Hi Caius here A few years back I rembered seeing An elderly RomanReeactor from Britian usings Bagpipes in his impression. My Understanding was they were of a more simpler form than the modern ones. Does anyone know who this gentlmen might be?. In the 4th Century increasing number of Romanized Celts entering into Roman military service it could have been possible. Also what about more tradtional instruments like the Courna would they still be in use?. In the military music can be used to give soliders a boost in Moral. Did the Late Roman milites have something similar? Cheers Caius/Thomas
I spent some time looking for anything like bagpipes prior to the middle ages, and the only item I could come up with remotely like it was the Sassanid 'mouth organ'. Thus I would doubt that they are period for Late Roman times. Neither, unfortunately, are they particularly Celtic or in any way a Celtic lead fossil. Bagpipes of different kinds are used in popular music throughout medieval Western Europe and survive only in marginal areas, both Celtic and non-Celtic.
Last time I remember bagpipes being discussed, the theory was that they were brought to the island from the mainland during the Saxon invasion, after Rome left Britain to fend for itself. If my memory serves, it actually originated sometime BC in the middle east, and migrated westward from there.
I might suggest a search for "dudel-sack" on the web, as well. This may turn up some of the Germanic histories of it.
I'm sure it was put across somewhere that the bagpipes were in use long before the Romans left(or even Came0 to britain, but cannot recall the details of the conversation, or which culture used them. :?
Thanks Hibernicus, That what I meant all along. Guess my memorie is good.So I guess there was Roman Bagpipes afterall. Cheers Thomas/Caius
Aww Shucks.... 'twer nuttin!
:oops:
A simpler version of the bag-pipe exist even today in Thrace.
In my opinion its closer to the ancient version than the modern scotish.
The Roman pipes were very similar to the Swedish sackpipa. I am working on documentation and making a set right now.