarters is located in Silver Spring, MD (north of White Oak) at the intersection of Rt. 29 Columbia Pike/Colesville Rd. and Randolph Rd./Cherry Hill Rd.  NOTE: This intersection now has  an overpass!  From I-495 the Capital Beltway take Exit 30 onto Rt. 29 North towards White Oak and Columbia.  Go about 4 miles and take the exit ramp for Randolph/Cherry Hill Rd., and turn left at the light onto Randolph Road.  Then turn left at the light onto Old Columbia Pike, and the next left into the parking lot.  Beware, an overpass is being built at this intersection, so it won't look like last year, but the the building is still there and the directions should still work.  You may have to take a ramp to the right and turn left at the top--not sure what's been finished.  Our contact for this is Tanya Holland, 301---.

       This is the "off" year for the biannual Bethlehem show at St. Luke's Church.
 

EVENT

       Plenty of notice for this one!  The Legion has been invited to set up camp at the Pennsylvania Junior Classical League State Convention on May 20, 2006.  This will be held at Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA, and it is a one-day event.  Since this is roughly a 4-hour drive from the DC area, they are providing dormitory space for us for Friday and Saturday nights, if necessary.   That way we could easily be set up by 9 AM when the program starts.  This convention is attended by over 600 high school Latin students, all of whom will naturally be more interested in Classical history and more motivated than the average high school audience.  So it should be a very rewarding event.  More details as the event approaches.
 

LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD CENTURIONS

       Greetings.
       My name is David Engel.  I am organizing a Roman themed event for a private  boy's school in Manhatten, NY.   I am looking to hire two reenactors in full battle compliment to help animate their annual benefit gala.  They would like to find two tall and burly Centurians to do walkaround duty, act as "criers" for the silent auction and move them into the dining area.
       It's an easy gig. There is pay and it will be  conducted in a professional manner.  I thank you in advance for any help in getting this notice into the right hands.

Sincerely,
David Engel
http://www.davidengel.biz

[He adds:]
       This event is a long way off. It's 6-9:30 p.m April 28th.  I would require two of your most "actorly" guys.  They must be comfortable speaking in front of 200 people and able to do so with a measure of aplomb.  I imagine, since you are involved with living history events, that this won't be a great stretch. I thought to approach local Roman reenactors (instead of using local actors and renting costumes) because I appreciate what detail and energy you put into your work.
       Finally, would you please give me an idea of what you may charge per Soldier for their time and travel?

--Anyone who is interested in this, please contact Mr. Engel directly, and name your price!  Presumably he'd be happy with Legionaries, if he can't get "Centurions".
 

POMPEII EXHIBIT IN THE US (From the Romanis Romanorvm yahoo group)

I am with the Gulf Coast Exploreum, a science museum in Mobile, AL.  We are in the final stages of negotiating with the Archeological  Museum in Pompeii to bring a major exhibition on Pompeii to our museum January to June 2007.  The exhibit will cover 10,000 square feet of gallery space and focus on the Last Days of Pompeii.   In addition to a variety of artifacts found in the city ruins, jewelery, everyday items, statues, frescoes, etc., we will have up to 20 body casts of the victims of the eruption.

It is our goal to market the event in the southeast and in particular in the 6-state region of GA, FL, AL, MS, LA and TN.   Our goal is 200,000 + visitors.  To complement the exhibition we plan a series of lectures by academics and experts on ancient roman life, literature, law, military etc.   I just learned of your group through the guest curator for the exhibit, Connie Rodriguez of Loyola in New Orleans (she is just getting back on her feet after Katrina).

I am most interested in brainstorming with you opportunities for us to work together on how we might use the exhibit to promote your group, provide them a high profile and quality venue against which to present your activities and at same time add to the excitement and activities in the region about exhibit and help us get out the word in the region.  Some quick ideas not in order of priority.

1.  Could we explore opportunities to work with you and other Roman reenactors to help "animate" Mobile during the time of the exhibition.  Legionnaires, their camp followers get tickets to the exhibit free and we promote the weekend throughout the southeast as one of the Pompeii ticket packages available.

2.  I would love to find re-enactors in my immediate region to help me promote the exhibit in the 12 months leading up to opening day in early Jan 07.  At minimum can you provide advice about where we might acquire one or two quality and authentic-looking legion "costumes" that I might have on hand over the next year + for staff to wear during press announcements starting Janaury 2006 or when we go to events in the region to promote the show. Ideas for making legion banners.

4. In  early March 06, a major travel convention, largely of national bus and tour operators, is being held in Mobile.  As part of the convention, the city is putting on a mini Mardi Gras parade to promote the city to these folks.  I have permission to have a
Roman "legion" participate (10-12 legionnaires) and I am having Roman coins "cut" with Pompeii - Mobile and the dates in Roman numerals stamped as throws to the crowd during the parade (in lieu of beads).  Any ideas of where I might find such a legion group willing to come for the event (Sunday pm) or help in borrowing or renting enough gear for 3-4 days to outfit locals for the event.

Enough for starts.   Does any of the above intrigue or interest you?  Please call or email me so we can discuss in more details.

Eleanor Kulin, Special Events and Development Director, Gulf Coast
Exploreum 251---.
http://www.exploreum.net
 
 

TIMELINE EVENT INVITATION, CANADA

Hello all from the reenacting world!
 
We project to make a time line in the Montreal region, in the province of Quebec, Canada. An interesting and pittoresque event to present what is renacting, why we do that, how we do that, etc. We hope to be able to make this from Antiquity to World War Two.
 
The site is very beautiful.  It’s a little island, with green grass, trees and little pedestrian roads.  It’s the Ile-des-Moulins at Terrebonne.  You can see the web site of the historical site here: http://www.ile-des-moulins.qc.ca/

We hope to present each period of time with the best groups of Canada and USA.  Each group can be there and present themselves with a camp or other historical set-up to show the everyday life (military or civilian) of their period.
 
We want to know if you would be interested to participate.  It could be a very nice trip to meet other people from the renacting world of  North America and show your group to the public in a real convivial event.
 
If you are interested, please respond to this questions.  If you want more info, don’t be shy to ask us!
 
Evelyne Bouchard
Chargée de projet
 

"LEGION ARENA", from Davide Bordegoni

       Black Bean today released the playable demo for their critically acclaimed historical strategy, Legion Arena, which will be in shops on the 28th October for PC CDROM.  The demo, which is now available to strategy and history buffs everywhere, includes a user friendly tutorial and Caesars Gallic War.  This campaign includes 5 playable scenarios.  Each battles was specially created for the demo and is thoroughly researched. The demo gives a small taste of what gamers can expect from Legion Arena.  The full game includes 2 huge campaigns, spanning hundreds of years of history and including over 100 battles.
       Legion Arena blends RPG and RTS gameplay seamlessly into a superbly fun and interesting game which will plunge players into a historically accurate Roman world and allow them to take part in the most thrilling battles of ancient times.   The demo is available on the product's website, http://www.legionarena.com and on  http://www.blackbeangames.com .
       Legion Arena is a role playing strategy game created on a massive scale, providing gamers with more than just the pure taste of battle.  Set during the period of the Roman Republic, players take command of a band of simple peasant warriors, and train them into a formidable fighting force.  Gamers can play as the Roman Empire and Celtic Clans through over a hundred scenarios, and must use carefully calculated strategies in an attempt to crush their enemies on the front line, fighting for the pride and glory of the battlefield!
 

STUFF

       At the last workshop, Roger Moskey was proud to unveil his new wolf pelt, with which he will be performing as our signifer.  He THINKS this will get him out of all the brutal drill and weapon training, heh heh heh…
       What the heck else have we been working on at all those fabricae?  Shields, belts, caligae, armor repair, clothing--yeah, I guess we keep busy!
       Most of what I've been working on these days is Bronze Age stuff:  http://www.larp.com/hoplite/bronze.html    Don't worry, I'm not abandoning Rome entirely!  Not yet…
 

CALENDAR
   December 3 --Monthly Workshop at the Roger and JJ Moskey house, 10 to 5
   December 10, 11, 15, 17, 18 --Walk Through Bethlehem, Seventh-Day Adventist HQ
   March 17-19, 2006 --Tentative invitation to Historical Miniature Gamers Society convention in Lancaster, PA (http://www.coldwars.org/ )
   April --Marching Through Time, Marietta Mansion, Glenn Dale, MD
   May 20, 2006 --PA Junior Classical League Convention, PSU

----------------------

       There!  Found a little padding for the old rag this time.  Happy reading!  ADLOCVTIO is the Official Newsletter of the Twentieth Legion, supposedly published on the Ides of each month.  I am Quintus, aka Matthew Amt, the Legion's Commander and Editor of the Newsletter, http://www.larp.com/legioxx/.