Re: Show here your Roman soldier impression

[Crispvs]

I too had thought that shields 8 and 30 in the first picture were legionary blazons. When I went over the entire frieze a few years ago I could only identify nine different blazons which were associated with what appeared to be straight sided scuta. Of these, three were consistently shown in association with praetorian standards, which suggested to me the intention to indicate the presence at various times of three praetorian cohorts and six legions. It would be interesting to see how many any similar blazons are shown on oval shields.


David,

"Without long-ranged weapons (like modern rifles, e.g.), a scout spotted in a hay field can easily be caught by cavalry or other scouts. Better to stick in the tree line."

I too made the hood on my paenula large enough to comfortably go over my helmet, but I believe Caesar makes some mention in Bellum Civilica to soldiers making basketwork covers to fit over their helmets to camouflage them prior to an ambush (I don't have a copy with me right now to check the reference).

I thought this quote, which came up on a thread I started on the Victorian Wars forum a few months ago, might be of interest here:

"I was obliged to equip my men for the bush, in New Zealand, in blue "jumpers" (leaving the red tunics in store), because I could not get crimson flannel shirts." He was one who believed that the natural colour for the British soldier is red. He certainly did not believe in troops being camouflaged - he also stated "At 1000 yards, all colours are alike, as I proved; red, grey, green, blue, black, all look hazy, except any man wearing a white cross belt, he becomes a target. [Bush Fighting, General J. E. Alexander, 1873. p. 4]"

The original thread can be found at:
http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5650


Graham,

"I think the last time was during the Gordon relief expedition. A token gesture, as Gordon specifically requested the British troops wear red so the enemy would clearly know that they were British! Most British troops by then were already in Khaki dress. Nevertheless an interesting German postcard of 1914 however does show German troops in contemporary gear fighting British redcoats at the first battle of Ypres. A warning perhaps to those who follow pictorial sources too rigidly?"

Actually only regular units could have changed into red (assuming anyone other than the officers had their red tunics with them anyway), as volunteer units would have had grey, rather than red jackets. The command to wear red sound like a typical act of Gordon bravado. My great great grandfather was one of the senior staff officers on the Gordon Relief Expedition. I get the impression from bits and pieces that have come down to us that Wolseley did not have a particularly high opinion of Gordon.

Regarding the German postcard, although it is indeed anachronistic, it is not so much as you might think, as field dress for the British army, when not on operations in hot and dusty climates, remained the red tunic until the middle of 1914, when the red tunics were replaced by a deep khaki, coincidentally just in time for the Great War. The French didn't get around to replacing their bright red hats and trousers until some time in 1915!

Sorry to bring this somewhat OT

Crispvs