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Show here your Sarmatian warrior impression - Printable Version

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Show here your Sarmatian warrior impression - Alanus - 03-21-2011

Evidently Sarmatian/Alanic reenactors are few and far between. Here are a few photos of an old Alan that I happen to know:

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This old Alan is 70 years old BUT, he's still shooting!


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Robert Vermaat - 03-21-2011

Quote:Evidently Sarmatian/Alanic reenactors are few and far between. Here are a few photos of an old Alan that I happen to know
This old Alan is 70 years old BUT, he's still shooting!

Very nice Alan!!!


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Virilis - 03-21-2011

Great impression, Alan Big Grin !

You seem to have also Grozer's asymmetric hunnic bow, wow!


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Ron Andrea - 03-21-2011

Nice kit. Now if you could just find someone young and handsome to model it . . . Wink (We know, you had to settle for old and handsome.)


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Alanus - 03-21-2011

Thanks, Robert!

The tunic is too long so I have to hike it up with an under-belt. That accounts for what looks like a roll of fat above my equipment belt. I'm not happy with the pot helmet but it will do until I find something more appropriate.:roll: I'm proud of the weapons and their attachment, both accurate and fitting as if part of my body.:grin:


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Alanus - 03-21-2011

Virilis and Ron!

Thanks to you both. I have three grandsons but the oldest isn't much taller than my sword.
Yes, the bow is a Grozer asymmetrical "Hun" made from sinew and horn. It's a dead ringer for the asymmetricals pictured on the Orlof Battle Placque. They have been found from the Tarim Basin to the Crimea-- the "trail of the Alans." The sword I designed myself, a prototype "Wusun Cavalry Sword," hopefully available, as well as the akinakes, sometime later this year.


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Vindex - 03-21-2011

Very impressive. Nice, clear photographs too - thanks for sharing them.


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Alanus - 03-22-2011

Quote:Very impressive. Nice, clear photographs too - thanks for sharing them.

Vindex,

You're welcome. Fun doing it, and I'll be wearing the impression as a member of Cohors I Pannoniarum, Legio III Cyraniaca, at the Mayday Parade in Kennebunk, Maine, USA.

Oh, yes! I plan on skidding in sideways. Don't know about the Merlot though; I'm a Valpolicela Superiore man, plus gnocci. (Either Ashe or Morris once claimed-- in the heat of wined thinking-- that the Saxons once invaded Italy. They probably ate vermicelli.:lol:


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Folkert van Wijk - 03-28-2011

Quote:Evidently Sarmatian/Alanic reenactors are few and far between. Here are a few photos of an old Alan that I happen to know

I like this a lot!!!! What period would this be?


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Alanus - 03-29-2011

Quote:I like this a lot!!!! What period would this be?

Thanks for the compliment!
The period is roughly 1st century AD, since my unit-- the 1st Cohors Pannoniarum was from that era. Some parts of the impression can be found earlier, like the splint greaves that date back to the Scytian era but continued into late Roman Britain. The chainmail is generic. The helmet is of the "pot" style, also old but continued into the Avar-Magyar era. The sword has early Han Dynasty features, but this is probably the style mentioned by Tacitus. And the bow is a generic asymmetrical, so-called "Hun," but used by the Alans and Roxolani.

It would be gratifying to discover other RAT members portaying the several types and periods of steppe auxilliaries within the Roman army. They made important contributions.:grin:


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Robert Vermaat - 03-30-2011

Hi Alan,
Quote:Some parts of the impression can be found earlier, like the splint greaves that date back to the Scytian era but continued into late Roman Britain.
Actually we Late Romans tend not to use splint greaves because that can't be dated to anywhere before the 7th century.. I would surely welcome your references to splint greaves in Late Roman times, Britain or elsewhere!


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - John Conyard - 03-30-2011

Although no greaves have been found from the fourth century, Vegetius advocates them. (Epit. I.20) Generally re-enactors base theirs on a 3rd century example from Kunzing in Germany.

In terms of clear practical advice on weaponry, armour and organisation Maurices’ Strategikon stands out. I would suggest that although it is writen in the late 6th century and concentrates on cavalry, the chapter on the infantry may date from an earlier work. The Strategikon mentions iron and even wooden greaves.(Strat. 12.B.4) Wooden greaves were probably of splint construction, made up over several vertical bars held together by a leather backing.

Of course such armour has a very long history. But in recreating an impression it is gernally safer to stick to know artefacts and clothing. Our interpretations should be conservative. It is interesting that while "Thracian" artistic styles in terms of helmets and scabbard plates are recognised in the early Imperial period, Sarmation styles have to wait a little longer.


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Alanus - 03-31-2011

Quote:Hi Alan,
Alanus post=286161 Wrote:Some parts of the impression can be found earlier, like the splint greaves that date back to the Scytian era but continued into late Roman Britain.
Actually we Late Romans tend not to use splint greaves because that can't be dated to anywhere before the 7th century.. I would surely welcome your references to splint greaves in Late Roman times, Britain or elsewhere!

Back to you Robert, and also John

I made the statement about splint greaves based on my theory that various pieces of armor were carried directly from one time period to the next in a continuum, not "reinvented." I had seen this style of greaves in the Ashmolian at Oxford, early, Scythian, and made from bronze strips attached to a leather backing. Likewise, I found photos of late Roman reenactor/cavalrymen also wearing them. I believe the connectiveness would be the interim influence, the Sarmatians.

The pot helmet in my kit is based almost exactly on the early archer's helmet at the Sofia museum, Bulgaria-- the right period and place. I noticed British reenactors portraying Hamian archers also used the same style, but (for whatever reason) they added a wide band around the lower portion of the helmet. Perhaps this was done to accomodate a "long-headed" person even though the originals were designed for a "round-headed" skull. But my version is closer to the original Sofia helmet, which was quite fancy. I added a little fanciness to the basic pot; and since there were holes along the rim of the original, I used chainmail and left off the cheekpieces.

My idea for the impression was to depict a 1st century Roxolanus archer within a Roman auxilliary unit, the 1st Cohors Pannoniarum. Putting this kit together was not easy, since I had no other Sarmatian reenactors as an exampe to follow. The kit is light, very easy to maneuver in, and suits a reenactor of my age. It shows many eastern influences that (hopefully) would have been correct for the period.:?


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Robert Vermaat - 04-01-2011

Quote:Although no greaves have been found from the fourth century, Vegetius advocates them. (Epit. I.20) Generally re-enactors base theirs on a 3rd century example from Kunzing in Germany.
I know John. My question to Alan was about his reference to the early use of splint greaves. :wink:


Re: Show Your Sarmatian Impression - Robert Vermaat - 04-01-2011

Hi Alan,
Quote:I made the statement about splint greaves based on my theory that various pieces of armor were carried directly from one time period to the next in a continuum, not "reinvented." I had seen this style of greaves in the Ashmolian at Oxford, early, Scythian, and made from bronze strips attached to a leather backing. Likewise, I found photos of late Roman reenactor/cavalrymen also wearing them. I believe the connectiveness would be the interim influence, the Sarmatians.
Well, you would first have to know why that re-enactor chose to wear splint greaves, or otherwise the connection would have to span several centuries, from the sarmatian to the re-enactor... :lol:

But seriously, apart from the Scythians I still have to find a use of splint greaves later and further west during Roman times. Although I do not have an exhaustive knowledge of the use of armour (by no means!) I think personally that splint greaves may have been introduced in the West by the Avars, or perhaps even later.