I just have a few quick questions..

[Hephaest1on]

Hi all,

After watching the Deva Victrix XX legion march through Chester, England a fair few times as a youngster, its only natural that I eventually called up the contact officer of that very group and am now arranging a visit to 'enlist' I would call it.

I know that the majority of my questions can be answered by these chaps during the visit, but reading a few topics posted here, it seems to me that most re-enactors have made alot of their own equipment.

Is it preferred as a legionnary re-enactor that you make all your own gear or not?
What items would be the most sensible part of the impression to begin with?

Thanks everyone.

[jvrjenivs]

Well, it all depends on how much you can spend, how good you're in crafts and of course the level you (and the group you're in) want to reach.

Simple stuff most people can do theirselfs (sew a tunic), a focale etc. Next items I would get are a decent pair of caligae and a militairy belt. Then, at least, you can show a off-duty soldier. Some groups have loaner gear to start with, or even provide all gear. Others don't have anything of that and you have to get everything yourself.

Of course, if you're good at crafts, you can make everything yourself and get nice an customized kit. Off-the-shelf kit is easily available from several vendors, also some of which are located in the UK and most items are (by most groups) acceptable. However, discuss with your new group, as you will find they probably have rules for this.

Good luck and I hope you'll have a lot of fun!

[Hephaest1on]

Thanks Jvrjenivs, very fast and helpful reply.

I do know that the group i am joining can loan some of the gear but of which im not sure yet. The tunic wouldnt be a problem, i have read here that people are making their own Lorica Segmentata which is quite an achievment. Something which unfortunately I couldnt attempt.

I do have one suggestion for the mods which I'm not sure has been done yet...

It would be great if we could make a sticky for new chaps like myself of recommended manufaturers and a legionnaries equipment list (be it republican, imperial,late e.t.c) Just so that people like me dont pester yourselves with the same questions over and over.

[jvrjenivs]

Ow, when you would like to do some work with metals, I think a segmentata actually is an good start It's not that difficult, altogether. Just a lot of piece to make. It's much easier than decorated beltplates, scabbards and swords, for instance.

Of course leatherwork might be even easier. make a nice pera to go with your kit and get a segmentata or hamata made for you

There are several vendors discussed here on the board, check the marketplace section. There must also be somewhere a recent topic where some of the members have tried to make his own 'database' of vendors.

[Gaius Colletti]

Welcome to the forum. As Jurjen stated, making a tunic is something that almost anyone can do. Most groups require you to at least have a tunic, caligae (military boots), and a balteus (military belt), and usually a sword with scabbard and some sort of way to carry it (a thick leather strap is completely accurate and affordable).

Depending on the size of the group they may very well have parts of the kit for you to borrow. Do not hesitate to ask anyone on RAT about our opinion on certain equipment before you purchase it. Much stuff out there is only made to look the part and has little historical basis, this will save you time and money in the long run.

Welcome to a very diverse, fun, and educational hobby

[Paul Elliott]

If your really poor, like I was when I started, you can save alot of money by making what you can. But, more than that, learning how to make something is just as interesting and enjoyable as wearing it/using it/strutting around in it. And when you hold out a knife or a quiver or a pair of boots and tell a member of the public 'I made that' you get a great reaction. And you can explain how it was made ...

[Hephaest1on]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the welcome, and the helpful replies. Its very daunting to step in the ancient side of re-enacting after years of re-enacting ww2 which is very black and white, literally, as the evidence is in the photographs.

This leads me to another question... is alot of what you wear part of your groups interpretation of the evidence? or is it generalised throughout? I can imagine that different re-enactment groups have differing interpretations of archaological evidence.

thanks again all

[Robert Vermaat]

This leads me to another question... is alot of what you wear part of your groups interpretation of the evidence? or is it generalised throughout? I can imagine that different re-enactment groups have differing interpretations of archaological evidence.

Indeed. each group sets different goals and rules to what they portray and how they do it. For fectio for instance, we say that every item of what you show to the public must have an explanation behind it.

[Hephaest1on]

Interesting, i will hopefully find out more about the groups expectations when i meet the gang this weekend.

i'm planning on making my own tunic first, am i right in understanding it was a woven wool or linen material? I wont cause a colour argument here, ill just ask the group at the weekend what colour they prefer.

what do we know was more common. Wool or linen?

and is there any cutting plan to make the tunic online somewhere?

[Gaius Colletti]

Making a tunic is very easy, no design needed. Just measure the span on your elbows this it your width, and the length is just measurements of your shoulder to your ankles (or your desired tunic length), Sew the two rectangles together, leaving the 1/3 top of each side of the length unsewn for your arms. Now leave the middle third of the tunic left unsewn for your head. A Roman tunic is just a large rectangle. Because it is so wide it essentially looks like you have sleeves when you tie the tunic at the waist. Long sleeve tunics are acceptable as well, though I am not sure of any specific design for that.

Linen and wool are both historically accurate. Though wool most probably much more predominant. I use a linen tunic because because it is acceptable by most reenactment groups, is much cheaper than wool, and more comfortable than wool. Talk with your group's Centurion to find what they recommend

[Magnus]

Making a tunic is very easy, no design needed. Just measure the span on your elbows this it your width

Wrong. Go by that measurement and your tunic isn't going to be wide enough. Most bolts of fabric come in 60" widths...you will need minimum half that width to make a functional tunic. When it is bloused at the waist and hanging by your thighs, a tunic with anything less than that will hamper your ability to move. Have you actually made your own tunic Matt?

Long sleeve tunics are acceptable as well, though I am not sure of any specific design for that.

Wrong. If the OP is going for mid-1st century, it will be short sleeves.

Linen and wool are both historically accurate. Though wool most probably much more predominant.

The predominance would have been based on the location of the legionary, as well as the weight of the fabric, linen or wool. (think England vs the Med).

[Gaius Colletti]

Ok Matt, even though I got that information from fellow RAT members, I found this even on the Legio XX site: "The basic garment is a white or off-white wool tunic made of 2 rectangles approximtely 36"-48" long by 30"-48" wide, sewn together at the sides and shoulders" http://www.larp.com/legioxx/tunic.html My elbows-span is greater than 30" and I'm 5'7" so I guessing even people a bit shorter than me will still have a 30" elbow-span. I don't exactly have very long arms

Now it does say that tunics were often wider than they were tall, I'll give you that, but I am hardly wrong. He also said he was interested in all time periods, specifically he said "...manufaturers and a legionnaries equipment list (be it republican, imperial,late e.t.c)". We have documentation of Julius Caesar wearing a long sleeve tunic, and he was certainly pre-Imperial era.

In your thinking Matt, a tunic that is only the width of your elbows, would make many T-shirts simply unusable, unless you are a freak of nature, the width of your elbows is greater than that of your waist, let alone thighs. I have made my own tunic, and it works very well when I run in it. Just because my tunic is apparently different than yours, doesn't make it wrong. I would expect someone with so much experience to know that...

[M. Demetrius]

I think Matt means the distance straight across from elbow to elbow (although I usually add a three or four inches to that). I'm a fairly normal six foot tall guy, and that distance is around 45 inches or so. It makes its own sleeves. It isn't encumbering in any way.

[Magnus]

And if the person making the tunic's "elbow span" is much less, due to their body size...guess what? You just dished out some bad advice, because now their tunic won't allow for enough movement at the upper leg.

And the elbow span idea (reference your last paragraph) is your concept, not mine. I've made over a dozen tunica at this point, and bare minimum you will require 30", depending on body size. As Dave mentioned, possibly more.

[Gaius Colletti]

David already said he used a similar method Matt, no one else is calling it horrible advice but you. As there is an exception to every rule, I suppose my disclaimer should be "this method will not work if you have an exceptionally massive waist"