EVENT--SHORT NOTICE!
On April 24-25 the Legion has
been invited to a “military evolution” event at Fort Washington
National
Park just south of Washington, DC. Yes, this is another
multi-period
display, right here in our proverbial back yard. It’s been a few
years since the Fort has held this event, and they’ve never had Romans
before, so it seems to be sort of an experiment. We can start
setting
up about 10 AM on Saturday, and there will be an opening ceremony at
noon.
About 5 PM is a “sunset parade”. Sunday will run from 10 to 3
with
another parade at closing. It sounds pretty laid back and they
are
happy with as many people as we can bring. I’ll be there with the
tent as usual--I believe overnight camping is allowed, but I better
make
sure. That’s about as much as I know. Come on out!
Directions: From I-95/495
the Capital Beltway, take Exit 3 onto Rt. 210 South, Indian Head
Highway.
Go about 4 miles and turn right onto Fort Washington Rd (I believe
there’s
a traffic light); follow that about 3 more miles and it should take you
straight to the park entrance. There is an admission charge for
the
public, but if you’re a participant just tell them that and they should
let you in. We’ll be in a large field next to the parking lot
before
the visitor center (if that makes any sense).
“WHERE CAN I GET STUFF?”
That is the eternal question of
Roman reenacting, and there may be a new answer soon. I was
contacted
not long ago by Albion Armorers, a new supplier of repro armor and
weaponry
located in Germantown, MD. They were interested not only in
selling
us gear, but also in feedback on their products and suggestions about
what
other items they might offer. Well, my first glance at their
website
(http://albionarmorers.com) showed the same “Trooper’s Helmet” that
Museum
Replicas and other places carry, although their gladius was different
and
they offered a couple very nice 4th century AD helmets.
Eventually
I got around to writing back to them, with a critique of their Roman
items
and some info and pictures, with an offer of much more if they really
were
willing to try to improve their products. Very quickly, the reply
came back, starting with “Wow!” They were very adamant about
wanting
to make their products as authentic as possible, since they were just
as
sick as us at all the farby stuff flooding the market these days.
They were already sending my info on to their suppliers in India
(several
competitors of Windlass Steel/Museum Replicas), and wanted whatever
help
I could give them.
Naturally I was flabbergasted,
and suspicious and skeptical, knowing how many people have NOT been
able
to deliver on claims like that. At the same time, we’ve always
known
that those Indian metalworkers were definitely skilled enough to make
the
good stuff, given good guidance. And Howard and Amy at Albion
kept
saying how they wanted to be able to supply very authentic equipment
from
all the early periods, from Bronze Age onwards, and that they wanted
more
information. I'll be meeting with them this weekend to give them
a better look at what we need (helmets, pilum heads, daggers, and
paterae
for starters!), and to find out what sort of time frame we're looking
at
for all this.
For the moment, I'd say that their
gladius is better than Museum Replicas (and cheaper), though I have
only
seen the photograph so far. Its only visible flaws are that the
scabbard
has full-length side gutters, which I have not seen on any surviving
Pompeii
scabbard, but they aren't necessarily wrong; and the pommel and guard
look
a little more Mainz-shaped--again, hardly a major problem!
Albion's
later Roman helmets are also very good-looking and reasonably
priced.
I WILL LET YOU KNOW when other Legio XX-certified items are available,
so stay tuned!
FIRST TRUMPET--ROMAN DAYS
Yipes, is it that time
already?
I guess this should really be "Second Trumpet" since the June Adlocvtio
won't be out before the event. Anyway, the second annual
Roman
Days will be held on June 12-13 at Marietta Mansion, and will be open
to
the public from 10 AM to 4 PM both days. Admission for the
general
public will be just a buck or two. Merchants are welcome to sell
their wares, and there is no fee (that I know of), but please let Susan
Wolfe, the site manager, know that you are coming.
The site layout will be similar
to last year, including the large pavilion tent, but the military camps
will up on the lawn between the house and parking lot to take advantage
of the shade. If we need camp fires they can be dug on the other
side of the driveway.
Remember, you do NOT need to have
any Roman clothing or equipment in order to attend and have fun!
This event is open all who have a love of things ancient, whether you
are
a reenactor, wargamer, collector, scholar, teacher, or you just think
Romans
are cool. (Which they are, of course.) Kentucky Public
Television
station KET will be sending a Latin teacher and a camera crew to film
parts
of the event, mainly for students but possibly for PBS!
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE (Any ideas
to add?):
--Arrive and set up on Friday, or Saturday morning.
--Open to the public c. 10 AM to 4 PM Saturday and Sunday.
SATURDAY
11 AM, Full muster and opening remarks
12 Noon, Lunch--cooking and eating demos
12 to 2 PM, Various drill and tactical demos, tent tours, etc.
2 PM, Massed tactical and drill demo
4 PM to ?, hobnob, party, forage for food, debate great issues,
etc.
SUNDAY
11AM, Olympic competition! Armor Race, Pilum Throw, Hamata
Toss, Wrestling, various ball games, etc.
Noon, Lunch and rehabilitation
1:00, Massed tactical and drill demo
3:00 PM Closing parade
Facilities: Plenty of
space
for displays, parking, period or modern camping, etc. Water,
portajohns,
straw, firewood. There will be a 20'x30' tent roof for shade or
rain
protection, mostly for the merchants and table displays, and we can
also
get some 10'x20' pop-up flies. There are a number of hotels
within
a few miles.
At the first Roman Days in 1998
we had about 25-30 participants and over 450 spectators. It
promises
to be bigger in 1999. Besides the usual military camp(s) and our
herb-seller display, there will be a table with domestic items, a model
villa and fort, perhaps some small artifacts, etc. Also a couple
merchants and craftspersons. If you have any ideas or activities
to add, please sing out! (Augury? Law court skit?
MUSIC?)
We don't have to have frantic activity all day long, but I want all
participants
and visitors to have fun.
AFTER-ACTION REPORT--MTA
It was a pretty typical weekend
at Jamestown. Saturday was chilly but dry, and there were lots of
visitors. Several Associates and hopeful members came by
introduce
and get a look at the toys. Our drill demo was well-received as
always,
and the Park fed us very well that evening. The 20th-century
groups
had lots of neato vehicles and recorded period music, plus a tin-roofed
hut and an observation tower. There is very much an air of
one-upsmanship
at this event each year!
However, our weather luck was
also typical and the promised rain arrived Sunday morning. I
dithered
for a while, not wanting to cause any trouble by leaving early, but we
called it quits before noon and bugged out.
If anyone wants to attend Military
Through the Ages next year, I'll pass you the application information
when
it comes to me. We fielded seven legionaries this time, and
our ranks are slowly growing, so there may still be enough interest,
but
I myself will not be going back. Oh, apparently we won a
prize--since
we didn't compete in any judged thing it must have been either a
Judges'
Choice or Participants' Choice award. No word from Jamestown
about
that yet.
AFTER-ACTION REPORT--MTT
There was horrible sense of deja
vu at Marching Through Time, since we got rained out on Sunday!
Incredible,
ain't it? We set up on Friday and talked to several busloads of
enthusiastic
school kids. It rained that evening, but Saturday was warm and
completely
clear. Our civilian ladies had their herb booth set up, and we
marched
for the crowd shortly after opening time. (We need
practice!)
A couple more seriously interested people were among the visitors,
including
none other than Steve Greeley, co-founder and former optio of Dan
Peterson's
Legio XIIII in Germany. He seemed reasonably impressed with us,
and
I hope we'll see him again soon, eh, Steve? Thanks for coming
out!
After the Pass in Review at the end of the day, some mixed-group
publicity
photos were taken for future events.
Sunday's rain started about 7
AM. Mike and first-timer Owen, having slept in the tent, were
leaving
as I arrived, and so were many other participants. I hung around
for a few hours, since the tent was already soaked and there were
actually
a few die-hard visitors who wanted to chat. George came by just
to
pick up the gear he'd left overnight, and the rest of the Legion was
smart
enough to stay home.
One other word of caution (not
to be adding to the negatives): I got a ferocious case of poison
ivy on Friday, both arms and legs, presumably while clearing some
branches
from the back of our rather shallow campsite. Actually it's
probably
poison oak or sumac, since I've learned after much torment to recognize
poison ivy, and I saw none around there. My latest research
indicates
that if you think you've been exposed to any of these jolly flora, wash
immediately with LOTS OF COOL WATER (no soap) to remove the oil from
your
skin and clothes. I've even got two spots that were covered by my
short trousers, so it must have gotten on my tunic and then onto me
after
I shucked the pants. Needless to say, I'll be doing some laundry,
and washing my axe and other items that might have gotten
contaminated.
Gads...
But like I said, Saturday at least
was plenty fun, with 6 legionaries and 3 civilians. Thanks to
everyone
who turned out to support the Legion.
STUFF
We finally got a couple new scuta
into action, Bill Bennett's and Mike Cope's. Mike decided to try
something different, cutting the parts of the emblem out of leather,
painting
them, and then gluing them to the face. It was sure quicker than
just painting--you don't have to worry about staying inside the
lines!
But I am a little worried that the glue may not hold, and there isn't
really
any solid evidence for this method. Bill's shield is simply
painted,
which should remain our "standard" technique from now on. Yes,
some
of us have way cool metal wings and things, and I have agreed to help
Marcus
with brass wings for his new scutum, but I think we should try to make
those the exception rather than the rule. One of the problems
with
a metal emblem is tarnish and rust, a major pain, believe me! I
made
myself a calfskin shield cover to try to keep the raindrops off.
Mike is also sporting his new
lorica segmentata (Corbridge type A) from Joe Piela of Lonely Mountain
Forge. Joe is now charging $450 for one of those, unfortunately,
and his backlog is lengthening. (Help us out, Albion
Armorers!)
And if you haven't seen the new embossed plates on Tom Kolb's
Mainz
scabbard, they are also by Joe Piela and simply to die for! (They
can be seen on the Lonely Mountain Forge website,
http://members.aol.com/gijchar/forge.html)
Owen Hutchins was very well turned out in a mailshirt, tunic, caligae,
and gladius. George has made 6 palisade stakes, the really thick
kind, so our camp is developing a nice prickly perimeter.
BOOK REVIEW by Jane Walker
Ancient Roman Gardens by Linda Farrar. Sutton Publishing
Ltd. Great Britain. 1998.
This book contains fascinating,
well documented, and well-organized information about many aspects of
gardens
and gardening in the Roman Republic and Empire. In one chapter,
the
author describes in detail the seven basic types of ornamental pools
favored
by the Romans--complete with construction diagrams. The chapter
on
plants is also extensive, but, whereas with the pools I cried
“enough!”,
at the end of “Flora and Fauna in Gardens” I still wanted
“more!”.
Personal bias on the part of the reader! I found the introduction
and the chapter on historical background to be too “wordy” for my taste
(they also appear not to have been carefully proof-read), but Ms
Farrar settles down to concise and interesting documentation of her
subject
in the body of the book; only occasionally does her undocumented
personal
opinion slip in. My favorite tidbit from the book is a reference
to correspondence (found in Egypt) between a commercial flower grower
and
a customer; the customer wanted 2000 narcissi and 2000 roses for
a wedding, and the grower replied that he could supply over 4000
narcissi
but only 1000 roses. Now I love the scent of daffodils, but 4000
of them??? This is an indispensable book for the student of
garden
history and is a useful reference the student of Roman culture as
well.
CALENDAR
April 21 --Anniversary of the Founding of Rome, 753 BC.
Where's the party?
April 24-25 --Military evolution encampment, Fort Washington,
MD
April 30-May 2 --Mithracon II, New Haven, CT. Contact Jane
Sibley for more info.
May 29-31 --SCA Quest, New Jersey. We have been invited
by the Celtic ladies who did all that fine cooking at Roman Days.
Who's in?
June 12-13 --ROMAN DAYS, Marietta Mansion, Glenn Dale, MD.
If you only get to one Roman event all year, this is the one!
Several
other groups will be joining Legio XX, and it will be bigger and better
than last time. Massed tacticals, Olympics, merchants, and
more.
You do not have to be dressed as a Roman to participate and have a
great
time!
July --Festa Italiano, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. No official
invitation yet.
July 31-Aug. 1 --Military Time Line event, Ft. Malden, Ontario
(just over the border from Detroit). Bit of drive for most of us,
but definitely a good time of year to head north, eh? Is anyone
seriously
interested?
Sept. 18-19 --Legio III Gallica encampment, New Orleans,
Louisiana.
Contact Darren Nunez for more information: 504---
Sept. 24-26 --Roman Military Equipment Conference, South Shields,
Eng. See the ROMEC website for details,
http://pobox.com/~jrmes/romec.htm
------------------------
ADLOCVTIO is the official monthly newsletter of the Twentieth Legion,
Inc. Has everyone properly rendered unto Caesar? I think
the
old publicani would be preferable to all these cockamamie forms.
If you wish to tax your Editor/Commander with questions or
contributions,
direct them to: Matthew Amt (Quintus). *
S * P
* Q * R *