Crazy boys, those brittish

[jvrjenivs]

In the Volkskrant of this morning, one of the leading newspapers in the Netherlands a full page about the Ermine Street Guard.

[Praefectusclassis]

Cool! But why, I wonder? Anybody have any contacts at the Volkskrant, so we can kick them for overlooking the chance to speak to locals?

[jvrjenivs]

Now, if they can spend a whole page on the ESG, they also have to do that about the Kops Plateau project of Stichting Romeinenfestival, I guess... (but, indeed, we need contact at de Volkskrant)

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Perhaps an MBE would help?

[jvrjenivs]

His MBE isn't mentioned in the article, at all. People who are mentioned are Derek Forrest, Chris Haines, David Hare and Greig Watson. It is more about Roman re-enactment in GB in general, with a focus on the ESG, as those have been interviewed.

[Praefectusclassis]

And besides, the Dutch in general don't care much for MBE's. We have our own version. :wink:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

:lol: sorry that was ment as a joke. But then it probably helps with the international perception of a group if the founder has been recognised at such a level, regardless of the country origin of the award of a group....

[Crispvs]

I think it may have much more to do with the fact that the ESG is by far the best known Roman re-enactment society in the world. I first heard of them in 1982. I had no idea there were any other Roman groups until 1995, and that was in spite of having had an intense interest in the Roman army for years by then and also having been a re-enactor myself for a good three years or more by then.

Crispvs

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I did not even realise there were roman re-enactor groups until I started looking for information on the web about corinthian helmet fabrication..... not everyone is aware of re-enacting, period, Crispus. In fact, hardly a person I speak to seems to be aware of it, outside the re-enacting community, and museum people here in the UK that have events at their associated sites......

I had always assumed the soldiers seen on television documentaries were hired and equiped by the program makers....I've learned a few things about TV channels in the last couple of years too :wink: :lol:

[derek forrest]

These were taken at Gloucester in April so it looks as though a reporter was there looking for some local colour and found us. We needed a bit of colour as it was a cold wet weekend and a FNG walked off with my all encompassing paenula!!
The BBC were also filming a Doctor Who Christmas special and their false snow gave the scene an even more frigid aspect.
Any of you Dutch guys up to even a partial translation. I am afraid my Dutch is a bit tenuous.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

These were taken at Gloucester in April so it looks as though a reporter was there looking for some local colour and found us. We needed a bit of colour as it was a cold wet weekend and a FNG walked off with my all encompassing paenula!!


Hmmm, that 'walking paenula' seems to be a common occurance!
Seems every now and then someone in our group has a similar complaint....

[Crispvs]

Either that or an extra paenula which nobody owns suddenly appears at the end of a weekend and hangs around for several months until it finds a good (perhaps the original) home. :?

Crispvs

[jvrjenivs]

Any of you Dutch guys up to even a partial translation. I am afraid my Dutch is a bit tenuous.

If you give me a moment. I'll try to translate it next week. (PM me when you didn't got it by next friday)

[jvrjenivs]

Okay, here's the first part (a little bit more as the first column of the original). I've done enough for now, so the rest of the translation will follow some time.

Please note that I've tried to make an exact translation, but sometimes I've reworked some thing to give it a better read in English (as in my opinion)

Many citizen from Great-Britain are fascinated by the Romans. Top of the hill is the Ermine street guard, which brings the live of Roman soldiers and officers to live. ‘Crap, another teeth broke down’ by Gert-Jan Teeffelen

‘If I would smash at you this way during a fight’ says Derek Forrest, holding his lovely gladius above his head, ‘then my main body isn’t protected fully anymore’. Those areas has be been covered by the plate armor, the Lorica Segmentata.
‘Roman soldiers only used the sword to prick’, he says, while he’s making pumping movements. If I prick it this way in your chest, your cause to fight will be shrink.’ Die, you bastard, he means. 2000 years ago stomach wounds were deadly most of the time.
Derek Forrest is councilor. But not now, for a moment. He is, just like many more British, fascinated by the Romans. In his spare time he take part archeology, and is digging at places where the legions – they have half office in Britannia for almost 4 centuries- were stationed. For instance at Hadrian’s Wall, which was built by the Romans to make sure those bastards from Scotland didn’t enter the Empire.
In the past he has found: ‘Eh, mostly animal bones. And a rainy boot.’ More success he’s having with his other hobby. The councilor is a member of the Ermine Street Guard, a historical society that researches the live of the Roman soldiers and officers and shows. They do shows inlands and abroad.
Great-Britain has more of these societies, mostly concisting of men, of which the members dress up like Romans in the weekend. They put on metal helmets, uncomfortable sandals with iron hobnails, and dress up in woolen tunics. Together they work on their impression, show their tactics during historical events, teach at schools, of do some little jobs as extras in documentaries and movies about the Roman period.
The Ermine Street Guard is unique, because of their commitment to perfection. No other society has such authentic weaponry, clothes and machinery, such as a heavy crane. The seventy members make almost everything their selves by hand. They work together with universities whenever necessary and make everything look as authentic as possible.
‘You could buy replica helmets at museum stores. Those are looking fine, but most of the time they’re nothing like the original’, says Chris Haines (63), in 1972 on of the founders of the guard. ‘Therefore we’ve decided to do everything ourselves. And whenever during excavations or new research shows we’re wrong, we will update our gear.’
Haines, long ago a farmer, is the Centurio of the group. His farm is the headquarter and depot. During a weekend in Haines’ home base Gloucester, the Ermine Street Guard – the name points to a old Roman street in the area – does a show for the local people. About 30 ‘Romans’ shows up from all over Great-Britain. They give an impression about the strong discipline and the unrivalled fighting machine of the Roman army in the first century A.D. Under the shouting of Centurio Haines (‘Sin, dex! Sin, dex! – left, right! ) they march over the place. The legionaries throw their pila (spears), shows battle tactics and especially the famous testudo. Here, the soldiers walk GroupWise, with shields covering all sides, including the upper one. (Therefore it’s also know as the turtle-configuration).

[Caius Fabius]

Thank you Jurjen!