03-15-2010, 08:01 PM
This year at Kelmarsh and Marles we shall once again be able to form a century of legionnaries.
Previously we have been grateful that we managed to move so many at once and get them on and off and through a basic set of movements. I feel we should aim higher and wonder if readers have views on how this opportunity should be used.
I see in Ross Cowan's Osprey book "Roman Battle Tactics" at page 32 he illustrates a century in close and open order. This involves 8 columns of 10 men in a row including centurion significer and cornicen and with the optio and tesserarius at the back. Reproducing this would present problems as we march in 4s!! let alone changing from close to open order.
We have always split into two parts to do the testudo and cuneus but maybe we should stay as one?
One problem we already have is the different commands and pronunciations of the basic commands.
Thinking of a display by auxilliaries at Namur there is a danger that the legionnary will be supplanted in the publics mind.
Previously we have been grateful that we managed to move so many at once and get them on and off and through a basic set of movements. I feel we should aim higher and wonder if readers have views on how this opportunity should be used.
I see in Ross Cowan's Osprey book "Roman Battle Tactics" at page 32 he illustrates a century in close and open order. This involves 8 columns of 10 men in a row including centurion significer and cornicen and with the optio and tesserarius at the back. Reproducing this would present problems as we march in 4s!! let alone changing from close to open order.
We have always split into two parts to do the testudo and cuneus but maybe we should stay as one?
One problem we already have is the different commands and pronunciations of the basic commands.
Thinking of a display by auxilliaries at Namur there is a danger that the legionnary will be supplanted in the publics mind.
Quod imperatum fuerit facimus et ad omnem tesseram parati erimus
