Reenactment Legion Uniformity vs Variety

[Matthew Amt]

So lets consider the case of the shovel. Very few have been found /published in Roman contexts and I think none that can be linked to the legions for sure.. So should a reconstruction based on one of the few period examples be "banned" from reenacting until one is found in a Legionary context or allowed under a "known tool must have been used sometimes premise" Opinions?

Aren't shovels shown on Trajan's Column? If so, that's darn good evidence for their basic appearance. (Dolabrae shown on the Column are good matches for surviving examples, after all.) A quick glance at Fuentes' article "The Mule of a Soldier" and 2 Connolly books reveals at least 3 surviving shovel heads. None are specifically said to be from military sites, but other tools such as entrenching tools, hammers, and other items turn up on both military and civilian sites, with no distinguishable differences. That's good enough for me. Fuentes also cites some historical references to shovels (though I didn't read them carefully). To me, that's perfectly good documentation: pictoral, archeological, and literary, 3 for 3! Plus a range of styles: 2 iron shovel heads of different shapes, and a wooden one with an iron edge. So go for it!

Why should any item known to have existed be banned if it is legitimately a part of any given impression? Mind you, just because an item is well-documented does not mean that is appropriate for a soldier on campaign, for instance! I don't let my legionaries have stools in camp, because I have seen no evidence for their use in that context. Officers, sure, but not grunts! But I wouldn't let a senator's wife wear military caligae, either.

Valete,

Matthew