Getting Kit and a Legion for Beginners

[Vitellius Quintus]

Hello! I'm a recent member to these forum boards and after a year and a half of researching, watching videos, and gathering other interested individuals I decided to throw my full weight in and begin doing the pricey process of getting some kit together and training/Drilling. I so far have a tunic, a plain leather balteus, gladius and Caligae from Soul Of the Warrior (Not much yet but hopefully expanding my kit as often as I can)

We are wanting a late 1st century, early-mid 2nd century impression for Legio XIII Gemina

I have one other person involved in this process and my girlfriend is interested in being both Legionnaire or Auxillary. She will be making most of her kit from scratch and once she creates her tunic, caligae, and purchases a gladius we'll begin drilling and learning commands before recruiting others.

But the questions I have are; was this a good place to start? Should we get a -basic- "uniform" and training experience before creating or recruiting for a group? Should we have waited for more members? Or should we simply join an established Midwest legion and learn the ropes of both reenactment and Roman Leadership first?

Also! Are Soul Of the Warrior products credible? They seem to have a enormous selection and it seems like it's a one stop shop for everything a reenactor could need. Almost too good to be true......... :?

Thank you for reading the ramblings of a newbie!

[MarcusNorwood]

Soul of the warrior is a credible vendor. If you would like to reenact Legion XIII there is already and existing legion which happens to be one of the largest groups in the states. If you live in the vicinity of Texas it would be great for you to come out to the Texas Renaissance Festival on the weekend of November 8. You can march with the legion in the Roman parade and camp out in a period camp. Legion X Fretensis will also be there. Most of Legion XIII lives in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Beaumont region of Texas, it also has members in Arkansas and Colorado.

[Vitellius Quintus]

Sounds like a fun and active group! Too bad I'm in Ohio, I've seen there's a group that works out of Ft. Wayne Indiana, but they allow groups from all around the midwest to join and attend their events but due to being a college sophomore I can't exactly attend anything, only represent it seems.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

There is a guy in Toledo, Ohio, that does Roman Reenactment. He's on Forum for Ancient Reenactment.

[Crispvs]

When you say a late first century to early to mid second century impression, bear in mind that that would be anything up to a seventy five year timespan, which would be stretching credibility, as we can date most Roman military kit to within about twenty five years before it was replaced by something more modern. Therefore it would be much better to choose a specific quarter century (so last quarter of the first century, first quarter of the second century, second quarter of the second century.

To give an idea of some of the changes you would see over this period, by the late first century AD, caligae seem to have been dropping out of fashion, to be replaced by the 'fell boot'. Most of the belt fittings which had been common in the mid first century AD had dropped out of use by then too, to be replaced by plates with inlaid geometric designs, which had themselves been replaced by colourful enameled plates by the and of the first quarter of the second century AD. Helmets of the late first century AD were without extra reinforcements, but by early in the second century AD crossed reinforcements were being fitted to helmets and soon after this seems to have become standard. By the second quarter of the second century AD crossed reinforcements were integral to helmet design, with decoration arranged aroun the reinforcements. By the second quarter of the second century AD, Corbridge type segmentata was dropping out of use, and being replaced by Newstead type segmentata. The Pompeii type of sword was probably very old fashioned by then as well, and ring pommel type swords seem to have been very common. In the early second century AD, legionaries seem to have started wearing the calf length trousers known as 'femenalia', but there is no evidence of them wearing these any earlier than this.

You see then, you need to choose a narrower time frame than the one you have suggested and then stick to it.

This thread should have been posted in the Re-enactment and Reconstruction section, by the way.

Crispvs

[Scipio Second]

Legio XIII Gemina (Nova Roma) will be represented at the Texas Renaissance Festival on 11-8-14 as well.

Publius Quinctius Petrus Augustinus
(aka Pierre A. Kleff, Jr,.)

[richsc]

It is a bit of a distance but Legio XX in Washington DC would welcome you both too.

[Vitellius Quintus]

When you say a late first century to early to mid second century impression, bear in mind that that would be anything up to a seventy five year timespan, which would be stretching credibility, as we can date most Roman military kit to within about twenty five years before it was replaced by something more modern. Therefore it would be much better to choose a specific quarter century (so last quarter of the first century, first quarter of the second century, second quarter of the second century.

To give an idea of some of the changes you would see over this period, by the late first century AD, caligae seem to have been dropping out of fashion, to be replaced by the 'fell boot'. Most of the belt fittings which had been common in the mid first century AD had dropped out of use by then too, to be replaced by plates with inlaid geometric designs, which had themselves been replaced by colourful enameled plates by the and of the first quarter of the second century AD. Helmets of the late first century AD were without extra reinforcements, but by early in the second century AD crossed reinforcements were being fitted to helmets and soon after this seems to have become standard. By the second quarter of the second century AD crossed reinforcements were integral to helmet design, with decoration arranged aroun the reinforcements. By the second quarter of the second century AD, Corbridge type segmentata was dropping out of use, and being replaced by Newstead type segmentata. The Pompeii type of sword was probably very old fashioned by then as well, and ring pommel type swords seem to have been very common. In the early second century AD, legionaries seem to have started wearing the calf length trousers known as 'femenalia', but there is no evidence of them wearing these any earlier than this.

You see then, you need to choose a narrower time frame than the one you have suggested and then stick to it.

This thread should have been posted in the Re-enactment and Reconstruction section, by the way.

Crispvs

I've recently been delving into the books again and it seems I still need to learn more than what I thought!

We were initially (at the time of that post) wanting to allow a range of people to join and try to focus on what time frame they wanted to represent and go from there on what they needed, but since then we have decided on solely focusing on Legio XIII Gemina, but we're still unsure which period in that Legion's history we should represent . We were leaning more towards when it was moved to the Rhineland. We're still gathering information but we've been so excited about finally doing this we are not sure what time period to focus on.

Should I put any new posts regarding recruitment and equipment for "newbie" reenactors to Re-enactment and Reconstruction? I was wanting to ask some questions about what equipment should I be looking for in a 79 AD impression. I also wasn't aware of the changes every quarter of a century and had believed those changes were all wrought in the mid to late 2nd century, thank you for correcting my misconceptions!

[Vitellius Quintus]

Thank you for kind welcome! But the distance sadly has been playing too much of a factor for us to join other groups or attend events too far from central Ohio, let alone out of state. But thanks nonetheless!

[Crispvs]

It is not so much that there was a change every twenty five years or so, but that, as now, there was gradual and continual change and development. Many types or styles of equipment (such as belt fittings) seem often to have had a timespan of not much more than a quarter of a century. They were then replaced by something else which did the same job or better and looked different. Any particular decade would see subtle but visible changes in the way soldiers looked. Therefore, in order not to appear anacronistic, it is important to select a specific time-frame and equip yourself with items known to have been used during that particular period.

So, for example, if you had a helmet designed with fixed O or D-section crossed reinforcements, you would be looking at a time-frame of the second quarter of the second century or slightly later. You would therefore not choose a Pompeii sword and type 'A' or 'B' belt fittings or caligae. Your sword would probably be a ring pommel type and you would probably have openwork belt fittings. If you weren't wearing mail or scale you might still be wearing Corbridge type segmentata, but this was being replaced by that time by Newstead segmntata. Twenty years or so earlier, there would be no Newstead armour and Pompeii type swords were probably sill common. Helmets would probably originally have been made without crossed reinforcements but would have had them fitted later over their existing decoration. Belt fittings would probably be decorated with brightly coloured enamel.

Regarding the correct places to post threads, the 'Beginners' section' is supposed to be where useful information for new members can be found, rather than a place where new members post threads. If you are a member, you are a member - and are fully entitled to use the main fora with everyone else.

Crispvs

[Gaius Colletti]

Hey Joe, I'm the Toledo guy Evan spoke of, I'll shoot you a PM

[Vitellius Quintus]

Hey Joe, I'm the Toledo guy Evan spoke of, I'll shoot you a PM

Thanks!

[Steven]

Any groups up in E. Washington, Idaho, W. Montana area or at least within a 2 day (16 or so hour) drive?