HAPPY NEW YEAR!
       This year is 2750 Ab Urbe Condita (From the Founding of the City), calculated by adding 1998 to the traditional founding date of 753 BC and subtracting 1 because there is no Year Zero.  Adlocvtio remains monthly, and circulation has climbed to almost 50 (mostly through lack of a mechanism for cancelling a subscription!).  However, if you are not reading this and you are a Member, you probably have not PAID YOUR DUES.  Shame.  Cough it up.

FABRICA
       The next workshop is close upon us, Sunday January 25, 1998, starting at 11:00 AM at Mark and Lolita Graef's NEW house.  Maps are being sent to all interested parties, but if you don't get one in time you can get directions from Mark at 703---, or Matthew at 301---.

SECOND TRUMPET--MTA
       The annual encampment at Military Through the Ages, Jamestown, VA, will be on March 21-22, 1998.  Is everyone making spare socks?  The latest rumor is that we will be camped on the field like last year, but since the info packet has not arrived I can't confirm that.  More details and directions will be in next month's issue.  ARE YOU PLANNING TO ATTEND??  Better call Quintus: 301---. 

GONE
       The Tandy Leather stores in Rockville and Hyattsville, MD are both gone after brief closing sales.  I don't know if this is part of a chain-wide collapse, but it looks like we'll be stuck with mail-order for leather supplies from now on.  Not that I ever bought much leather from Tandy (mail order was cheaper), but they were good for horsehair, dyes, etc.

CHEW ON THIS
       The scientific journal Nature for Jan. 1, 1998 reports the discovery of a Roman-era skull with an implanted iron false tooth.  The skull belonged to a man who lived in Roman Gaul (Essonne, France) and died in his thirties, at the end of the first century or early second century AD.  Apparently his right upper premolar had to be removed, after which he had a matching iron tooth made and installed.  The root of the implant matches the old tooth's socket perfectly, and was probably tapped into place.  The jawbone grew around it to integrate it permanently. I have seen Roman dental bridgework, with a false ivory tooth held in place by gold bands, but this is the earliest known example of an actual dental implant.  Ow.  Ow ow ow.

STUFF
       Mike Cope recently got a pugio from armorer Kirby Wise.  Although it took only a few months, an all-time speed record for Kirby, it was not correctly made.  The blade looks great even if it is a little thick and heavy.  The hilt has the right shape, but is solid brass and very heavy--it appears to have been cast in place.  Kirby simply ignored Mike's instructions for a proper laminated hilt with thin metal plates.  The scabbard was also wrong.  We're frustrated again, since Kirby obviously has the metalworking skill to make a beautiful dagger, he just didn't look at the pictures.  He's trying again, so we'll see.
       Many other things are being banged out for action this spring.  Stay tuned.

FIRST TRUMPET
       On the Saturday after MTA, March 28, the Legion has been invited to perform at a school fair ("Certamen") in Harrisonburg, VA.  That's in the Shenedoah Valley, about 3 hours west of DC, but it's just an afternoon show and we can do it indoors if the weather is bad.  More details as they become available.
       April 18-19 is the annual Marching Through Time encampment at Marietta Mansion in Glenn Dale, MD.  Hours are 11 AM to 5 PM both days, and public admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students.  On Friday the 17th groups of school kids will be brought through to see whatever reenactors are able to be there.  Last year Mike and I drafted them to help set up the tent, which they really enjoyed.
      I'm hoping to drag a few of our recruits out this spring--these are perfect events for first-timers.  Also, if folks from other groups want to participate, talk to me!

CALENDAR
Jan. 25--Workshop at Mark Graef's house, 11 AM.
Feb. 10-17--Conventus Militum Romanorum, hosted by Legio IX Hispana at the SCA
 Great Western War, California.  Fortifications, fighting, fun.  (Not a Legio XX
 event, but one or two of our men may be going.)
Mar. 21-22--Leg. XX encampment at Military Through the Ages, Jamestown, VA.
Mar. 28--Leg. XX camp/demo at Harrisonburg, VA.
Apr. 17-19--Leg. XX encampment at Marching Through Time, Glenn Dale, MD.
June?--Tentative multi-group ancient festival, Marietta Mansion, Glenn Dale, MD.
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ADLOCVTIO is still the official Newsletter of the Twentieth Legion.  It is published approximately on the Ides of each month (15th of March, May, July, and October, 13th of all other months).  Submissions for publication should be in English, Latin, or Greek (hmm, better skip the Greek), and can be written/printed/etched on any convenient surface.  Submissions may also be sent via email, or even on a computer diskette, I guess--I'm using Microsoft Word 5.something on a Power Macintosh, and I may be able to decipher other stuff with the help of office wireheads.  Send it all, including enquiries, hints, complaints, suggestions, hopes, and fears, to the Editor, Matthew R. Amt, --