08-15-2006, 12:17 PM
Salve Omni
And especially young Woady!! - I have been watching your posts and indeed the replies of our fellow RAT members.
Firstly I feel it is important that you heed advice from the likes of Jenny and those similar. Although this is a forum for fellow enthusiasts to share knowledge and ask questions there is an onus of responsibilty on all of us to use our noddles first and plan our research. I think you will find if you do this then you will reap much more than you sew. I too was just like you Woady - too many questions and not enough time to ask them and as a result have made some bad choices with kit in the distant past but hey it's not life threatening. Take your time, don't get angry or disheartened, gather examples then ask for opinions and as I think seems to be the case people will give a little more. Don't forget we are not Roman Soldiers - we do our best to portray as accurately as possible the lives and equipment of these men who again don't forget lived some 2000 years ago. No one has all the answers. Not one person in this forum could tell you exactly what a Roman Legionary looked like - it is just not possible. But we can give you a pretty good idea.
The first thing I would do is locate your nearest group and join. Start off by getting the basics, Tunic, focale(scarf) and Caligae (military boots). The group will probably have spare kit which you can borrow and then you will begin to learn and see 1st hand what is accurate and what is not. Believe me this way is so much easier. Whilst involved in activities you will suprised what you learn and from my own experience this includes learning to make some items yourself. Very rewarding. I feel your enthusiasm will be better rewarded in this way. Also many groups attract discounts from suppliers making things cheaper for you. Listen and watch the older guys.
Finally a word to the wise. Come on chaps give the grunt a break??? We all started somewhere didn't we?? Ok so ol' Woady gets a bit repetitive. If it gets on your tripe that much don't reply.
This all brings to mind a very relevant post on RAT placed by Derek of the ESG I seem to remember. It discussed the age range of re enactors ie 30+ somethings to fifty somethings - Why no youngsters coming through the ranks? Look at your own groups and he was right. Negative attitudes to a little bit of immaturity won't help our cause. I have had some particularly unpleasant experiences with closed and aloof Roman re enactors (my pugio's bigger than yours!!!) and I know I am not alone. Re enactment is not a closed society for a bunch of stitch counting elitists. Everyone has to start somewhere. We should be encouraging more youngsters into our groups and helping them in their quests to learn as soon they will be filling our Caligae - lets face it in reality most of us would have been pensioned off in some God forsaken province or dead by now :lol:
I hope none of you take offence - there is no reason to - just remember none of us were born with the respective knowledge we have and have all made fools of ourselves somewhere...
AND WOADY - REMEMBER - THINK - BREATHE - THEN TYPE!!!
Vale
Ferox.
And especially young Woady!! - I have been watching your posts and indeed the replies of our fellow RAT members.
Firstly I feel it is important that you heed advice from the likes of Jenny and those similar. Although this is a forum for fellow enthusiasts to share knowledge and ask questions there is an onus of responsibilty on all of us to use our noddles first and plan our research. I think you will find if you do this then you will reap much more than you sew. I too was just like you Woady - too many questions and not enough time to ask them and as a result have made some bad choices with kit in the distant past but hey it's not life threatening. Take your time, don't get angry or disheartened, gather examples then ask for opinions and as I think seems to be the case people will give a little more. Don't forget we are not Roman Soldiers - we do our best to portray as accurately as possible the lives and equipment of these men who again don't forget lived some 2000 years ago. No one has all the answers. Not one person in this forum could tell you exactly what a Roman Legionary looked like - it is just not possible. But we can give you a pretty good idea.
The first thing I would do is locate your nearest group and join. Start off by getting the basics, Tunic, focale(scarf) and Caligae (military boots). The group will probably have spare kit which you can borrow and then you will begin to learn and see 1st hand what is accurate and what is not. Believe me this way is so much easier. Whilst involved in activities you will suprised what you learn and from my own experience this includes learning to make some items yourself. Very rewarding. I feel your enthusiasm will be better rewarded in this way. Also many groups attract discounts from suppliers making things cheaper for you. Listen and watch the older guys.
Finally a word to the wise. Come on chaps give the grunt a break??? We all started somewhere didn't we?? Ok so ol' Woady gets a bit repetitive. If it gets on your tripe that much don't reply.
This all brings to mind a very relevant post on RAT placed by Derek of the ESG I seem to remember. It discussed the age range of re enactors ie 30+ somethings to fifty somethings - Why no youngsters coming through the ranks? Look at your own groups and he was right. Negative attitudes to a little bit of immaturity won't help our cause. I have had some particularly unpleasant experiences with closed and aloof Roman re enactors (my pugio's bigger than yours!!!) and I know I am not alone. Re enactment is not a closed society for a bunch of stitch counting elitists. Everyone has to start somewhere. We should be encouraging more youngsters into our groups and helping them in their quests to learn as soon they will be filling our Caligae - lets face it in reality most of us would have been pensioned off in some God forsaken province or dead by now :lol:
I hope none of you take offence - there is no reason to - just remember none of us were born with the respective knowledge we have and have all made fools of ourselves somewhere...
AND WOADY - REMEMBER - THINK - BREATHE - THEN TYPE!!!
Vale
Ferox.
Noli Nothis permittere te terere!!
Mark.
Mark.
