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Greetings
I am interested in getting started (after I make a long planned move south) in roman era re enacting but was wondering if my age (50) prohibited being a legionary? What were the upper age limits for active legionaries? I have read of centurions and the like being in longer but what of the average ranker?
Thank you
Joel
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There is some evidence that LEG X had centurions that enlisted for a third term making them in their late 40's early 50's. These would be men levied by Caesar, re-enlisting under Lepidus and handed over to Antony, then perhaps re-enlisting under Octavian after Actium. I would imagine that someone serving two or more terms would have made it up the ranks rather than remaining a legionary but it's not beyond possibility.
EDIT: Plus you're only as old as you feel!
"The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones"
Antony
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If you are in the US/Canada we would love to have you try out campaigning at 50 at Ft Lafe Ark 22-25March (ad43.org). I am 59 and portray a recalled veteran.
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Remember also that, at 50, you probably look much like a Roman legionary of 35. Those men got jerked, smoked and weathered like a bunch of cowboys.
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Greetings
Thank you for all the responses.
I suppose I could be an older ranker just too dumb to be promoted? Or busted back to the ranks? Just what would it take to get busted back to the ranks in a legion anyway? Did they even do such a thing?
Anyway our goal is to move to the Atlanta area in a few months if the job thing materializes, I have been stuck in New England for 50 years and the winters just keep getting colder (or my tolerance of cold less and less)
Thanks again
Joel
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Where are you planning on moving to and why? I'm almost 50 and want to move north from Miami.
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If you get yourself a very good centurian kit you could maybe get some group who would let you be a Prefectus Castorum, for some of those guys went on almost to my age of 77.
I of course found that when I was in a group it was better for me to take the more gentle part of a very senior Senator, and I have to say that living here near Hadrian's Wall at 55 degrees north I hate the winters also.
Oh how I long to go back to the South Pacific.
Brian Stobbs
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There not being a pletora of folks doing this, better to be doing this than not. The public either sees someone who looks like a miles or they don't see anyone at all.
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
RAT member #6?
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go for it. meet new friends join the legion.i'm 48 and just started 2 years ago.
AgrimensorLVCIVS FLAVIVS SINISTER
aka Jos Cremers
member of CORBVLO
ESTE NIX PAX CRISTE NIX
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I would honestly say go for it for the point I made earlier was that I did not get into re-enactment until I was about sixty years old, and that was the reason I went for being an older Senator.
I had helped to organise things with the group earlier but then after cries about getting into Roman gear, I just consider that from the age point of view I wanted to be sensible and look the part of something.
In fact as mentioned by some one earlier a guy of 49/50 today would look just how a Roman soldier may well have looked in his later period of service, so I would say get some gear on and you will find that you will enjoy yourself for life is for living no matter how old you think you may be.
Brian Stobbs
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Greetings
"Where are you planning on moving to and why?"
Roughly north of Atlanta. I have family down there and it seems as good a place as any. I am looking to switch to a job that we allow me to work remotely from anywhere in the country and as the kids are grown and out the wife and I are planning of getting a travel trailer and traveling some warmer places. So we picked the Atlanta area as home base. we want to try the "simple" life for a few years while we still can
What would be good is a Republican era Trairii impression but it doesn't seem anyone does that era as a group
Joel
Joel
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And, Legio III Cyrenaica's Optio - that's me - is 59 going on 60 years old (in 2012) with NO plans to stop reenacting as an active, not retired, soldier in the legion. I've been going gray since my late 30's and well, I don't mind the hair loss - "wearing a helmet all those years". Aging does catch one with new aches and pains, plus reminders that I'm not 40 any longer, but I just put up with them, and so far only very rarely need any "over-the-counter pain killers". 12 miles and 11 Catholic churches will do that wearing medieval armor on a Good Friday in Fall River, MA with temperatures starting in the high 20's, just a few years back.
Quinton Johansen
Marcus Quintius Clavus, Optio Secundae Pili Prioris Legionis III Cyrenaicae
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Are there any reenactment groups near Raleigh NC, Colorado Springs or Austin?
