08-14-2003, 04:25 PM
After viewing the trailer, a few thoughts spring to mind---<br>
<br>
(1) The cuirasses worn by the legionaries appear to be copied straight off Trajan's column-- i.e. the shoulder plates have rounded ends with big studs in them. The material, I think, is supposed to be blued or forge-blackened iron. It's black, not brown like leather, and it seems pretty rigid, not flexing the way leather would (of course it's probably plastic!).<br>
<br>
(2) The helmets look like Italic Ds without the fancy decoration. The Italic D is a lter first century helmet, but it's not impossible a similar form could have been in use in Christ's time. Just very unlikely.<br>
<br>
(3) The rusty brown color of the tunics looks plausible enough. But the troops are wearing what look like leather braccae. Why would anyone wear braccae in Judaean heat? Perhaps to spare the Jews from looking at hairy white thighs?<br>
<br>
(4) Other tidbits -- i.e. shields, belts and aprons, weapons, etc. look pretty good, for Hollywood. But all of the above is kind of irrelevent, because...<br>
<br>
(5) The Roman garrison of Jerusalem would have really been composed of auxiliaries, with totally different gear.<br>
<br>
(6) Christ is carrying the whole cross, instead of just the crossbeam, as he should be.<br>
<br>
(7) Pontius Pilate, with a very un-Roman shaved head, looks like the lead singer for Smashing Pumpkins.<br>
<br>
( Pilate pronounces "ecce homo" as "et-chay homo," using modern ecclesiastical Latin, instead of the properly period "eckay homo" pronunciation.<br>
<br>
None of the above would have been that big a deal, except that Gibson & co. have been promoting this as THE most accurate portrayal of Christ's passion ever attempted. Heck, they even used the original languages with no subtitles!<br>
<br>
Too bad. A phone call or email to any reenactment group would have turned up lots of properly kitted Romans eager to help. Looks like another missed opportunity.<br>
<br>
T, Flavius Crispus<br>
Legio VI Victrix Pia Fidelis<br>
California, USA <p></p><i></i>
<br>
(1) The cuirasses worn by the legionaries appear to be copied straight off Trajan's column-- i.e. the shoulder plates have rounded ends with big studs in them. The material, I think, is supposed to be blued or forge-blackened iron. It's black, not brown like leather, and it seems pretty rigid, not flexing the way leather would (of course it's probably plastic!).<br>
<br>
(2) The helmets look like Italic Ds without the fancy decoration. The Italic D is a lter first century helmet, but it's not impossible a similar form could have been in use in Christ's time. Just very unlikely.<br>
<br>
(3) The rusty brown color of the tunics looks plausible enough. But the troops are wearing what look like leather braccae. Why would anyone wear braccae in Judaean heat? Perhaps to spare the Jews from looking at hairy white thighs?<br>
<br>
(4) Other tidbits -- i.e. shields, belts and aprons, weapons, etc. look pretty good, for Hollywood. But all of the above is kind of irrelevent, because...<br>
<br>
(5) The Roman garrison of Jerusalem would have really been composed of auxiliaries, with totally different gear.<br>
<br>
(6) Christ is carrying the whole cross, instead of just the crossbeam, as he should be.<br>
<br>
(7) Pontius Pilate, with a very un-Roman shaved head, looks like the lead singer for Smashing Pumpkins.<br>
<br>
( Pilate pronounces "ecce homo" as "et-chay homo," using modern ecclesiastical Latin, instead of the properly period "eckay homo" pronunciation.<br>
<br>
None of the above would have been that big a deal, except that Gibson & co. have been promoting this as THE most accurate portrayal of Christ's passion ever attempted. Heck, they even used the original languages with no subtitles!<br>
<br>
Too bad. A phone call or email to any reenactment group would have turned up lots of properly kitted Romans eager to help. Looks like another missed opportunity.<br>
<br>
T, Flavius Crispus<br>
Legio VI Victrix Pia Fidelis<br>
California, USA <p></p><i></i>
T. Flavius Crispus / David S. Michaels
Centurio Pilus Prior,
Legio VI VPF
CA, USA
"Oderint dum probent."
Tiberius
Centurio Pilus Prior,
Legio VI VPF
CA, USA
"Oderint dum probent."
Tiberius
