Why do you reenactment / Living History

[TFRufio]

It is a split for me as well. I have always wanted to know what the Roman soldier were, looked like, and how they fought. Since I was about 9 years old, I wanted to have the armor of a Roman soldier. No other soldiers in history have interested me half as much as Rome's soldiers. Now, because I teach ancient history in high school, I want to teach about Roman soldiers. Many books and movies portray the Roman legionary as cruel and heartless. While that may be partially true, I want my students to know that the army built things as well, and kept the peace in an otherwise dangerous world. To understand the Roman world is to understand our world today.

[Iagoba]

All of those:

I want to experience the past.
I want to have fun with buddies sharing interest
I want to educate others about the past
I want to conduct experiments
I want to learn by doing
I am interested in making reconstructions

The principal reason is that this way the past can be made real (again, at least in some way) and experience it more actively, instead of just keeping it in dusty books, mossy ruins and poor lighted cabinets...those things were made for a purpose, those buildings were once new, and people lived, worked, and died like today.

In short, I see it as a sort of 3D History, it gives more depth and dimensions to it!

[Magnus]

For me it's changed...in the beginning, I was heavily influenced by Matt Amt's group, so my focus was on public events. Then in 2007 the focus changed to private events. Now we did an event at the ROM this year, and I can see the value of doing both types, and they are both a lot of fun. For me it's the living history aspect,plus the company of good friends. But I also very much enjoyed the public reaction at seeing something different.

Having said all that, the actual "living history" part is handy for learning how things may have worked in the past. Which is always interesting.

[Alanus]

I wanted to check all the answers, but found I could only click one. What a bummer! I've always been interested in history, all kinds of history, and eventually became a salt water angling/fly-fishing historian, writing in nationals mags for 30 years, plus penning two nonfiction books.

I kept going further back in time and began writing novels, mostly about steppe cultures and their interaction with Romans. Discovering reenacting around 2003-04, I joined Legio III Cyrenaica, and a couple of my Legio friends are RAT members: Quintius, who posted just above on this thread, and artist Andy Volpe. I like interacting with the public, do the same as an author, and also have an interest in recreating ancient weapons, then using them to see how they worked. I ended up as a certified steppe archery instructor, teaching kids... very satisfying.

Basically, I'm proud to be a member of RAT and have met a number of friends here... despite the fact that we live in distant countries. :-D

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I see there are some of you who have different motivations. Just for the poll, the thing is also to find out: What is the major motivation, the one that gives you most. :-)

Oooooo!! Sharp pointy things!!! :mrgreen:

But seriously, while I have many motivations, but am not a qualified teacher, or academically educated historian, I like to try and be correct in what I say to the public at event's.
I may not be able to quote the volumes of Vegetius, or Tacitus at will.
However, I do like to think i can take the relevant points that apply to what we do at shows and put them into layman's terms.
i don't believe in pretending to be a craftsman showing the public gear that is in-authentically
constructed, and claiming it is what they did. i try to explain to the best of my ability what the differences were between real artifacts and the ones I may have.

But mostly, it is meeting the like minded people, and enjoying trying out the kit and all that goes with re-enacting! (such as correcting typo's on RAT)

[Vindex]

For me (Roman Principate period only so far)

How things work, why they work; why what we have assumed can/cannot work; how to make it work if our assumptions are wrong.

All geared towards improving knowledge and educating myself and others along the way.

(I've always classed this as experimental archaeology although I balance artefact evidence with epigraphic/iconographic and written evidence too).

[Paul Elliott]

I joined a Roman re-enactment group to 'step back in time' and to try to recreate some experiences, to live a little like a Roman legionary. At my local event I knew that I would volunteer at least once to be ridden down by cavalry. It was great! It was exciting! It was scary! At least once a javelin hit my shield so hard it smacked it straight into my face. No blood though, unlike poor Fasta. I got mine during an archery barrage, a 60 mph blunt arrow on the end of my big toe. Ouch. I dropped out, the line closed up - fantastic, all except the titters of laughter at my predicament!

Hardships seem to appeal to me. I know life was pretty grim for a Roman soldier, and I want to feel at least some of that grimness. I want to step into those shoes (or hobnailed boots). Its the driving reason that I took part in so many marches across country. Isn't this what the legionary did? Mile after mile of marching, carry his camping equipment and weaponry with him - willpower, sweat and cursing? I've felt that pain, encountered the same difficulties. I've not yet marched 20 miles in driving rain or snow ... but one day ... one day !

Am I a masochist? Not really. I am certainly not going to recreate digging a 10m long ditch. Bugger that - its hard work! There's a limit to my re-enactment desires!

My shelter goes some way to exploring the hardships of life on campaign, its bare and functional - and at 5:00 am its freezing. But I feel the same longing a new recruit would feel sat on sheep grazing land a mile south of Hadrian's Wall; wishing I was tucked up in bed at home!

[caiusbeerquitius]

I decided to work this into the final version of my phd thesis, which I am finishing over christmas. :-) If there are a few more of you who would like to vote or write here: go ahead! ;-)
Thanks! C.

[Tormenta]

Like many others before me, it's difficult to find just one answer. Nothing is black and white.
I really like any kind of history before, but the breakthrough maybe happen
when I spend many years on archaeological sites, when our team wanted to bring something from
the daily work to the public.Between our first event attempt I spot something:the look in children's eyes, the joy, the happiness,the curiosity,(I can be easy influenced and manipulated)...that I believe was the trigger. And of course after many years the quality time spent together with my friends: making equipment, studying, traveling,taking a beer,...etc.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Too many of the above to choose just one. I was born like 1600 years too late. I want to experience the past. It's also fun and i have friends in re-enacting. I also consider it a tag-along to my historical studies which i will eventually be doing professionally.

[Luca]

During these years I have learned that "Experimental archeology" is a precise discipline used by some researchers in the Universities. It has some precise protocols in order to study "only" "how objects were made" and sometime also "for what".
As example one of the usual studies is to learn how a arrow can be built with a stone and a wooden shaft using only period tools. If modern tools are used this would be downgraded to simple "reconstrucion".
Because of the word "experimental" this discipline cannot admit practices like sports (marches, battles, etc.) were the human factor is predominant and would avoid objective results or seriously limit them. So I use to say just "experiments".

Reenactment, living History, etc. IMO have all, more or less, the same meaning, even if "reenactment" sounds to me better for filology.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Star Trek conventions seemed too boring.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Mostly, because I can wear pretty dresses....


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[caiusbeerquitius]

What happened to the poll? All the results are gone... :-(

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Funny I just spotted that myself!
I was sure I had voted, despite only being allowed one option!
:unsure: