A new late/sub-roman group: Letavia

[Agraes]

I would like to present our project, to recreate a Brythonic legion stationned in Brittany in the late Vth century. This is originally the project of Gwendal Lazzara, who is doing re-enactment of other eras (XVth century especially) since 10 years, and I and other passionates about this period have joined.

Nothing sure yet, but we may take the emblem of the Seguntienses, a legion that came in Gaul with Maximus in 383 AD. We will emphasis the aspect of having a legion with Brythonic features such as pennanular broochs. The period we will re-enact is the so-called "Arthurian" era, with more and more Britons crossing the channel to settle Western Armorica and Northern Gaul, the place that was known as Letau, Llydaw in Welsh and Letavia in latin, hence our name: Letavia.

Letau Britons were major actors in the last years of the Western Roman Empire. Aetius's army at Campus Mauricus got Letavii in its ranks. In 469 AD, a major campaign aimed to destruct Wisigoth power failed, the briton leader Riothamus - perhaps Ambrosius Aurelianus himself - was beaten by Euric at Deols, before the Romans had reinforce his army. Bretons were major allies of the Roman kingdom of Syagrius, fighting the Franks until 497 AD when Clovis was probably force to conclude a treaty with them. Wars, victories and defeats of the Britons on the continent or in Britain were deeply linked, and such a treaty is probably not foreign to the victory of Badon in the last years of the Vth century.

[Robert Vermaat]

I would like to present our project, to recreate a Brythonic legion stationned in Brittany in the late Vth century. This is originally the project of Gwendal Lazzara, who is doing re-enactment of other eras (XVth century especially) since 10 years, and I and other passionates about this period have joined.

Well done! I'm not sure you could call it a 'legion'and expect something resembing Late Roman units, but the word existed..

Nothing sure yet, but we may take the emblem of the Seguntienses, a legion that came in Gaul with Maximus in 383 AD.

If you say 'most probably came to Gaul with Maximus in 383', I agree. We can't be sure of that.

Letau Britons were major actors in the last years of the Western Roman Empire. Aetius's army at Campus Mauricus got Letavii in its ranks.

Source? Gregory? I'd love to read about that!

In 469 AD, a major campaign aimed to destruct Wisigoth power failed, the briton leader Riothamus - perhaps Ambrosius Aurelianus himself - was beaten by Euric at Deols, before the Romans had reinforce his army.

Well, there's an immense discussion possible about that one! Some say Ambrosius, some say Vortimer, some say Arthur, some say he was a Breton king (Riatham)... A mighty interesting period, to say the least!

Bretons were major allies of the Roman kingdom of Syagrius, fighting the Franks until 497 AD when Clovis was probably force to conclude a treaty with them.

I thought Syagrius was king of the Franks (who had banished 'bad-boy' Clovis for some time)? When the Franks finally accepted back Clovis, he quickly defeated Syagrius.

Seguntienses eh? Did you know these were in Illyria in c. 394? They probably did not return to Gaul. [/quote]

[Agraes]

Illyria? That's damn far :roll: :wink:

For Litavii fighting with Aetius, they are mentionned by Jordanes. Paulus (Historia Romana) mentions Brittones in their place. That's clear enough

Syagrius seems to be Aegidius heir, and strong ally of the Britons, "king" of the Romans in Northern Gaul.

For the legion, we discussed it on the camp fire Robert, but there is also another quote from Procopius that is very clear.

Now other Roman soldiers, also, had been stationed at the frontiers of Gaul to serve as guards. And these soldiers, having no means of returning to Rome, and at the same time being unwilling to yield to their enemy[54] who were Arians, gave themselves, together with their military standards and the land which they had long been guarding for the Romans, to the Arborychi and Germans; and they handed down to their offspring all the customs of their fathers, which were thus preserved, and this people has held them in sufficient reverence to guard them even up to my time. For even at the present day they are clearly recognized as belonging to the legions to which they were assigned when they served in ancient times, and they always carry their own standards when they enter battle, and always follow the customs of their fathers. And they preserve the dress of the Romans in every particular, even as regards their shoes.

Their ennemy who were Arians refer to Wisigoths.

Arborychi is a corruption of Armoricans. Germans are Franks. In the context of the late Vth/early VIth century, those Roman soldiers that Procopius is refering are very likely to be Britons. At least that was Léon Fleuriot's theory!

[Paulus Claudius Damianus]

Hello Agraes!

You search here new informations...

[Robert Vermaat]

For Litavii fighting with Aetius, they are mentionned by Jordanes. Paulus (Historia Romana) mentions Brittones in their place. That's clear enough

Jordanes, ah. Can you give me the reference?

For the legion, we discussed it on the camp fire Robert, but there is also another quote from Procopius that is very clear.

Well, Jordanes is not the best witness but for the late 5th c. I suppose he'll do good enough.

However Procopius, when he's speaking of britain and environs, that almost mythical - he believed that there were TWO Britains, one of which was the island of the dead! :wink: Although some snippets of truth may exist in that part of his work (He supposedly learned these details from a Frankish delegation.
I'd say he is no primary evidence for Britons..

Paul? That Paulus Diaconus, I suppose. Paul the Deacon is an 8th century source (c. 720-800), not inspiring too much confidence, he's used Bede for British history. His work is considered of little value, an 'ecclesiastical' continuation of Eutropius.
Reference:
Paulus Diaconus, Historia Romana Liber XIV.14:

4 Fuere interea Romanis auxilio Burgundiones, Halani cum Sangibano suo rege, Franci, Saxones, Riparioli, Briones, Sarmatae, Armoriciani, Liticiani ac paene totius populi Occidentis, quos omnes Aetius, ne inpar Attilae occurreret, ad belli adsciuerat societatem. Conuenitur ex utraque parte in campos Catalaunicos, qui centum in longitudinem leuuas et ex latitudine septuaginta leuuis, ut Gallis mos est metiri, feruntur.

I'd say he mentions both: the Armoricani, but I'd venture that the 'Briones' are the Britones.

[Natuspardo]

For Litavii fighting with Aetius, they are mentionned by Jordanes. Paulus (Historia Romana) mentions Brittones in their place. That's clear enough

The Liticiani at Chalons are a controversial thing.
Jordanes, Getica 191:

hi enim adfuerunt auxiliares: Franci, Sarmatae, Armoriciani, Liticiani, Burgundiones, Saxones, Ripari, Olibriones, quondam milites Romani, tunc vero iam in numero auxiliarum exquisiti, aliaeque Celticae vel Germanicae nationes.

A good read for the forces is Ralf Scharf: Ripari und Olibriones? Zwei Teilnehmer an der Schlacht auf den Katalaunischen Feldern. in MIÖG 107, 1999. p 1-11. He also gives an overview of other thoughts about the forces.
Scharf goes:
Franci, Burgundiones - allies of the Romans
Armoriciani - armed contingents of a former Roman military district, the tractus Armoricanus. Aremorica was the region between Loire, Seine and the coast, including Bretagne and Normandie.
Saxones - federates stationed at different places in northern Gaul
Sarmatae - gentiles, that are groups of prisoners of war settled in Gaul at the beginning of the 4th century.
Liticiani - probably = Laeti, another group of Germanic settlers under military control
Ripari - Olibriones:
very difficult: maybe Riparienses, a priviliged subgroup of the limitanei; maybe Ripari, troops of a former military district along the Rhone (provincia riparensis)
Briones maybe = Britones: entirety of the troops from Britain transfered to Gaul before 451

[Agraes]

Before Liticiani occures the form Litani in older manuscripts. Fleuriot argues that confusion between u and n was common, hence a corruption of a former Litaui.

[Agraes]

Some advancement have been made :wink:

Our first scutum, of course not finished
Painting is currently in progress, new photos soon

[Agraes]

And here Patern's spangenhelm wore by Gwendal.

[Agraes]

Here our first serious photos, thought of course our equipment is not yet finished!




The whole troup, from left to right: Ewen map Erbin, Tegvan map Penvaren, Adwyn map Coel et Morcant map Conmail.

Some other photos :

[Agraes]

[Agraes]

[Agraes]

[Robert Vermaat]

Great pictures Benjamin!

[FAVENTIANVS]

Do you already have a web page?