ADLOCVTIO
NEWSLETTER OF THE TWENTIETH LEGION
Vol. XVI, no. iv, April 2006

 

EVENTS

       Marching Through Time is coming up!  On April 22-23 at Marietta Mansion, the Legion will once again be one of over thirty different historical groups performing for the public, from 11 AM to 5 PM both days.   Most of us know the drill pretty well by this time--speaking of which, we should expect to be doing our marching demonstration first thing after opening, so please come early.  PLEASE let the Commander know if you plan to attend.  Remember that cars will not be permitted into the camp area after 9:30 AM on Saturday (and not at all on Sunday until after 5 PM), so get there early if you need to unload gear.

       In breaking news, the usual Friday school group visit has been cancelled this year.  I will still be there at some point to set up the tent and dump a load of gear, and you're welcome to help out with that, but we won't need to be in period clothing.  Note that April 21st is the Anniversary of the Founding of Rome!

       I'm supposed to remind participants of the rules, which of course emphasize safety and security.
--Each unit is supposed to have a Safety Officer who enforces safety rules.  (Any volunteers?)
--There must always be someone "on duty" in the camp during public hours.
--Keep physical control of any weapons or tools the public is handling, and do not let them handle sharp weapons or tools.  (We've always found it easier to simply say that visitors are not allowed to handle weapons!)
--No mock fighting or swordplay except for prearranged demos on the enclosed display field.
--No consumption of alcohol during public hours, and none at all by minors.  No illegal substances will be tolerated at all.
--No hobnails in the house!  Weapons are not to be carried into the house, or while socializing after public hours.
--Any significant injury is to be reported to the coordinators immediately.  Any troublesome persons should also be reported, and they can be removed by the Park Rangers or police.

       We don't have to worry about the firearms rules, of course.  If I missed anything, remind me to fill everyone in after the 10 AM commanders' meeting.  After our marching demo, a few of us will remain at the perimeter of the display area to help with security for the next group to perform.

       Marietta is at 5626 Bell Station Rd., Glenn Dale, MD 20769.  The Site Manager is Susan Wolfe.  From I-95/495, the Capital Beltway, take Exit 20 onto Rt. 450 East, go 4 miles, turn left on Rt. 193, then left onto Bell Station Rd. and left again into Marietta.  For Marching Through Time, only handicapped parking is permitted on site (due to lack of space).  Participant and public parking is available at Holy Trinity School on Daisy Lane, off Rt. 193 just north of the Fire House.  Follow the signs and then catch the shuttle vans back to the site.  Participants can also park along Rt. 193, at their own risk--the intersection of 193 and Bell Station Rd. has become rather dangerous!

http://www.pghistory.org/MariettaMansion.html
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       On April 29 (the Saturday after MTT), a teacher friend of mine would like to have a few Romans at the Maryland Junior Classical League convention, at Dulaney High School in Timonium (Baltimore).  We will arrive and set up the tent at 10 AM, do a marching demo and general presentation from about 1 to 2 PM, and then just generally hobnob with the students afterwards.
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       From Richard Campbell:  I have just had a request from Sally Davis, 'the' person for all of Virginia for Latin, to see if we could be the star attraction for the Amy High Latin scholarship fundraiser on May 13, (about) 4pm to 7pm, at the Lyles Crouch school in Alexandria. All of the northern Virginia Latin students and their teachers will be invited, in addition to half of Alexandria, and with Sally Davis saying it, it's probably true. Amy High was a great Latin teacher and enthusiastic promoter of Latin who died at 40 of a cerebral hemmorage.  In addition, Sally says she'll pay expenses, in addition to providing food.
       Since Sally Davis got my name from Jane Hall, head of the National Latin exam, my Latin teacher, and my mom's best friend, I couldn't say no, so I'll take the lead to coordinate this.
       Let me know who's interested (richsc AT usa DOT net). There should be a great crowd of very enthusiastic people.
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       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.  I will be getting directions and more details soon, but I will NOT be able to attend myself.  George Metz had volunteered to be the contact and coordinator for the weekend, but has been forced to cancel--would anyone like to take over?
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       And ROMAN DAYS is coming up fast, June 3-4.  Marietta Mansion is the place, and all the Romans in the world are invited.  I'm working on another Greek hoplite or two, as well!   http://www.larp.com/legioxx/rdays.html
 

AFTER-ACTION REPORT: UMBC, by Richard Campbell

Salvete,
       A detachment of the Roman Army was pleased to visit UMBC on April 8.  Members of  Legio XX were invited to help with the "Art of Ancient Warfare" event by Ms. Carolyn Black, even filling in with a lecture on the Roman Army when a Loyola professor backed out. We were all a little surprised to find out that not only was she was not a faculty member, not a classics student, but instead is a biochemistry major.
       No matter. The 70 odd students worked on shields, wargamed, attended two lectures, and ended up in a cold rainy field with a testudo on one side,  a phalanx on the other, and blue celts heaving water balloons. We were curious about the reason for all this, but Ms. Black said honors students really just wanted to 'whack one another'. Nonetheless, many of them said they learned something from the lecture, from the construction of a legionary fortress to an appreciation for the sponge on a stick. Several of them expressed further interest in ancient history and reenactment, so perhaps we'll get new sign-ups.
       If these students are any sample you have no dullards at UMBC: even if they weren't history majors they had perceptive questions. I probably would have changed the lecture a bit if I'd known they were all bio chemistry and physics, but they liked it anyway.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/richsc53/album?.dir=/b73f&.src=ph&.tok=phcdHsEBo09NJW9X 
 

SURF'S UP

Cold Wars AAR by Walt O'Hara, http://mrnizz.blogspot.com/2006/03/cw-update-friday-sunday-i-got-busy.html 

Donald Jackson's Roman Gallery of Locks, Keys, and Seal Boxes, http://romanlocks.com/  
 

MORE DISTANT EVENTS

        Legio XIIII in West Virginia is hosting an event called Pax Romana, May 19-20 (20-21?) at Wine Cellar Park in Dunbar, WV. The event is free and open to the public. For more information please contact Legio XIIII at BrenMk1 AT gmail DOT com, or call 304---.  This is the same weekend as the Legio XX appearance at the PA Junior Classical League, but it would be nice if we could send a small contingent!
http://home.armourarchive.org/members/flonzy/Roman/calendar.htm  
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       Keith Egan of the South Jersey AIDS Alliance is looking for Romans to march in their fundraising walk in Atlantic City.  Unfortunately, this is scheduled for the first weekend in June, the same time as Roman Days, but I said I would help spread the word in case anyone in that general area was not able to attend Roman Days but was interested in a good cause.  Sounds like they're even willing to pay!   For more information, contact Mr. Egan at  609---, http://www.southjerseyaidsalliance.org  
 

CALENDAR
   April 22-23--Marching Through Time, Marietta Mansion, Glenn Dale, MD
   April 29 --Maryland Junior Classical League, Dulaney HS, Timonium
   May 6 -- Monthly Workshop at Roger and JJ's, 10 to 5
   May 20 --PA Junior Classical League Convention, PSU
   June 3-4 --ROMAN DAYS, Marietta Mansion

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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/.