05-07-2012, 10:18 PM
Hello Adam
You could have a look through my book, 'Roman Military Dress'. I put everything I could find relating to military clothing in that.
On the face of it it would appear that being a third century legionary would be a better option for you as they wore long sleeved tunics and trousers but sadly they do not look like the "classic" Roman legionary at that date.
There is practically no evidence that earlier first century imperial troops wore long sleeved tunics, trousers, knee length bracae, leg wrappings, leg bindings or Celtic inspired clothing however popular they may all be with modern re-enactors.
Analogies with more recent periods or even other Roman periods would suggest that soldiers did adopt or adapt other clothing items on campaign but although occasionally a couple of Roman writers liked to criticise some senior commanders for wearing local clothing (although whether they actually did or not or whether the writer was making a barbed point, we will never know for certain), they never bothered to say if ordinary soldiers followed suit.
Likewise Roman art of the period never shows Roman soldiers wearing anything other than the standard clothing items. Written accounts would suggest that in cold weather the early imperial period Romans wore more Roman style clothing first, rather than adopt local fashions. So two, three or even four square type tunics rather than one long sleeved one. Equally there are also references to undercloaks and overcloaks.
The square leg wrappings and the strip type leg bindings mentioned in other posts appear frequently in later Roman art, sometimes even worn by soldiers. However there is nothing to suggest they were worn earlier by infantry or cavalry, although common sense might imply that they did. Remember though that most campaigning would take place during the summer months.
This is of course not helping you very much. The arm guard is one idea but it only covers one arm, equally you could wear a greave on one leg, although again there would be an argument as to when it would be acceptable for an ordinary soldier to wear one. Bandages for covering minor wounds is perhaps one other option possibly done in such a way that they are not obviously meant to be standard bindings or wrappings, although they would probably look very similar.
I hope this helps a bit.
Graham.
You could have a look through my book, 'Roman Military Dress'. I put everything I could find relating to military clothing in that.
On the face of it it would appear that being a third century legionary would be a better option for you as they wore long sleeved tunics and trousers but sadly they do not look like the "classic" Roman legionary at that date.
There is practically no evidence that earlier first century imperial troops wore long sleeved tunics, trousers, knee length bracae, leg wrappings, leg bindings or Celtic inspired clothing however popular they may all be with modern re-enactors.
Analogies with more recent periods or even other Roman periods would suggest that soldiers did adopt or adapt other clothing items on campaign but although occasionally a couple of Roman writers liked to criticise some senior commanders for wearing local clothing (although whether they actually did or not or whether the writer was making a barbed point, we will never know for certain), they never bothered to say if ordinary soldiers followed suit.
Likewise Roman art of the period never shows Roman soldiers wearing anything other than the standard clothing items. Written accounts would suggest that in cold weather the early imperial period Romans wore more Roman style clothing first, rather than adopt local fashions. So two, three or even four square type tunics rather than one long sleeved one. Equally there are also references to undercloaks and overcloaks.
The square leg wrappings and the strip type leg bindings mentioned in other posts appear frequently in later Roman art, sometimes even worn by soldiers. However there is nothing to suggest they were worn earlier by infantry or cavalry, although common sense might imply that they did. Remember though that most campaigning would take place during the summer months.
This is of course not helping you very much. The arm guard is one idea but it only covers one arm, equally you could wear a greave on one leg, although again there would be an argument as to when it would be acceptable for an ordinary soldier to wear one. Bandages for covering minor wounds is perhaps one other option possibly done in such a way that they are not obviously meant to be standard bindings or wrappings, although they would probably look very similar.
I hope this helps a bit.
Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
