Switching out the Sagum (large rectangular cloak) for the Paenula (hooded semi-circular cloak) for a chilly day on watch.
Britannia ; 1st Century AD. Photo by Sherri Burch.
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Pilum practice.
It has been theorized that the Pilum's primary purpose was to be thrown and to punch through - and ultimately disarm - an enemy combatant of their shield, or to deliberately soften enemy formations via inflicting casualties before engaging in close combat with edged weapons. As such, being able to learn how to accurately hit a moving target with the Pilum would be an important skill that nearly every Roman Legionary would need to perfect. Britannia ; 1st Century AD. Photo by Sherri Burch. Roman Legionary on watch.
Here you can see a better view of the gorgeous Scutum made by The Ancient Armory! Britannia ; 1st Century AD. Newly-arrived Roman Legionary to the 14th Legion Gemina stationed in Britannia.
Though of Gallic descent, he wears entirely Roman clothing and equipment, complete with a Gallic F helmet, wool Roman-style tunic, over that he wears a padded linen and wool 'Subarmalis' and iron mail shirt - the Lorica Hamata. Across his waist is the Cingulum - the military belt that suspends an iron Pugio dagger and is adorned with bronze plates and has the iconic "apron" in the front. He wears a heavy wool cloak (or 'Sagum'), affixed at the shoulder with a bronze Fibula (based off one recovered at Hod Hill). On his feet he wears the typical leather Caligae with added coptic stitch Udones (socks) for added warmth. His armament consists of a Mainz-style Gladius (suspended from the shoulder with a leather baldric), lightweight socketed Pilum, and he carries one of the icons of the Roman Legionary - the Scutum, adorned with the symbols of the Roman Empire and his legion, faced in goat rawhide and featuring an iron boss at the center. He has not yet adopted the more indigenous fashion, such as wool Braccae, though when true Winter weather sets in, those will become a must-have in the months to come! Britannia ; 1st Century AD. The Gallic-Roman Legionary: His ancestors only two generations earlier fought against the Romans, now he serves them.
Transalpine Gaul ; 1st Century AD. A Gallic-descended Roman Legionary, wearing his tunic in yet another Roman fashion. Some artistic renderings show Roman men wearing their tunic with it draped off one shoulder. This can be achieved by making the neckline extra wide, and closing up the back via a tied knot - also depicted in period sources. This may have been done when working for better range of motion, or simply on hot days for extra ventilation. We will cover this fashion trend more in a future article.
Transalpine Gaul ; 1st Century AD. Since I was a little kid, the Romans have always held a special place in my heart. Whether they were the bronze-helmeted Republican troops of Caesar, or the Lorica Segmentata-clad 'stormtroopers' of the Empire, I have always been intrigued by not just the military of Rome, but the Empire's infrastructure, culture, religion, and all aspects of their daily life. I remember being very young and perusing the pages of a popular (at least, at the time) sword and knife catalogue and fantasizing about one day owning some of the Roman armor and items they had to offer, little did I know that one day that fantasy would become a reality.
Then, about six years ago, when I decided to step back from the modern periods in which I did reenactment in, I again felt myself drawn to do Roman, however I sidetracked myself and took on the massive project which has gotten me where I am today with Viking Age. While Viking Age still does hold a major space in what I do, Roman has always still been the goal, so when I started working on Roman in ernest at the start of this year, I had no idea it would come along as fast as it did! So I am happy to finally introduce the newest section on my site - Roman history! This page will focus primarily on military life of a Roman soldier of the 1st Century AD (pictured here), though other periods of Rome will be looked into on a case-by-case basis and perhaps eventually we will expand into the Republican and Late Roman periods, as well! Seen here is the 1st Century Roman soldier in off-duty attire. He still wears his red wool tunic, and in conjunction, he wears a wool 'sash' around his waist, referred to as the Fascia Ventralis. On top of this is the leather Balteus - or "soldier's belt" - which is made from folded and sewn goat leather and is adorned with bronze plates. Affixed to the Balteus is the Pugio dagger and draped over his shoulders is a wool Sagum (cloak) in madder-dyed diamond twill. |
AboutThis segment of the site will focus on the history of the Roman Republic and Empire, with a chief focus on military matters, soldier life, and warfare. Archives
July 2021
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