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Ave Felix et Omnes, Reenacting comes in many forms. At Legio VI Victrix Pia Fidelis, we engage in most of them. Living history encampments were we live the life of soldiers and camp followers for the weekend are our favorite, especially if we're somewhere that there is someone to learn from watching us. We also do school demos, fairs, military timelines, documentary filming and regular public hikes in full kit. Take a look at our website at Legionsix.org and see what you think.

Dominus, We are not seeking to reinvent the wheel without purpose. I myself was a boffer fighter for years and fought SCA heavies. The reason we look towards the Needlefelt is to create Roman, and other ancient, combat that has a minimum of sacrifices from authenic look. Our gear is all completely period except for the felt blades, which could have been done by our predecessors. Though, we're pretty sure they just used wood blades for training and mock combat. The wool felt and leather weaponry of the NeedleFelt System (NFS), looks manufacturable by Romans, and the resulting combats look and feel like the real thing. And the gear and tactics that result are close enough to the real thing that we hope to help archeologists and scholars confirm or disprove theories about the way it actually worked in the period. Thank you for your kind offers of invitation, I shall be certain to take you up on them if my travels ever find me in the east. I'll talk to our Webmaster and see about getting a link exchange set up, too. Vales et honoris,

Omnes, the best place to go looking for Roman groups or events is reenactor.net There are maps of where units are, event calendars, supplier links. All sorts of good stuff. And if you're trying to learn about how to do it, check out Legion Twenty. The "Handbook for Legionaries" is exemplary.

There's a website for a different Legio VI Victrix in northern NY at http://www.geocities.com/Legio_vi/ who might have members in your area. Try emailing them, though I can't ever get a response from them. They probably see me as a "rival" instead of a brother in arms. You could also contact George Metz of XXIV in Pennsylvania. He's got milites all over the place. Website at http://www.legionxxiv.org/ The last option would be to fashion your kit to match one of the "national" legions and just get to events when you can. Leg IX Hispania and XIIII GMV already have national systems of different types in place for first century impressions, and we're working on one for second century troops under www.legionsix.org. (If you'd like to be kept in touch about that email me off line). Vales et honoris,

Ave Dominus, I did in fact get your email inspite of spamblocker, I'm just lame and haven't responded yet because I get too busy. Your group's toga parties are definately the envy of the known world. The guys in my group are too widely married or otherwise sedate to host anything like the specticals you manage. We all wish. Here's to living vicariously! As for combat, we're actually part of a wider group of reenactors who are working on full contact weaponry that is safe to use against unarmored opponents, like Celts, so that we can put into pratice all the theories about how the Romans fought. There's an article about it at http://www.reenactor.net/Ancient/nfs/index.htm for anyone who's interested.

The ancient Celts and Gauls belived that a naked man was protected by the gods for their bravery. Many of them fought bare naked. As for Woad, it is an interesting substance. It has both opiate and hallucinigenic properties that can be obtained through dermal absorption, especially on thin tissue areas such as the lips or genitalia. Blue painted men with turgid members would be scary indeed and the use of woad would make them belive the "Spearman's Invounerability" (sp?) thing even if they watched their buddies buy it.

Ave Victrix, There are a few suggestions I might make as someone who reenacts Hadrianic era legionaries. Firstly, Pugio, since they're on the mind. We have evidence of Pugio dating from the 3rd CBC to the 1st CAD and then again in the 3rd and 4th CAD. While it is true that there is an archological shortage in the second century, the return of their record later suggests that they probably remained in use in some fashion. Though I seems likely that their use became more limited. Also the belts of the 2 CAD changes extensively from the 1st, especially after Antoninus Pius. The heavily plated and cingulumed Balteus went out of fashion, and were replaced by less ornate belts with open work plates and no apron. Also no archologically known dagger frogs. So, if the pugio was worn, the suspension system changed. Probably toward the slide suspension that became common on swords towards the end this period. Also, later Pugio's tended to have carved wooden sheaths with occasional decorative plates, which might paritally explain their limited archological evidence. Speaking of swords, the Pompeii type you have illustrated is on the way out by 160 AD. They are being replaced by ring pommel swords in wooden cases without all the plate work and leather. The Pompeii blade pattern is still common but the furniture was changing. By the dawn of the 3rd CAD it is likely that many Legionaries carried Spata instead of Gladius. Your Illustration also shows Caligae. We know from the extensive archeological evidence at Vindolanda that they were not in use in the 2nd CAD. Probably not even at the time of the Dacian wars, dispite their presence on Trajan's Collumn. The footwear of the 2nd was all closed toe and bootlike. Actually quite modern in appearance. See The Florentius Project for more information on these shoes, and for other reconstructions of various Hadrianic era items. The breeches or Braccae were of wool and usually red brown in color if Vegetius is to be belived (likely). They should fit snugly, like tight jeans, and have the fabric cut on the bias to allow stretching. The helmets of the late second century are likely to be hold overs of the later Italic types, G and later. Italic G dates from 127 and would have been serviceable into the 180's or so. Also, the Guttman Neitermortimer Italic H helmet dated from about 160 and if you are planning to reenact or illustrate this later period, no more attractive helmet exists. You can see it on Legion Six's Real Gear webpage. The Segmentata is correct though it should be of the Newstead type with much larger hinges and the tie loops replaced by cotter pin mounts. Below is a good example The Alba Iulia is a different fish alltogether it is not seqmentata at all but some kind of lammelar. I wouldn't try this route without extensive further study and the blessing of Dr Bishop, who wrote the book on these things and dosn't care to speculate. The other thing that you can do as a late 2nd trooper is wear Pturges under your armor. That's the Leather skirt operation that facinates Hollywood. It's right on officers throughout Roman History, but sometime in the mid to late 2nd Century, it became acceptable for millites Hope this helps. Feel free to post more questions.

Skel, Yes I was in the Hannibal filming as a Carthiginian, because of my beard. Facial hair was very un chic in Rome at the time of the Punic Wars. I was the Carth in the longer mail. Honorius, try the Sydney Historical Society at Legio VIIII Hispania they are active and in your neck of the woods. For the two of you in Michigan, Legio VII in Canton OH is just forming and is looking for members Legio VII Claudia Pia Fidelis Or try Leg XXII in Cincinatti, OH at Legio XXII Primigenia. They are a very active and well run unit with members as far off as Kentucky. Maximus, where is your unit? Can I have your contact information so that I can post it on my unit's links page? That way other Romans in your area could at least snail mail you. Scanderbeg, there is another Legion VI in Albany, NY at Legio VI Victrix. I don't know how active they are, as they never seem to respond to my emails, but you might give them a try. Gaius Manlius Magnus Centurio Princeps Cohors I Legio VI Victrix Pia Fidelis

Ave Scanderbeg, Actually, most of the Roman reenactors in the US are east of the Mississippi. Leg XX in Maryland, XXIV in Penn, XIV in KY, XXI in OH, XXX in NY... Where are you? I'm sure there's someone within a few hours drive. Vale Magnus

Ave Ursus, Thanks for the welcome. Centurio's my rank in the Sixth. My name's Gaius Manlius Magnus. Most just call me Magnus. Good to meet you. GMM

I and my fraters have done a Testudo or ten. We've done it under arrow fire. Once drilled, it can be done and undone very quickly. We were actually able to quickmarch, wait for the volley to fly, form the Testudo and take the hit and then disassemble into a quickmarch again on the fly. Worked great as long as the enemy was using volley fire. Once they went to fire at will, we locked into the Testudo and rolled right up to their lines. You can move fairly quickly with a sort of step-drag movement, like crabwalking. Maybe half normal march pace. Once at their lines the Centurio yells out for the charge and sheilds start smashing barbarians. The third ranks and deeper start chucking pilae. Actually, what to do with the pila in a Testudo was one of the hardest things to figgure out. It doesn't work well sticking out because it interferes with the overlap of the scuta that is critical to missile defence. We end up bringing the pilae into a horizontal grip front to back where we grab the one of the trooper in back and in front of us as well. By interlocking like this, it helps stedy the formation and keeps the pointy bits out of our buddies. Takes some practice to do it though. Most of the time we try not to have pila on us for a Testudo. There are a couple of photos at the bottom of this page- http://www.legionsix.org/Conquest.htm Si vales, valeo Gaius Manlius Magnus Centurio Pinceps Cohors I Legio VI Victrix Pia Fidelis

How many of the people in this forum are Reenacting Rome? If you are, what period, who with, and for how long? If you're not, why not? Just wondering.... And, yes, I'm a reenactor. I'm a second century, Hadrianic, Legionary with the Sixth Legion Victorius Ever Faithful, as recreated by the Legion Six Historical Foundation in Los Angeles California. I've been running the group for five years. Our website is at LegionSix.org Si vales, valeo Magnus

i think the centurion is using a stick as a sword to drill the men. Actually Centurion carried a stick called a vitus to drill the men. It is not because it is "lighter," it is because when he beats a trooper for being slow or off beat, the milite dosen't die. This is not the modern military. The Centurion was not bound by the JAG. He could do nearly anything he deemed needed to make his troops do what was needed. Including beating the tar out of them. There is even a famous account of a Centurion nicknamed "hand me another" because he broke so many vitae on the backs, helmets or shields of troops.