by Michael Sweet

 

THE EVOLUTION OF AN OFFICER

In 2004, I decided that my first Roman impression would be of an officer. I was still relatively new to Roman reenacting and especially to anything historically accurate for an officer. This was my first stab at it. An e-Bay musculata, a Museum Replicas pigskin jerkin, and Deepeeka "gladiator" belt).

Basically, all I got right was the haircut:

 

"The Horror! The Horror!"

 

O.K., so I started to wise up and do some work. The first step was to lose the pigskin jerkin and gladiator belt, and work on a better leather officer's jerkin. Here's me doing some work (with help):

 

After replacing the jerkin, adding some tongue pteruges and buying a helmet, here's how I looked:

"The Horror II! The Horror II!"

 

Gods! All that work, and within a few months I was again embarassed by that musculata and helmet. So, I did some more research, some more work, and after more than a year, I finally arrived at a passable (not perfect!) officer's kit:

 

Special thanks to Travis Lee Clark for the original musculata photos

 

THE TRIBUNE'S BURDEN: PAPERWORK

Much of my impression is based upon the tasks of a Tribune. As the political attache and logistics officer to a Legion, the Tribune's job was to make sure the soldiers were aligned with the political intentions of those above them, and that the soldiers were equipped to execute those intentions on the battlefield.

Here you see a courier's canister, a scroll bucket, a few wax tablets, and several actual papyrus scrolls upon one of which is copied a passage in Latin from Caesar's commentaries:

 

 

The passage is about when Caesar and the Tenth were about to land upon the shores of Brittain for the first time. The translation of the Latin on this scroll reads:

 

XXV--When Caesar observed this, he ordered the ships of war, the appearance of which was somewhat strange to the barbarians and the motion more ready for service, to be withdrawn a little from the transport vessels, and to be propelled by their oars, and be stationed towards the open flank of the enemy, and the enemy to be beaten off and driven away with slings, arrows, and engines: which plan was of great service to our men; for the barbarians being startled by the form of our ships and the motions of our oars and the nature of our engines, which was strange to them, stopped, and shortly after retreated a little. And while our men were hesitating [whether they should advance to the shore], chiefly on account of the depth of the sea, he who carried the eagle of the tenth legion, after supplicating the gods that the matter might turn out favourably to the legion, exclaimed, "Leap, fellow soldiers, unless you wish to betray your eagle to the enemy. I, for my part, will perform my duty to the commonwealth and my general." When he had said this with a loud voice, he leaped from the ship and proceeded to bear the eagle toward the enemy. Then our men, exhorting one another that so great a disgrace should not be incurred, all leaped from the ship. When those in the nearest vessels saw them, they speedily followed and approached the enemy.

 

KIDS' GEAR

I am just starting to make kids' gear. I made the set below as a birthday present for the 10 year old son of a dear friend.

The helmets are made from a couple of Small batting helmets turned backwards with some weather-stripping, and plastic cheek plates cut from old cat-sand buckets. Add a couple of conchos from Tandy's leather and a shot of spray paint and shellac, and boom--some functional legionary protective gear!

The sword is a piece of PVC wrapped in a few layers of plumbing insulation. And duct-tape--the Legionnaire's best friend!

Here's a comparison to full-sized gear:

 

FOLLOW UP: The birthday party was a total blast! Click here to see pictures of the Legion's newest recruit!

 

FURCA

After a year of putting it off, I finally went through the rite of passage of assembling my legionary marching kit, or furca. Furca is translated as "fork" and was a t-shaped stick upon which soldiers lashed all their belongings.

Here's a picture of soldiers carrying their furcae, depicted on actual statuary:

. . . and here's mine and me with it!

 

For comments or remarks concerning any of the above, you can email me at tribune@legionten.org