09-17-2008, 03:20 AM
Caesar might have worn musculata, but in a battle, he might have worn more practical armor, as he sometimes actually took a shield and got in the mix a bit, if his Commentaries are accurate.
Plumata? Squamata? Hamata? Hard to say. Either way, the scales can be made for stage from nothing more complicated than poster board and "gold" mylar bumper sticker material. Cut the bazillion scales, and sew them onto a "vest" of sorts made from fairly rigid cloth, or a close-fitting shirt. It's theatre, not reenactment...you don't need scales with six holes in each, overlapping two directions made of brass, sewn or wired to a linen base.
He was known for wearing a long sleeved red tunic, though, modelled after the Gauls he was fighting in his famous conquest. That might be hard to sell to a stage audience, though, and I doubt he wore long sleeves in Egypt, as there wasn't such a need to keep warm most of the time.
What about (for the non-battle gear) belts and such as described well by Neuraleanus, with a paenula of lightweight, but elegant cloth? Easy enough to work that out (and it covers the back, so the scale armor only really has to come around the sides, and doesn't have to be on the back at all. Your costumer will be glad of that!
I've used red cotton flannel for capes and such, since the cloth is matte, it looks more like it should. I sewed a string into the hem, with fishing weights (split shot) every few inches. That added weight to the cloth, and made for nice, swishing movements when the actor turned or moved around. Gives the illusion of a heavy cloth, without the expense. The non-cotton flannels are too stiff to drape correctly.
Plumata? Squamata? Hamata? Hard to say. Either way, the scales can be made for stage from nothing more complicated than poster board and "gold" mylar bumper sticker material. Cut the bazillion scales, and sew them onto a "vest" of sorts made from fairly rigid cloth, or a close-fitting shirt. It's theatre, not reenactment...you don't need scales with six holes in each, overlapping two directions made of brass, sewn or wired to a linen base.
He was known for wearing a long sleeved red tunic, though, modelled after the Gauls he was fighting in his famous conquest. That might be hard to sell to a stage audience, though, and I doubt he wore long sleeves in Egypt, as there wasn't such a need to keep warm most of the time.
What about (for the non-battle gear) belts and such as described well by Neuraleanus, with a paenula of lightweight, but elegant cloth? Easy enough to work that out (and it covers the back, so the scale armor only really has to come around the sides, and doesn't have to be on the back at all. Your costumer will be glad of that!
I've used red cotton flannel for capes and such, since the cloth is matte, it looks more like it should. I sewed a string into the hem, with fishing weights (split shot) every few inches. That added weight to the cloth, and made for nice, swishing movements when the actor turned or moved around. Gives the illusion of a heavy cloth, without the expense. The non-cotton flannels are too stiff to drape correctly.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
