Hobnailed Caligae Indoors - Near Tragedy Averted

[Creon01]

I watched one father of a small child yesterday go behind a large display table AND a bench to where we had placed our pila on a low wall sideways so as not to attract attention. He picked one of mine up, about seven feet, and handed it to his son for a picture. It towered over his kid and he could barely hold it up. He never got that picture as I took the pilum from his son and asked the father to leave the area. He tried to explain to me he knew what a pilum was, but I was not in the mood to listen so he and his little boy walked away unhappy, but safe.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

To be frank there will always be a chance something can go wrong, and America is the master of frivolous lawsuits (albeit in this case if something had gone wrong it would have been far from frivolous), but we do what we can to prevent it.

As for hobnailed caligae indoors, I have always wondered how the ancient Romans dealt with this. I think we discussed it somewhere.

[Vindex]

If someone does not have enough common sense not to carry a suitably covered sharp weapon in public then they should not be allowed out in public at all.

Rules and guidance are all well and good but they only seek to mitigate the circumstances or even pass the responsibility/blame; they never allow for sheer stupidity (in my experience).

[Medicus matt]

A concise bullet lists from which the individial reenactor groups can derive their rules from and legitimize them.

.

As part of the terms and conditions of
a) Our public liability insurance (which every reenactor, whether part of a group or an individual, has to have in the UK when doing anything in any public space) and
b) Our contracts with clients
we (and I'm sure this applies to all UK reenactors) have to complete risk assessments and how to mitigate those risks (ie,Risk = sharp weapons could cause impalement whilst being carried. Mitigation = cover the sharp bits OR define and maintain a safe distance limit).

By doing this, you identify risks and, whilst you can't eliminate risk altogether, you are more aware of it and take steps to minimise it.

So, in the case of this 'Near Tragedy', I'd either have ensured that the weapon was covered in such a way as to minimize the risk or, more likely, ensured that nobody was walking so close to me as to be in danger.
Mind you, I'd have carried out a site visit first, or at least assessed the environment before setting out, to check for problems.

But then we don't have anything except sharp weapons, so perhaps we're more aware than most.

[Quintus Claudius Scaevola]

Reminds me of the Junior Classical League camp-out I was at last weekend: Our display area was a carpeted building, however the student/staff dining area was in a separate cafeteria that had tiled floors. Despite a couple of slips, neither the prefect nor myself (The only two wearing hobnails) fell the entire weekend, including when we led a Greek-style line-dance through the room. The trick is in the walking technique. Taking short choppy steps rather than long strides helps keep one upright. Not all the time, granted, but...

I typically don't carry a pilum indoors, mostly due to the hassle of having to store the thing. I either have to prop it up in a corner and hope it doesn't fall over, or lay it on the ground and hope someone doesn't trip over it. Unless there's a storage rack at the display, there just doesn't seem to be much purpose walking around with one unless I plan on throwing it at something. I don't usually bother with any sort of peace-tie for side-arms - I can't speak for other's blades, but mine aren't likely to fall out of a scabbard unless someone is trying to remove them forcibly. That's another kettle of fish entirely...

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Legio VI only does things with Pila on the drill field/ballista firing range, which is more than a safe distance from the public.

As for sharp weapons, only a handful of Leg VI members have sharpened blades and those are always kept in the scabbard. Pila are just pointy, so there's not much you can do about that other than a cardboard slip as a cover (which really wont do much if its going to somehow accidentally impale someone).

Common sense says don't bring them into tight spaces. They're just unwieldy indoors, and you have nowhere to put them without a rack or something.

[jvrjenivs]

Well, I think this is a subject which is up to the individual (groups) and organisers. For my horse shows I do have a set of requirements for the display arena. In the past accidents did happen in europe and those members/groups are talked too and/or banned. I don't believe in a certain set of rules, as opinions will and shall differ between groups and events.

[Celer]

Salve
After an experience at the Museum of London years ago where we had to walk down a polished marble ramp on the way to an event, I now have a spare set of stunt caligae with a rubber sole, just to avoid another legionaries on ice impression.
Vale
Celer.

[Gaius Colletti]

I hate to sounds like the "gun fanatic" in this case, but all of you are casting blame on the weapon (ie: Why was it allowed at the event? Only unsharpened weapons should be allowed at public events). Even an unsharpened sword or spear still has enough of a point that with a little bit of force behind it still has the potential to puncture someone, I myself have even swung a fat and blunt Indian sword clean through a pumpkin. Carelessness is the issue, the reenactor in question was careless, wearing hobnails on a hard surface while carrying a full load of heavy gear. Putting it bluntly, he was an idiot and put the entire reenactment community at risk. I have done several public and school events with all my gear, including my weapons (with permission) and have never had a single issue.

The problem is respect, the sword may be outdated, but it is still a weapon. Would you walk around swinging a loaded M4 with the safety off at a museum? No, so why would you voluntarily wear what is intrinsically banana peels on your feet with a sword and spear?

[Robert]

Like I said before, it all comes down to common sense. In the OP it was mentioned the person "insisted" on taking this course of action. In such a case, backing down is as much a blame on the organisation as on the moron. He should have been told his behaviour was not to be condoned. People, rules do not have any value if no one is willing to uphold them. This character should have been corrected and in failing to do so, banned from the event. Period!

[ParthianBow]

Why would you voluntarily wear what is intrinsically banana peels on your feet with a sword and spear?

Excellently put! :lol:

[ROMan]

Personally, I am excitedly awaiting the arrival of my new nail-free caligae in time for our Pompeii opening. Besides, if I wore hobnails on the ROM's new parquet floors then someone *would* get injured, as the director would kill me.

[Iagoba]

Even without hobnails, some leather soles can be quite slippery...a lot of medievals sometimes miss having hobnails :grin: