First US Roman Marine Re-enactment Unit founded.

[John M McDermott]

The Classiari Misenensis was founded in Paige, Texas on September 25, 2011. Founding members are Keegan Chytwynd, David Wills and John McDermott (Captain, USMC retd.) We are devoted to bringing back to life the Marines of Rome. "Who guards the Guard?" Why, the Marines-they disarmed the Praetorians twice. We are affiliated with Legion X Fretensis and encourage our members to join that unit (though this is not a requirement). LegXF recruited from the Misene fleet and maintained its naval symbols throughout its history.


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[Magnus]

Gotta give you guys props...doing a branch of the roman military that was considered inferior. At least you didn't do a celtic group.

Hey, where are your boats?

[jvrjenivs]

Well, not to disappoint you, but I think you're actually the third marine unit around. To my knowledge the oldest unit is the German 'Classis Germanica'. Next we have the Dutch group 'Pax Romana' who also have a Marine unit attached.
Apart from that there are two very knowledgeable members in the UK, attached to LEG II AVG devoted to Marine, but all faced the same problem, they have no ship. But well, with the Dutch Liburna project, we will shortly have access to a very nice Roman military vessel, so we can start rowing

[agrimensor]

so lets get a blue tunic then,

[garrelt]

And shoes without hobnails for on the boat.

As Jurjen mentioned before Roman Marine groups in Europe already exist for a longer time.
So this is the first group of Roman Marines in the US, I' m I correct?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Well done guys!
I have been toying with a marine impression idea for some time, especially since seeing the
evocative photo of the liburnum on the water a couple of years back!
As jurjen says, there are european groups about, but great to see you guys in the stsates taking up the challenge too!
I still want to see a quinquereme on the sea!

(btw, I have a great blue tunic with clavii...do I get to be the admiral???? :-P )

[Robert Vermaat]

Well, not to disappoint you, but I think you're actually the third marine unit around. To my knowledge the oldest unit is the German 'Classis Germanica'. Next we have the Dutch group 'Pax Romana' who also have a Marine unit attached.

Very true. So, to avoid any further discussion about this, I have altered the title of the thread.

[M. Demetrius]

At least you didn't do a celtic group.

Well, I was a Celt earlier in the day, since the program we presented was called "Romano-Celtic Britain: a Collision of Cultures" (Yes, we know the Britons were not Celts, but it was at a Celtic Faire, and the people there were more interested in Thorin's Mead than Brythonic history.)

Hey, where are your boats?

If we told you that, well, you know...

I've thought often about building something like a Captain's Gig, maybe with a half dozen oars, just a small launch. No sense (or money) in building, nor enough crewmen to man anything bigger. We're far from the sea, and would need a large trailer to haul it. Anybody have a picture of a boat like that?

And shoes without hobnails for on the boat.

Yep. We had a long discussion about that, and decided it was just as likely to be barefoot as shod when on ship, but on land, some kind of shoe for modern feet is needed. Hobnails would probably damage a deck, and the splinters would be really tough on the crew, so plain leather. Sort of slippery on dry grass, but they work fine, and slip on well. I wear mine as a quick shoe to put on for out-of-the-tent trips after dark.

We know these shoes are speculative, but they're pretty comfortable, and fit the general look of several sculptures. The famous Optio Marine may be wearing something like them on his grave stele, but it's hard to tell exactly. I confess, I put a Dr. Scholl's silicone grid innersole between the two leather soles before I sewed it up.

[garrelt]

Don't forget that you simple slip and fall, brake a legg/ankle, on a wet wooden deck wearing hobnails.
Same as on wet or polished stone/marble floors/tiles as discovered by a lot of re-enactors wearing hobnailed shoes.

David
Which sculpture is the source of these shoes?
These are easy to make with the most basic tools.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Were you using leprevo type hobnails or authentic sharp hobnails Garrelt?

[M. Demetrius]

I knew someone would ask that. I'll look and see if I can find it for you, Garrelt.
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He's wearing something, which goes around the ankle and up from between the toes, but it's really hard to tell exactly what. We started with some solea, but they're not stable enough when at angles, etc., and the foot moves around. Good enough for walking, but not really good enough for fighting or anything strenuous. Nice, though. Those were patterned after a commonly known 1st C Judean find. First I thought to add a heel cup, then extended it forward to go across the upper foot for more stability.

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This is one, but somewhere I saw a sculpture of a foot that had a very similar front view to our shoe (fancifully called "sandalicaligae") If I can scare it up, I'll post it here.

[M. Demetrius]

Did you know champagne stings your eyes? Well, it does.

[garrelt]

Were you using leprevo type hobnails or authentic sharp hobnails Garrelt?

I have the hobnails that come from Peroni under my shoes.
Sharp ones get blunt at the moment you hammer them into the soles.
But every leather sole without a profile or with metal, horseshoe like plates, nailed under it can be slippery on a wet , even grass, or stone surface.

On a wet surface I prefer going barefoot.

Thanx David

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

OK, thanks Garrelt!
I have been wearing fell boots with little sharp nailsfor the last few years and find little to
upset my footing. I have only slipped once in them, going down a slope, in a torrential downpour, on clay/muddy grass!
I would hate to ruin the deck of a ship with them though.
My leprevos were a different kettle of fish.
I can see the potential you speak of with the larger wide cone ones such on a pair of caligae I have though.

[M. Demetrius]

...almost fell wearing Fell Boots, did you? Well, what did you expect?? :grin:
(don't kill me)