An absolute beginner.

[Rotvndvs]

Salve!

Thanks for having me here at RAT. I've been lurking for a couple months, but here I am, all registered and everything.

I'm out of Madison, Wisconsin in the USA and I've connected with members of the XIIII out of the Chicagoland area. I've gathered a few friends into a little contubernium and we're awfully excited to get more involved.

Now, for my questions, which I'm sure have been asked a bunch of times.

1. While RAT seems to be a great community, I'm curious why there doesn't seem to be any sort of national (or even global) re-creation organization. I notice there's a XIIII out of Oregon, and another in Scotland (if people's signatures are to be believed). It seems like a parent organization would be handy to help each group have a unique identity, rather than have dozens of groups all claim to represent the same legion.

Also, while the Legio XX seems to have some of the highest standards for recreationists-- their site is cited by just about everyone-- their standards are different from many other Legions. I don't know if it's taboo to talk about a national organization, much like SCA or NERO or one of the other "combat" groups.

2. Has anyone had any experience with the India Overseas Trading Company (IOTC)? I've been exchanging emails with them since August, nailing down the specs on helmets and hamata. Here's what we're looking at:

[size=134:ndmh4s0b]Lorica Hamata, 6mm ID, riveted/punched rings, buckled doubler[/size]


[size=134:ndmh4s0b]Helmet[/size]


3. What is the best way to go about choosing accurate names? I get praenomen (there are only about 20), and cognomen (hundreds of possible "nicknames"), but the nomen itself-- the gens name-- baffles me. It feels like there must be an encyclopedia out there with information about what these families were actually like.

Right now, I'm leaning towards Caius SOMETHING Rotundus, since I like the sound of Caius (also close-ish to Chris), and Rotundus because my mother's Italian ancestry was Rotondo.

Any help on a nomen would be great.

4. Finally, though I have lots of other questions, I will just ask about a few pronunciations. I have heard people stumble over these and I really would like to try to not sound like an idiot when I talk.
Scutum: skoo-tum? scuh-tum? skoo-toom?
Pilum: pih-lum? pie-lum?
Pugio: poo-jee-oh? poo-gee-oh?

If there's not a pronunciation guide someplace, maybe creating one for this section of the forum would be helpful. I know it would help me, anyway.

Thanks much. I look forward to being a more active part of this community.