Celt auxilia

[M. Demetrius]

Avete,
In addition to my query about the clipeus,

1) what sort of cingulum would be likely for Celt auxilia from Gaul, mid 1st C AD? I don't suppose the heavily ornamented Legionary ones would be used, but how simplified should they be?

2) tunics: long or short sleeved? Color to match the legion, or native plaids/stripes?

having a little trouble getting our unit gear together, mostly owing to lack of information.

Valete,
M. Demetrius

[Caballo]

Could I also add- would the wearing of a torque be acceptable?

[TFLAVIUSAMBIORIX]

1. actually apron belts are derived from some gallic belts, apron belts work, as do native celtic belts, decoration would have been to personal preferance most likely.

2. both IMHO with regulation probably most common.




torques are fine, even some romans wore torques as a reward for bravery.

what unit are you? our units should get together. I am th commander of coh I NERVIORUM

[Robert Vermaat]

I have a torque myself.
Maybe we should add Celtic Army Talk?

[Caballo]

With the first topic being "Careless torque costs lives"? :lol:

[Mithras]

groan .......

[Peroni]

In our unit of first century auxilia we have a spread of clothing from peregrini of the early 1st C to Romanised early 2nd C.

Some of our soldiers wear check weave bracae and others Romanised feminalia a la Trajans Column.

I wear a long sleaved native tunic (Like the one on the tombstone of T. Flavius Bassus) with the turned-back cuffs, but in the colour designated for our unit (green) There are a variety of greens and a variety of fabrics used for our tunics including a green check weave.

Following the Batavian revolt, the auxilia were possibly made to look more 'Roman'.

Certainly until the reign of Galba, 68-69 AD, the Batavi horseguard kept their Germanic appearance.

In 99AD, the new emperor Trajan brought the Equites Singulari Augusti to Rome. He saw to it that they looked as ‘Roman’ as possible. Like frontier troops of the line, they wore sleeveless or short-sleeved tunics and knee-length breeches. (Feminalia). This suggests to me that when the troops were on campaign or in the field that they wore 'un-Roman' clothing, namely long sleeves and long trousers.

Vive la difference!

Peroni