Roman Saw and other equip

[Anonymous]

Avete -<br>
<br>
There is mention from sources that Legionares were required to carry a number of items on thier Furca/Marchin'Pole, including a Dolabra, Shovel, Saw, Hatchet/Axe, Sickle. Other items include a "Turf Cutter", Ligo (some sort of entrenching tool?), a Mattock, and other items of terra-destruction.<br>
<br>
I am looking to start collecting items for my own marchin pack for display...I have a Dolabra (Albion's), thinking of maybe a shovel (using Matt Amt's suggestions on his site), But I'm also looking for something a little unique...I don't see any other Reenactors with a Roman type Saw (if you do, please share?)<br>
<br>
I'd like to know - Do we have evidence of what a Roman era [hand]Saw would be made of and what it looks like? Does anyone supply this sort of thing? Or at least something remotely close (that would need a little tweaking?).<br>
Any suggestions for other Roman tools I could look to get?<br>
<br>
Eventually I'll look to outfit myself with a Loculus and a Furca, make some of my own Sudes/Pallisade Stakes....But for now I'd like to just have some tools to put out for display.<br>
(I really need to finish my Scutum right now...And a new Balteus...Sheesh )<br>
<br>
I do have a modern Mattock - From what I've seen in illustrations, the basic design hasn't changed in a few thousand years, so I ponder if I can use that?<br>
<br>
thanks as always <p>-ANDY aka "Roman Dude" Svaviter in Modo, Fortiter in Re<br>
<br>
www.higgins.org </p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

A good reference for the roman marching kit is the article by N. Fuentes, "The Mule of a soldier", in JRMES Vol. 2 (1991). They give a list of entrenching tools and a carpenter's saw, the Serra, is mentioned, but no information is given on what it looked like. Another interesting tool is the rutrum, a square bladed shovel that looks almost modern. You likely could find a reasonble looking copy at your local Ace hardware store.<br>
<br>
To see how palisade stakes were employed see the article by Catherine M. Gilliver, "Hedgehogs, calitrops and palisade stakes", in JRMES Vol. 4 (1993). A full scale display as is illustrated in this article would be very impressive. <p></p><i></i>

[Gashford]

Hi there Andy<br>
<br>
YOu could try the link below from the LEG II AVG website. The third image along is a collection of some of the tools they have.<br>
<br>
www.legiiavg.org.uk/milit...index.html<br>
<br>
Hope this is useful.<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[rusty myers]

Panther Primitives has a wood saw very similar to those pictured on the site above, we use one and it fits in great, eve uses catgut to tighten the blade. They have some small knives and such too that look Roman. Our blacksmith makes hammers, but they are expensive as they are totally authentic. Also White Hawk Armoury had a turf cutter they were making by hand... just a few ideas for you!<br>
<br>
Rusty <p>Rusty Myers<br>
www.SouloftheWarrior.com Commander, Legio VI FFC<br>
www.LEGVI.com </p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Wow! Thanks so much, lots of ideas, indeed!<br>
<br>
Neuralmancer - How do I obtain copies of the JRMES articles? I knew I saw some illustration/mention of a square-shape bladed shovel at some point...Rutrum, huh? Interesting!<br>
<br>
What other kind of woodworking tools would be a good idea to look into? My father does woodworking as a hobby, made 75% of the furniture at the house...I never truly took up the art, so I think it'd be kind of a nice thing to represent, and a little more unique than "just another digger"<br>
<br>
Thanks again for the suggestions! <p>-ANDY aka "Roman Dude" Svaviter in Modo, Fortiter in Re<br>
<br>
www.higgins.org </p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Well you do as I did and buy them:<br>
<br>
www.oxbowbooks.com/result...StartRow/1<br>
<br>
Or perhaps a University library may have them.<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Caius Fabius]

I took photos of various Roman tools on display in Saalburg, Vindolanda and some other spots. At the "Castro Romani" event in South Carolina last November there was a guy with several Roman carpenter's tools. He'll probably be there this year as well.<br>
There are many books about life in ancient Roman that have drawings and even photos of Roman tools. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Len Morgan makes some nice small bits: knifes, saws etc.<br>
<br>
See: [url=http://www.romanarmy.net/fabrica.htm" target="top]fabrica[/url]. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

there are dozens/hundreds of different types of tools- i have quite a few photos of them- if you are interested in a particular skill/role i could sort some out for you <p><img src="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.martin/forum/mark.gif
" width="100" height="100" align="right">
</p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for the offer on pictures.<br>
<br>
Right now I'm looking towards wood-carving type tools, artsy-craftsy type, chisels, scorpers, gouges, hand saws small hammers, files. I doubt a regular footslogger would be an artsy-fartsy-crafty type doing wood carving, but I'd certainly find the tools interesting.<br>
<br>
Are there examples of hand saws...kinda like modern Keyhole saws? As opposed to the frame-saws/hacksaws seen in the other pictures? I gather the bigger saws are tough to store and pack on march...<br>
<br>
if you have pics of those and any other you find really interesting, that'd be terrific! Thanks! <p></p><i></i>

[venicone]

Andy - there are two pages of tools at<br>
<br>
[url=http://www.exploratio.org/image_database/exploratio.htm" target="top]www.exploratio.org/image_database/exploratio.htm[/url] <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Don't forget the sponge on a stick! <p>Magnus/Matt<br>
Legio XXX "Ulpia Victrix"<br>
Niagara Falls, Canada</p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Ooooooooh yeah...How do you make one of those? What kinda sponge (other than the soft and squishy kind, of course! ) <p>-ANDY aka "Roman Dude" Svaviter in Modo, Fortiter in Re<br>
<br>
www.higgins.org </p><i></i>