Roman Standards

[Matt Lukes]

Well just like anywhere else, there are all viewpoints in reenactment too- some of us have no trouble with the idea of women portraying legionaries so long as at an event, for example, they're not recognizably female- that would be incorrect since there were no female legionaries, and confusing for 'the public'. Luckily armor, helmet, etc. should do the job or at very least explaining constantly that as a modern-day person you're participating, not that there were women soldiers in the Roman army, etc., etc. (which is probably less fun LOL). And not all reenactors have a bad opinion of the SCA either- personally, I'm well aware that they don't claim to be accurate and authentic in all things, and that it's for enjoyment primarily, it's not supposed to be real history. It would be though I think a bit difficult to meld the two and to either well.

But as for standards, Roman ones weren't like the personal standards of medieval knights- they're unit pieces, whether Centuria, Cohors, Legio or whatever. The Emperor probably had his own, but other than that they were group identifiers. I'm not sure one could classify the gladiator pieces as analogous to the army ones since they I think would have been more like knight's personal standards.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Hmmmmm, I think the sexy legs might really cause some confusion for the public tho' Matt!! :twisted: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Bran ap Maclou]

To my knowledge a Roman labarum was a vexillum with the Chi Ro monogram on it.

Vale,

I'm interested in a text description if you get one. Without genuine description, we imagined something quite bigger.

The labarum is the mark of the presence of an emperor with his troops, but as the Chi-Ro comes from a mystical vision, perhaps is it only a symbolic presence. We thought it was reserved to the physical presence of the emperor but we can perhaps understand this "presence" differently.

Vale

[M. Demetrius]

Well, if it's really obvious, braccae should work to conceal the leggy differences. Not a bad idea in any gender case if the tunic is proper Roman length, and the audience is families and/or children.

Again, in the US, if your privates get accidentally shown in public, you can be arrested and branded a "sex offender" for life. So it's risky to be genuinely authentic...especially if it's a breezy day. :oops:

[Bran ap Maclou]

Well, underwear did exist anyways ! :oops:

Vale

[M. Demetrius]

I wear them, doesn't everybody? Even under my kilt, when that's appropriate.

[Tasia]

Sadly there's no disguising my chest. hock: So unless there were soldiers with man boobs, I'm out of luck. Which is why I play in the SCA, BUT, I want to be as absolutely authentic as I possibly can. I can't with my armor but I'm trying to get it as close as I can within their minimum requirments.

Do any of you have your own Standards? Do you have pictures you can share?

My device for my SCA heraldry (because as was mentioned a true Roman one isn't going to pass) is this:

A horse (to represent my 'Roman' warhorse), two gladii, to represent my dedication to Rome and a crescent moon to represent my Religio Romana beliefs - Dis Pater. It's not refined and in the real realm of all things Roman is a bit silly but there it is...

[jvrjenivs]

Make it a square! Not Pointy, that's some other period!

I think you could best use a vexillum for your needs, as shown here the one from Matt Amts Legio XX.

[Tasia]

For a non-official one, it WILL be authentic - but that's the heraldic design to register for the SCA stuff.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Very cool non-the less! 8)

[Nerva]

Again, in the US, if your privates get accidentally shown in public, you can be arrested and branded a "sex offender" for life. So it's risky to be genuinely authentic...especially if it's a breezy day. :oops:

Best not re-enact Greeks then :wink:

[Bran ap Maclou]

... or XVIIIth century highlanders ... :roll:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Or 21st century Germans :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Senovara]

Sadly there's no disguising my chest. hock: So unless there were soldiers with man boobs, I'm out of luck. Which is why I play in the SCA, BUT, I want to be as absolutely authentic as I possibly can. I can't with my armor but I'm trying to get it as close as I can within their minimum requirments.

hi Tasia! I think it was touched upon earlier, but there are indeed some roman groups that accept women as legionaries - you just have to ask around. I was lucky enough to find a legion that did (now it's just a matter of acquiring gear and transport!). Wearing a lorica segmentata and helmet, binding your hair (if its long), and with a tunic that will cover a majority of the thigh area, I think being a woman will not readily be apparent.

And I like your SCA standard - horses rock!

[jvrjenivs]

Sadly there's no disguising my chest. hock: So unless there were soldiers with man boobs, I'm out of luck. Which is why I play in the SCA, BUT, I want to be as absolutely authentic as I possibly can. I can't with my armor but I'm trying to get it as close as I can within their minimum requirments.

hi Tasia! I think it was touched upon earlier, but there are indeed some roman groups that accept women as legionaries - you just have to ask around. I was lucky enough to find a legion that did (now it's just a matter of acquiring gear and transport!). Wearing a lorica segmentata and helmet, binding your hair (if its long), and with a tunic that will cover a majority of the thigh area, I think being a woman will not readily be apparent.

And I like your SCA standard - horses rock!

If you go for a cavalry impression with scale armor and a face-maskhelmet, no one will ever know you're a woman when you're showing movements on horseback.