Help!

[ArthuroftheBritons]

Hi there everyone, as of this summer I've taken up a great interest in reenacting. I've already learned to ride a horse the roman way, and I've made an acurrate shield, but could you guys reccomend swords, armour and helmets? I'm going for a Romano-British cavalryman with Alanic heritage serving under both of the Ambrosii (Seinor and Junior) who were active in Britain in the first half of the fifth century.

[jvrjenivs]

Take a look on the Comitatus website. They do a wonderfull late Roman cavalry impression.

I would personally go with a late roman helmet of east european maker (Pustelak brothers, Nieczar (here on RAT)). Like a berkasovo, Deurne or Concesti type). For armour a late roman type of hamata or squamata are fine (see for instance Armamentaria). For the spatha it more depents on how many you've to spent. There are lovely spathas, but also with big prices. (same goes also for the helmet, though)

[ArthuroftheBritons]

Thanks for the help, what of Alanic/Migration era swords? Were those in use?

[Agraes]

Before getting an armor, just make sure you have correct clothing. You can have a beautiful helmet and a nice lorica, but it won't look anything good worn over jeans and t-shirt.

So you will at least need:
- an off-white linen tunic worn as an undergarnment
- another linen tunic, possibly decorated with clavi, orbiculi or stellae
- probably a wool tunic
- pants, eventually of Thorsberg or Damendorf pattern
- a sagum or sagulum (shorter, for cavalry) cloak, made of wool and fastened by an adapted brooch
- wool socks
- eventually legwraps or gaiters
- a cingulum belt with late roman fittings
- proper shoes, for exemple calcei or shoes based on the Deurne pattern.

To this can be added a panonnian hat, a basic bag, a knife, a wooden bowl and spoon, a woolen blanket and all things needed to perfect your impression and to do a bit of living history, at least to avoid eating in a platic plate on the camp.

It's only afterwards that you can have a look on the weaponry. Before getting heavy armor, just get a spear, shield and a helmet. Spear and javelins heads can be found quite easily. Make sure to have blunt weapons if you want to fight with it. You say you already made an accurate shield, but how it is? Late roman horsemen used both oval and round shields of various types.
For the helmet, I would say just like Jurjen. Go for a Berkasovo/Burgh Castle ridge helmet, or an intercisa, or eventually a Deurne or Der el Medineh helmet. You can get some good ones from Armamentaria for exemple, provided they will fit your head. Now if you have the option, asking a craftman about a specific command may be good.

The spatha would be the next step. Tim Noyes from Heron Armoury have a nice catalogue of both late roman and migration period swords. Alannic or hunnish swords would be different from those however, but you will have to make a special command. Don't forget the baldric and scabbard.
http://heronarmoury.co.uk/?page=swords/1-8

The armor would be the almost final step. Get a thoracomachus or subarmalis, a padded garnment you will wear under the lorica itself. Basic butted or even riveted mail is quite cheap now, but if you want a realistic armor you will have to go for a more expensive roman mail (half riveted and half plain rings), or a lorica squamata.

You want to do an heavy horseman. Mind it's a lot of work and money. Maybe you shall start as a simple footman, meanwhile you will get the equipment. A soldier of the late roman cavalry would have a good status, so that means better clothing and equipment than the average trooper. You will also have to think that your horse needs his equipment too.

[WorkMonkey1]

And then once you've fully equipped yourself...you have to fully equip your horse!

[Crispvs]

If you are doing an early fifth century impression, then for a helmet, a spangenhelme might actually be your best option, as it would probably be well in keeping with the Germanic heritage aspect you mentioned. If looking for a sword, one with a grip like those which seem to have been common during the migration period, which is wider at the two ends and narrower in the middle might also be appropriate. For your clothing, make sure it is primarily woollen. Your trousers, tunic and cloak should all be of wool. As mentioned above, a linen under-tunic can be a good idea, but your woollen tunic should be higher up on your list of things to get than your under-tunic. You will presumably also want a belt. As a suggestion, the Dorchester belt fittings might be the most appropriate to copy. I believe these can be obtained from Armamentaria.

Crispvs