An Interesting Observation with Cabbages

[Tarbicus]

I'm sure there are accounts of the men slipping on the blood and gore as battles progressed, sometimes becoming quite a hazard. Cannae springs to mind.

I'd be glad to be wearing sharp hobnailed caligae.

[philsidnell]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Actually, I recall seeing a picture somewhere in the past of a re-enactor on horseback, hacking at a cabbage with a spatha, IIRC. Anyone know who that was? I think it was a british group, but could be wrong.

I've tried the hacking at cabbages thing from horseback. It was one of my earliest experiments at 'practical research'. I was using a very blunt, poorly balanced sword that cost a fiver, and riding my niece's pony. I even had the sense to get my niece to film the results. I cut the cabbage fine (despite my lack of stirrups!), but all the final footage shows is me cutting through the cabbage and into the fencepost below with a loud thwack, then the startled pony shooting sideways out of shot, followed by a couple of minutes of sandy ground bumping up and down as my niece, still holding the camera, ran after me shouting 'just drop the f***ing sword!'

I later got some slightly more useful footage of one niece riding at me (again without stirrups) and striking my 'shield' (a dustbin lid) with a 'lance' (broom handle) and knocking me over backwards. Pity another niece then managed to film her pet goats over the top of it!

Phil Sidnell

[Et tu brute]

Just last Saturday I had my first go at this sort of thing, with the comitatus cavalry group, we were attacking sugar beet, but i'd imagine it's all very similar. I wasn't that great (didn't really expect to be as it was my first time) but I remember seeing Jason slice a sugar beet clean in half, I think with a Spatha.

[Nerva]

Believe me, animal amd human blood take a long time to solidify. Yes, it's viscosity increases slightly after discharge, but as it very quickly looses oxygen the fibrinogen stops working, so you get a viscos liquid that stays that way for days...Ever seen bllod pudding being made :wink:

[Hibernicus]

How about cutting the bottom of off a pumpkin or other largish gourd and stuffing a cabbage inside? Maybe add some caro syrup (or maples syrup) with red food coloring in sealed baggies....

[Matthew]

Actually, I recall seeing a picture somewhere in the past of a re-enactor on horseback, hacking at a cabbage with a spatha, IIRC. Anyone know who that was? I think it was a british group, but could be wrong.

The Ermine Street Guard at Aldborough, Summer 1999.

I saw them do that at Chesters/Cilurnum (I think it was) last Summer. It was great. They had two lads taking turns at it; got a little competative, as I recall!

Matthew James Stanham

[philsidnell]

I'd love to have a proper stab at this (or should that be slash?). Does anyone know of a mounted reenactment group in Kent that I might speak to?

ta

Phil