Representation of Auxiliary soldiers in museums

[mike galer]

Representation of Auxiliary soldiers in museums

Dear All, I want to raise this new post as part of my research.

I am looking at how auxiliary soldiers are represented in museums. My study area is the UK, but I would be interested in any photographs you have of manikins, dummies, armour reconstructions and other kinds of representations (paintings, even computer images) in the UK and elsewhere for comparison.

I am looking to see if they conform to a stereotypical view (i.e. 1st century AD legionaries with red tunics and segmented armour, auxiliaries wearing green) or if there is any hint of ethnicity of the solider - i.e. no Black Romans anyone? Despite auxiliaries coming from Africa, Syria and Persia.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think museum efforts are accurate? I know many of you are re-enactors, so you might have examples of laughable attempts of dummies and reconstructions.

Should museums attempt to do this at all? Which get it right the best, or are that all based on Peter Connolly, or Romald Embleton?

Thanks.