06-30-2008, 09:34 PM
I was also invited to this event as a participant in conference which took place on the beginning of the festival. What I want to write here about is the festival from my point of view. Also I'd like to note that I have information that Mr. Collogni's wife was very ill so he had to go abroad with here (I am just writing this as info not trying to comment the problem about organization in any way).
In my opinion the festival was not just successful but astonishing. For You who are used to such events maybe the this was nothing special but for me... I simply can not explain how these 3 days that I spent in Svishtov changed my view to observation of the past. Besides You have to bare in mind that in Novae was castra legionis I Italicae. The moment when guys of I Italicae stood in front of principia castris together with mr. Andrzej Biernacki who excavates Novae for decades and Mr. Peti Donevski was so emotional for me, and I will never forget it.
On the other side you have the professionalism of the groups who are not just the reenactors but the people who really represent the romans, gauls allamans. Being in different situations with these guys I was really feeling I am with people from the past. It is not just their equipment which is perfectly finished, but the people. 30 or 40 armed roman legionaries behave and act as group of armed man. In a moment I stood with few of them waiting for the bus, and armed as they were they blocked the road to stop the bus, or check the pedestrians who were passing by. The great thing are the faces of them which represent the veterans of the numerous battles. Every face I saw has a great character for itself. Also what I like to point is the great hospitality of the groups who had the time for talking pictures or explaining the story about their equipment. Different events took place mostly on 3 locations and that was also one of the good ideas, since that it was very interesting to see how people on the street of modern city react to selling of the slaves on the market and such small shows. For all of these guys I could only say they are authentic. I had the opportunity to speak more or less, with all of them, and I understood that they are not reenacting but having their modern life side and ancient life side. If a men dedicates his life to such a noble task there has to be the way to help these events, and I hope that I would be able to help such guys if not on international level then in my own country. Astonishing experience.
In my opinion the festival was not just successful but astonishing. For You who are used to such events maybe the this was nothing special but for me... I simply can not explain how these 3 days that I spent in Svishtov changed my view to observation of the past. Besides You have to bare in mind that in Novae was castra legionis I Italicae. The moment when guys of I Italicae stood in front of principia castris together with mr. Andrzej Biernacki who excavates Novae for decades and Mr. Peti Donevski was so emotional for me, and I will never forget it.
On the other side you have the professionalism of the groups who are not just the reenactors but the people who really represent the romans, gauls allamans. Being in different situations with these guys I was really feeling I am with people from the past. It is not just their equipment which is perfectly finished, but the people. 30 or 40 armed roman legionaries behave and act as group of armed man. In a moment I stood with few of them waiting for the bus, and armed as they were they blocked the road to stop the bus, or check the pedestrians who were passing by. The great thing are the faces of them which represent the veterans of the numerous battles. Every face I saw has a great character for itself. Also what I like to point is the great hospitality of the groups who had the time for talking pictures or explaining the story about their equipment. Different events took place mostly on 3 locations and that was also one of the good ideas, since that it was very interesting to see how people on the street of modern city react to selling of the slaves on the market and such small shows. For all of these guys I could only say they are authentic. I had the opportunity to speak more or less, with all of them, and I understood that they are not reenacting but having their modern life side and ancient life side. If a men dedicates his life to such a noble task there has to be the way to help these events, and I hope that I would be able to help such guys if not on international level then in my own country. Astonishing experience.
Stefan Pop-Lazic
by a stuff demand, and personal hesitation
by a stuff demand, and personal hesitation
