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Need Help with Late Roman British Legionary
#1
Howdy,
(yes I said howdy, I'm a proud Texas boy)

I've always been really into history, especially Roman history, and am a current history student at a university. Recently I've been attempting to acquire a set for a British legionary in the late 4th Century, specifically one from the Secunda Britannica. All I have at the moment is the Deepeeka 'Burgh Castle' helmet and from what I have read it's not the best representation of what the full Burgh Castle may have looked like but alas it's what I've got. I'm trying to be very frugal with what I get but as accurate as I can get. To save the most I have forgone any kind of body armor for the time being.

At the moment I have come to an impasse, I have found mostly everything that I need except for a baldric.

From what I understand, the thick baldrics from the 3rd Century were mostly phased out by this time but that there still may have been some worn, however, I have been trying to find a thin baldric that would be accurate for the period and work with the 'scabbard slide' on the spathae from the time.

I'm not totally against making one it's just that I have no idea how.

I can provide links with the items that I plan on acquiring if anyone wants to check them who knows more about it than I do.

Thanks
Parker
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#2
So far you're doing fine. What do you have in terms of 'soft kit' as well as spear and shield? I would recommend getting that in order before you go for the helmets, swords and cataphract outfit. Wink
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#3
At the moment all I have is a helmet, in my haste and excitement I bought it before really looking enough into the subject, I have a shield boss coming in the mail soon and I will then make my shield. About the shield, I've seen both oval and fully round shields, which one is correct in what circumstances? Everything else I just have bookmarked on my computer.
Parker
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#4
Both oval would be good. Dished would be best, but as a beginner I would not worry about that.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#5
Basically what Robert said. Focus mainly on a quality material for tunic, pants, cloak. You definately need a fibula for a cloak. Once this is ready, you can slowly start adding things like a spear or shield.
As for the baldric, try to lay your hands down on a "Roman buckles and military fittings" by Apples and Laycock. It's consists in general everything you need to know about belts. You can see there buckles grouped into specific types, dates etc etc. It's really great.
And sure, you can share here some links so we can take a look.
Damian
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#6
Well the thing is I'm trying to get what I can the easiest first, I have a shop and plenty of power tools, as well as a love of wood working so before classes start up again and I'm swamped by the number of them I'm taking this semester, I'm making my shield. 
For the tunic that is the one item I am willing to spend a little extra on, as it will determine what a lot of the other items are, and am currently looking at the ones by Medieval Designs. Pretty much most of my items for a soft kit are going to come from there except for the trousers and leg wrappings. 
I'm not at home at the moment and am posting from my phone, but when I get back I'll post some links.
Parker
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#7
That's my personal opinion someone else might not agree but... I wouldn't spend money on medieval design tunic. It's just a computer embroidery which is cool but for me a bit of a waste (unless you need some clearly late roman tunic for, for example battle). I'd rather pick some high quality wool and sew a simple tunic without embroideries for now. Personally I've sticked for 4 years with a high quality wool tunic, just with a pasamon stiched on the edges until I got really nice hand made embroideries. But like I said, it's just me - better to stay with quality but simple and we have pleny examples of a tunic for late period without embroideries.
Damian
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#8
Here are a few of the links

Trousers: https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/tho...brown.html

Leg wrappings: https://www.etsy.com/listing/596337015/m...ck=1&col=1

Spatha: http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?...ry+Spatha#

Haven't yet decided on a spear

Currently most everything else is from Medieval Design unless someone has somewhere where I can get an Oudenburg buckle set or accurate calcei for cheaper or better quality for around the same price. Also wouldn't mind if someone where to tell me a better place to get a Pannonian Cap.

I would be fine with stitching my own tunic if I wasn't absolutely terrible at it, I won't even call what I did the last time I tried to stitch stitching.
Parker
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#9
Nah, you don't have to stich it yourself. Just get high quality wool (I can assure that medieval design tunic are not mate on high quality wool) and give it to stich to a tailor.

Leg wraps seems very fine.
As for pants... They seem very wide which is quite opposite to what we should aim for. Pants should be really tight. If you have leg wraps you don't need pants right away.
Spatha - yea, it's cheap and it gives you the look, but it's absolutely terrible. A piece of junk metal cut out of a sheet without any heat treatment. I'd say go for spear and money for spatha invest in quality cloths. It just seems you're making a typical newbiew misteake and you want to get everything right off the bat despite very low quality. You don't have do that. Why? Becasue finally you gonna have everything but... You will look cheesy. On the other hand, if you pay attention to basics as shoes, wraps, quality materials, belts etc then even without armor, sword etc you gonna look great! But that's just my advice.

As for calcei - what's your foot size? Or rather... Put your foot on a paper, draw around a line and check lenght between two farthest points? Becasue from what I see, they charge around 140euro for a machine stiched calceci which is absurd. For that I can get you highest quality calceci, hand-made from, for example, Fabrica Cacti.
As for Pannonian, my friend makes them of highest quaity fur for the same price - 50 euro.

Could you share a link to the buckles?
___
Aaaa okay, got them. I'd stay away from these buckles. Low quality cast. Tempting becasue they are big, wide etc but it's really low quality.


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Damian
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#10
Thank you all so much for y'all's help so far

My foot is 273mm

I was gifted that Deepeeka spatha so no real loss for me there.

How much does Fabrica Cacti charge on average for calcei and what other items from this era do they produce?
Parker
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#11
Ah, becasue I have one stock calceci but they gonna by too big for you.
For simple calceci they should charge somewhere between 130-170 euro. But for detalis you have to ask on facebook page. But what I can guarantee for sure, their shoes gonna be way, way better than medieval and at the same price level.
You can ask them for making a tunic. They have insanely beautiful wool for that.
They can make you anything in fabrics or leather (a bag for example)
Damian
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#12
Thank you

I picked up some fabric and have a neighbor who is willing to stitchich it, I did go for linen instead of wool as I live in an extremely hot climate and linen is better for it, it's been 106°F or roughly 41°C for the past two weeks. The store was having a sale as well so I got it pretty cheap.
Parker
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#13
For the calcei, which would be the best model? I had inquired about Fabrica Cacti's Ramshaw calcei but I don't want to commit to them if there is a model that would be better. I was told it would be about 190 euros from Fabrica Cacti.
Parker
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#14
I cannot tell you what prices they have for the rest of the world but for us it's about 150-160. Even if 190, that's still chea[er than handstiched calcei from medieval. As for model, it's entirely up to you. As for me, I like being simple and solid.

Wool is not that bad for hot climate Wink  I mean... It's not like a modern wool suits for example. The wool we use is very quality material which allow wind to move freely through the fabric so don't be afraid of it.


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Damian
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#15
Pre-wash your linen fabric in cold water with laundry detergent and 20 Mule Team BORAX (the borax does the work). It will lift out all the processing oils left in the linen fabric. The fabric will be softer and easier to work with. Your tunic will not change shape after the first washing after wear. I learned the hard way.

If your neighbor is hand-stitching the tunic, waxing the thread makes the seams easier to do. Have fun!
Cheryl Boeckmann
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