Teutoburger Wald - not too far away

[Tarbicus]

Well, in three and a half years it will be the the 2000th anniversary of the clades Variana.

It's been discussed before on RAG, and I think here, but has anyone else had the thought, or further thoughts on, that it would be rather amazing to get as many re-enactors together for a huge meet, and retrace the route? Perhaps even sponsored by the EU, seeing as how it was such an important event in European history?

Just thought I'd mention it as these things can slip by quietly, and the opportunity be missed.

September 2009 can very quickly come and go.

[Robert Vermaat]

retrace the route?

Well, of course it would be a great thing to do, but how can you retrace a route which no-one really knows? Conjecture, at best?

[Tarbicus]

Conjecture, at best?

Yup. Best guess / take an informed vote on choices of route / etc.

Interested? Being part of a huge column and gathering of Romans would be something to talk about for a very long time to come.

Sponsorship - that would be one way to do it. It could get a lot of coverage, and pay for itself, with a mind to everyone being compensated for their travel and accomodation costs, so long as the company got what they want. A fair trade I think. No logos, etc, that would be daft.

[Octavianvs]

That would be excellent - theres also enough research I think out there that we can come up with a fairly acceptable path. Its 2000 years later and things have changed just a bit some new places have popped up some roadways so it will be as much a spirit of the thing as well as there are definite sites that are known and are available. This could also have a memorial service for th eromans as well as a little victory for you Barbarians as I guess both sides should be honoured really. there will definitly be quite a bit of logisitcs to work out especially if it turns out to be a huge event. i would imagine finding sources for funds would be available. I would imagine the larger the event the more funding available and the more funds the larger the event. Do you know who will be heading this up and yes 2009 is not that far off.

Leep us informed on how things progress - Octavianvs

[Praefectusclassis]

Does anyone here have good contacts with the Kalkriese museum? Perhaps they are already planning an event?

[Tarbicus]

Wasn't Major Tony Clunn's agent a member of RAT?

[Tarbicus]

Here's a link to a paper on the subject:
Slaughter in the Forest: Roman Intelligence Mistakes in Germany

Available for purchase online and immediate download. I'm just reading it now, and gone are the images of a slaughter amongst the trees.

[Peroni]

Our Events Secretary knows Tony Clunn.
Tony put up a lot of his own money to fund the multi-group event at the Musem last year, as the Museum had very little funds allocated to provide such large events.

That said, there were many great groups on display, with visitors in their tens of thousands over the weekend. 30,000ish IIRC

We, (RMRS LEG XIIII GMV uk) did a short religious ceremony in the forest to honour the sprits of the fallen. It was a fantastic weekend!

Maybe if the museum were approached now, well in advance of the anniversary, plans could be set in motion perhaps with the help of the German Government? It is a wonderful site in a beautiful part of the world and would love the opportunity to be a part of any anniversary event.

I'd do some telephoning!

Regards,

[Tib. Gabinius]

The idea of an anniversary event is great, but i agree Vortigern in the point of making a march. I dont know if this fact comes out to england or the usa, but here in germany we still discuss about Kalkriese as place of Varus, Caecina, Asp. and Germanicus...

I enjoyed the last year event as well, i was there as a part of another group like several of us as well.
It would be a great idea to get a real international event that time with as many reenactors as possible, but i think, that would be a kind of benefiz, cause no one could pay that.
I think many german groups would be interested for planing such a project, as well as we are

[caiusbeerquitius]

Hmm... how many groups out there are Augustan? Earlier or later groups would seem a little bit out of place, I think... something like first century groups at the Saalburg, or like Napoleonic reenactment with machineguns and tanks. D

[Tib. Gabinius]

For example the "Windischer" group in cooperation with the Legio XXII PR shows the necessary equipment.
Also the flavii have a project to early first century which grows for right now.
And i guess theres a spanish group, also registered in here... and so on

[caiusbeerquitius]

Well then, for those, this would be a great idea.

[Tarbicus]

I don't think it matters about whether some group's kit is correct or not. That's a visual thing; it's posing.

I'm talking about the Spirit of it! Who gives a monkey's about whether they wore chainmail? We're talking about a massive gathering of flipping Roman re-enactors getting together to retrace the steps of a doomed army that changed the course of history!

It's not a forensic test, it's a commemoration. It's a recognition.

It's also an experience.

Imagine it - to hear the sound of hundreds (god, thousands if only) of caligae and cingula whilst marching amongst them! To actually experience to a minor degree what a Roman soldier, of whichever type, actually saw, heard, and smelled during campaign season for crying out loud!

To even briefly form a massive portion of a cohort would be something to see, hear, smell and feel, in the actual countryside that it happened! There, where the real deal went down!

If you were on your deathbed, would you slap your forehead and proclaim "I wish ****ty percent of us had been wearing hamata!" ?

I wouldn't.

[Tib. Gabinius]

Hm, why to copy that with Varus?
There are other dates which would be better to link with that kind of event.
Like the fight against the Treverer and Bataver in 69 a.d. under Civilis. Vespasian and Cerealis brought a mass of troops to germania, and the most groups in the world are equiped for that.
And in 2009 it would be the 1400th anniversary of that, the end of the civil war and the date of vespasian becoming emperor.

But, i dont believe it will work. Its a dream of us all, to see one time again half a legion marching on the fields, but no one would or can pay for that (even 100 people costs some thousands of euro without traveling above the atlantic) so it have to be benefiz, and i dont think that many groups can afford that.
If i m wrong, and groups will make it, i m volenteer for the organisation team

[Tarbicus]

Like the fight against the Treverer and Bataver in 69 a.d. under Civilis. Vespasian and Cerealis brought a mass of troops to germania, and the most groups in the world are equiped for that.
And in 2009 it would be the 1400th anniversary of that, the end of the civil war and the date of vespasian becoming emperor.

Aha!! Two for the price of one!!

But, i dont believe it will work. Its a dream of us all, to see one time again half a legion marching on the fields, but no one would or can pay for that (even 100 people costs some thousands of euro without traveling above the atlantic) so it have to be benefiz, and i dont think that many groups can afford that.

Sponsorship and EU grants. That's the key. Someone to cover the costs.

If i m wrong, and groups will make it, i m volenteer for the organisation team Very Happy

Done. I'll hold you to it.

I'm setting up a poll with a very straightforward question.