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Avete omnes,
I want to reenact an early second century Roman legionary (Caius Castricius Victor, tumbstone from Aquincum, about 105 AD). Would it be correct if the belt plates at this early stage of 2nd Century were from the broken through type, mostly made of bronze? I found the most relevant pictures on this excellent site:
[url:qyxenfn6]http://www.romanauxilia.com/Exploratio/carnuntum/belt%20fittings2/belt%20fittings2.htm[/url]
And where / how can one get a medusa-like umbo or make it by himself? Any advice appreciated, thanks in advance.
Uwe
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Ave Uwe,
It's my understanding that those styles of belt plates are actually rather a lot later than the period you're interested in- I believe these are from the 3rd/4th or 4th/5th centuries AD.
Matt
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Matt,
I would have thought mid to late second century and possibly early third century.
Uwe,
I would probably go for the narrow type of plate which is inlaid with coloured enamel and which seems to have started to enter service during the Flavian period. Unfortunately I do not have a detailed knowledge of early second century plates but it seems that the timespan of service for any one range of belt plate types would have been twenty five to fifty years before being replaced with more modern types. If this is correct, then Flavian enamelled plates would probably be suitable for your purpose. However, I do not know of anyone who makes plates of that sort, although I am sure Holgar Ratsdorf would if you asked him.
Crispvs
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Looking at my copy of Bishop & Coultson "Roman Military Equipment" (1993), the belt plates in the link are very late 2nd Century and later. (the "FELIX" was found in a military burial in Lyons, France associated with the battle between Albinus and Septimius Severus. 190's AD. Many of the other fittings are 3rd and 4th centuries.
Getting to the early 2nd Century period, B&C refers to a gradual change from narrower belt plates and the wearing of more than one belt, to wider belt plates and wearing a single belt (pg 96).
It can be noted that C. Castricius Victor is wearing a lorica hamata (mail), but without the shoulder doubling characteristic of Republican and 1st Century mail armor. He also has clearly lunate apron terminals.
Marcus Quintius Clavus/Quinton
Quinton Johansen
Marcus Quintius Clavus, Optio Secundae Pili Prioris Legionis III Cyrenaicae
