I have been asked by this events coordinator John to post this on RAT. This is a major event as you will see below, hosted by the town of New Ulm, the State of Minnesota, Legio X E V and Legio XIIII G M V. For more details the website is in the media post below, as is the e-mail for the event coordinator. We are looking for a large Roman turn out as the German "barbarians" are being recruited from the public, though I'm sure they would appreciate some Gallic or German tribal reenactors as advisors to help outfit and train the public.
Romans March on New Ulm this Fall 2009
Roman Soldiers will march on New Ulm, Minnesota this fall 2009. Members of the XIIII Legion Milwaukee area and the X Legion Chicago area will set up camp near the famous Hermann Monument. They are coming to recreate an important historical event.
In the year 9 AD, Roman Legionnaires from the XVII, XVIII and XIX Legions fought a battle east of the Rhein River in northern Germany. The battle field in Germany, recently discovered by Tony Clunn, is helping tell the story. This was, in fact, such a decisive battle that it helped create the foundations for modern Europe.
The City of New Ulm and the Hermann Victory Committee are hosting a three-day Hermann Victory Celebration on Friday Sept 18, Saturday Sept 19 and Sunday Sept 20, 2009.
This small-scale reenactment of the Battle of Teutoburger Wald will be part of this three -day event. Roman soldiers and German tribal “barbarians” led by Hermann the German (or Arminius as he was known to the Romans) will once again meet in the Teutoburger Forest to set the course for the future of Germany.
Local barbarians and those from nearby tribes are invited to enlist in the reenactment. Saturday afternoon at the Roman campsite, you can join one of the tribes: Hermann’s Cherusci Auxiliaries, the Bructeri, Marsi or form your own tribe. We’ll supply the face paint and some Cherusci Auxiliary uniforms. Learn a bit of the history and dress and arm yourself as they might have 2000 years ago.
That day near sunset a reenactment of that battle will be staged. Varus and his Romans will march from their summer camp into the carefully planned ambush. History tells us one fall day in 9 AD Hermann the Cherusci and his tribal allies ended Roman expansion in that part of the world.
Visit the camp that afternoon (all barbarians welcome) and later that day on Saturday September 19, a 2000 year -old event in history will be revisited.
Interested Romans and barbarians contact
[email protected]
and visit the
http://www.Hermannmonument.com website to learn more of the 3 day event
[Fixed the link, JO]
Thank you for posting this up. I am VERY INTERESTED in going! If I get hopping on arrangements NOW, I can fly out there for cheaper fares. Lafe was expensive flying due to lateness in making the reservations (though AAA did a bang-up job in finding about the cheapest fares possible considering the lateness). It might even work out for me to fly to Chicago, hook up with you, if you plan to fly up and back. I have Augustan legionary kit for sure.
very cool, look forward to seeing you there!
Kevair,
I'm new to the forum, and joined mainly to reply to your post about the New Ulm event. If you're looking for barbarians to fight, I'd suggest contacting the local Shires of the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). I'm sure you're familiar with the SCA, but maybe you didn't think to let them know about the event. The closest shire to New Ulm is Rivenwood Tower, in Mankato, about a half hour from New Ulm. The next shire would be Nordskogen in Minneapolis, a big one. And Silfren Mere in Rochester would be another one. Sorry I didn't include the links...long day at work and I'm pooped. You'd probably want to contact the Seneschal of the shire.
That way you'd get people who already have kit and garb, and who take historicity seriously...and you could avoid local citizen volunteers with plastic helmets and Death Metal t-shirts.
I hope to be there as a merchant , selling my medieval leather helmets...this time with wings on them. Aargh! But look at the statue of Hermann and you'll see a winged helmet. Okay, I'm mercenary enough to compromise with that. See my stuff at "http://leatherhelms.com". Nothing there for Romans, though.
Looks like this event is going to be a big deal.
Regards, Doug Lais
Thanks Douglas, I will forward that info to the event organizer.
Kevin,
If the organizers are not already aware of the SCA in their area, it is part of the Kingdom of Northshield. The local Shire, which includes New Ulm in its territory is Rivenwood Tower. The website for the Kingdom of Northshield is:
http://www.northshield.org/
Then one can pull up groups - Minnesota is part of the Lakes Region - within each group of the Lakes Region will be contact information.
The Barony of Nordskogen is just north and east of the shire and I would recommend that the organizers contact them as well for Germans and possibly Romans, too. Baronies have a larger pool of people to pull from.
If I may be of any assistance, please let me know and pass that onto the organizers from New Ulm as well. I have been in the SCA (East Kingdom) for 30 years, am a Peer, etc....
Thanks! I'm sure finding enough German Barbarians to beat on us legionaries won't be the problem, I really want to get a good base of Romans to make the camp and Varus's March look better.
Kevin, what's the projected participant count these days? How many have signed up or at least asked for specific info?
Not sure on the exact numbers, we will probibly field between 8 or 9 guys, Leg XIIII will probibly field around 10-12, then I've gotten response of interest from a couple other legions as well. I would guess the total legionary count fright now is around 25 or so. 80 would be nice to get a full strength cohort, but thats probibly a pipe dream.
25 would be a pretty good showing! Hope it works out even better than that, bro.
You might consider contacting Nordskogen, in the SCA, in Minneapolis. They have a few Romans who might be interested in joining as auxiliaries.
Doug
UPDATE on event for Roman Reenactors:
Due to the large number of reenactors planning on attending this event, I would like to invite all interested parties to please show up on the THURSDAY (September 17) of the event, this way we will have time to set up a proper Roman encampment and will have Thursday, Friday, and Half the day Saturday to practice the reenactment together, drill, and get things running smoothly between all the different roman groups. We have gotten interest from all over the US and Canada, and have legions coming from Romania and Italy, so we will really need to practice working together. All training will be in the Roman camp, within public view starting thursday night, so we need to make this as official looking as possible
I know everyone has been communicating with John from New Ulm, but I want to try to get a headcount of Romans who plan on coming up so I can figure out cohort structure, as well as use of auxiliaries and the command structure. Please try to have your kit as close to Augustan Period kit as possible, if all you have is later kit, that is fine, but if you can get your hands on some coolus helmets, hamta, kalkriese seggys, maintz blades, ect. it would be great. Also, for unit commanders, centuiros, optios, signifers, ect., please plan on portreying just regular miles (soldiers) for this event, this way we don't have 15 centurios, 20 optios, 6 signifers, and 4 soldiers. The command structure is being put together by John from New Ulm, with assistance from others. Those with command experiance please let me know, as we will need help that weekend training the volunteers, as well as getting all the various roman groups working together, since my group is one of the host legions, i've kinda fallen into the optio possition for the actual Teutoburg scenario but would love a good seasoned training optio for the camp who can revert back to a mile for the march. I have to discuss this with John, but the campaign will be using the following "rank" possition (those marked with an asterisk are filled as far as i know)
Teutoberg Wald Ambush Reenactment: (these are the more theatrical possitions)
Legat Publius Varus*
Centurio Leg XVII*
Optio Leg XVII*
Signifer Leg XVII*
Tessarius
Conicern (need 1 or 2 who can actually play these for the sound effect)
Roman Camp:
Camp Prefect* (Prefect of Leg XIIII)
Camp Centurio (will assist Dave from Leg XIIII)
Training Optio (need military experiance and reenactment experience to train recruits and get everyone working together)
Training Tesserarius (1 or 2) (same as above)
Conicerns
Quatermasters (will help equiping the volunteers, getting them registered, and bringing them to training with the optio)
Other possible possitions to follow
I am going up to New Ulm to scout out the battlesite and plan the Roman camp at the end of August, as well as train the local volunteers who will portrey our German enemies.
I had responded early and also directly to John. I am restating that I will be there. I may have to add another day onto the front end of my vacation request. It is 22 hours driving to get there from Connecticut. I planned already to push hard with driving the first day (originally Wednesday), then arrive during the afternoon of Thursday.
I would rather be just an ordinary miles. My experience was in the US Navy-ballistic missile submarines-Navigation, which is a very different experience for an NCO than the rest of the military.
I am definitely bringing two helmets- both my own: A Coolus E and an Imperial Gallic A. I'll wear one and loan the other. I may be able to borrow some of my legion's loaner gear-an extra hamata or two, etc.
Curiosity question and only that: Why Legio XVII as the Legion chosen to represent Varus' three legions? Why not Legio XIX, for example, or Legio XIIX (XVIII)-both of which we KNOW were present at the Varian Disaster? Tacitus writes that Legio XIX's Eagle was the first one recaptured- from the Bructeri. It is the only Eagle recaptured or recovered in association with this Battle whose legion is named. The other two were recovered, but no specific legions are named for the other two. Of course the famous cenotaph of M. Caelius, Primi Ordines Centurio of Legio XIIX-he was killed in the "Bello Variano"-is the evidence for the presence of that Legion at the Battle.
No idea why the 17th was chosen, origenally it was going to be the 18th, but that is the decision of the organizers of the event up in New Ulm. Its awesome that you are coming, it looks to be shaping up into a huge event!
Be sure to make a photo CD or DVD available for sale to people who can't come up. Video/stills, please! We want to share in the fun vicariously, at least. And here's to good weather, and no injuries.