Recreating a legionair beginning 3rd Century

[Flavius Promotus]

Thanks a lot, friends

That's ok, part of the job here

Take the Deepeeka 3rd century (the red one with the round chape at the lower end of the sheath), but you will have to modify it (Cut of the stupid rings! They belong to a gladius suspension system!). There are a few other things which should be changed, but I am no expert on this.

Be warned that you need a baldric for the spatha - with one of these circular plates with a metal loop on the other side.
You can get some awesome copies from www.hr-replikate.de , but they are NOT cheap, and it may take months until they are finished (unless the trader has them on stock). Holger Ratsdorf also has strap terminals for a ring buckle belt. If you want to invest more, a square buckle looks really nice, but a simple brass ring should do the job, too.

Tunic - acrylic paint works rather well for the decorative elements. Although some of the guys here probably know of better methods.


Theodosius,
the caligaeskippedcalceifavoured-issue is not easy to solve. I'm no expert on shoes and know only the 'what', not the 'why'. I have never marched with caligae (only closed boots), so I can't tell much about the difference. The main problem - by far the most unpleasant thing - is the nailed sole, which can be a royal pain in the a... er... the foot after several hours. And BOTH caligae and calcei had nailed soles (until the nails became more scarce in the 4th century).

I assume there have been many Roman pieces of equipment where changes may have been caused either by fashion, or by utility, or by both factors. I still think, however, that the caligae were replaced because of climatic reasons. Guess it is not impossible to walk in snow with caligae (with 'closed' boots you also get wet feet in snow, but they stay warm as long as you keep on walking, so I think it's the same with caligae), but closed boots are slightly better as long as you don't walk in deep snow or wallow in mud, e.g. when the snow has been shoveled away (sentry duty on the camp wall).

Furthermore, boots should be more easy to produce without all the cuts necessary for caligae.

Aurelius Florianus/Flavius Promotus