Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Why do 1st Century Roman groups avoid combat
#84
Quote:
Gaius Julius Caesar post=320268 Wrote:The one group recorded as swimming in their kit fully armoured were the Batavians.
It was one of their claims to fame which made them a specialist Auxillia unit.

however, watching the 'swimmer' he was not exactly doing what the whole group do. Looked more like he was being made to put his money where his mouth was. :grin: And it doesn't look like his feet have left the bottom. The guy in the seg is wadeing too. Ive seen that picture before on ~FB as well. Great photos though.
The guy in mail looks like he was swimming properly, albeit with no extra kit (not even a sword belt - is he being punished?!). There's an interesting video here showing a guy from the MyArmoury forums trying to swim in plate armour - he manages ten feet in forward stroke, proving that falling into water wasn't an immediate death sentance in plate. With intensive, specialist trianing, it might be possible to swim in such a weight. That harness weighed 50lbs, for the sake of comparison.

In the case of the Batavians, I think the usual interpretation is that they swam with their horses, which could presumably carry the weight of the soldier's weapons leaving the Batavian either in his undergarments or armoured (mail might be worse than plate in this regard however). Anyone know how buoyant an auxiliary shield might be?

Yes, I am aware of that. I'm pretty sure the horses did most of the work! Also most soldiers would remove their kit and keep it out of the water. I wonder how bouyant any shield is to be honest.
However, I disagree on the guy in mail, he is taking water, he may have swan a couple of strokes, if that.
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
Reply


Messages In This Thread
Re: Why do 1st Century Roman groups avoid combat - by Sheikh Al Stranghi - 09-03-2012, 01:19 AM
Why do 1st Century Roman groups avoid combat - by Gaius Julius Caesar - 09-12-2012, 01:28 PM

Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Silica gel to avoid rust richsc 10 1,980 05-14-2012, 04:19 PM
Last Post: Robert Vermaat
  How do you avoid Tinned cookware dangers jkaler48 4 1,642 01-10-2010, 01:29 AM
Last Post: MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS

Forum Jump: