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+--- Thread: roman-auxillia single combat (/showthread.php?tid=9562)
roman-auxillia single combat - garrelt - 05-30-2007
Almost every time when you take part in, or go to an roman event the gladiators do the fighting and the roman soldiers do their drills/display.
Rarely you see roman soldiers do actual "fighting" against keltic or germanic opponents .
most of the time you see training fights width the rudius.
I know that most of the weapons used in a show are display (sharp or semi-sharp) weapons.
There are showfight gladii on the market which can be used in fighting.
http://www.arms-armor.cz/ has one which i already use.
Is there anything known about the fencing/ fighting style of a roman soldier/auxillia [/img]
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - Titus Martius - 05-31-2007
Actually not all groups fight only with wooden swords. My group uses fencing swords, spears and nice wooden pila (which break their heads after impact) against barbarians.
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - garrelt - 05-31-2007
Martin
I refer here to the most german and dutch groups.
From poland and Czechia i know there are groups doing showfight.
Is this full- or semi contact, and do you use gloves for protecting the fingers.
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - Gaius Julius Caesar - 05-31-2007
What about the broken ends? Good chance of eye injury I would think? :?
Sounds like an interesting idea tho'
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - Titus Martius - 05-31-2007
Quote:Martin
I refer here to the most german and dutch groups.
From poland and Czechia i know there are groups doing showfight.
Is this full- or semi contact, and do you use gloves for protecting the fingers.
It is full contact fight, but not all members of my group use gloves for protection (I personally don't use glove).
Quote:What about the broken ends? Good chance of eye injury I would think? Confused
Sounds like an interesting idea tho'
There is notch on the pilum's head just in connection to the shaft in which the head breaks. So there is no sharp point.
The short broken part of the head can be easily removed and the remaining head reserted.
It is safe and no barbarians complained so far. :wink:
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - garrelt - 05-31-2007
Rule number one: stay away from the head/face.
Always throw from the chest down.
If you use a pilum or javalin in a vollie against a schieldwall/testudo not much can happen.
As long as the people behind it have the dicipline in keaping their head down.
The only eye injuries that i have seen were caused by redtip(blunt) arrows.
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - Tarbicus - 05-31-2007
![[Image: SA530P.JPG]](http://www.schoolmasters.com/SAFETY/SA530P.JPG)
Not very visible, but could avoid a lot of tears.
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - Peroni - 05-31-2007
There's a group here in the UK (with members here on RAT) that does full contact auxiliary combat with steel blades and spears. (blunted tips)
http://www.vicus.org.uk/
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - Titus Martius - 05-31-2007
Quote:Rule number one: stay away from the head/face.
Always throw from the chest down.
If you use a pilum or javalin in a vollie against a schieldwall/testudo not much can happen.
As long as the people behind it have the dicipline in keaping their head down.
The only eye injuries that i have seen were caused by redtip(blunt) arrows.
We know what to do :wink: and javelin volley looks great! :twisted:
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - Gaius Julius Caesar - 05-31-2007
sounds good! :lol:
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - garrelt - 05-31-2007
Thanks Peroni
I was already aware of this group from the UK
We in our group have a minimal safety standard for personal protection.
Gloves (padded) and armguards are minimal.
In the 13year that i do showfights i only had once an injury to my swordhand ringfinger at the moment we were working for tv and i wasn't wearing gloves.
I need my fingers for my work.
We train with the whole person as target zone.
So if somebody is wearing a helmet, he or she can be tapped on the helmet.
Yes we also have germanic female warriors.
For the later roman/migration period showfights , and when there is not enough space for archers and javalins, we use our showfight plumbatea.
Question:
Is there something known about the way of training and handling of the personal weapons used by soldiers in the roman era.
Because the way we train and fight is based on what is left over the early- and late mediaval period
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - Marcus Caecilius Avitus - 05-31-2007
Those RATers who were at the last major Chester event may remember the pila I developed whose heads slid back into the shanks on impact. These were made from painted plastic drain tubing foam insulation and blunted wooden heads. OK they didn't stand up to close inspection but the crowd certainly drew a gasp of breath when they were released.
Then we held our ground advanced in testudo smashed down the gate of the fort and slaughtered the Germanians. :twisted: Aaahh! Happy Days
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - Peroni - 05-31-2007
I remember those pila Mark. They worked really well! :wink:
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - le Cavalier Invisible - 05-31-2007
sounds pretty cool to me! 8)
finally some romans who actually throw their pila in a fight..
never heard of it before.. :roll:
I'd really love to see it! 8)
best regards,
Re: roman-auxillia single combat - M. Demetrius - 06-01-2007
Would you like to show us across the pond how your pila work? We'd be interested, to be sure!