12-20-2011, 06:31 PM
For me, it is a kind of 50/50 split between wanting to educate the public about the past and wanting to experience the past.
I "fell in love" with the Roman army when I was 6 years old, then met the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest at age 9 in a Roman History book. I started collecting Roman military miniatures just out of college. I bought a copy of "H. Russell Robinson's The Armour of Imperial Rome in 1976; I actually have at least 3 books by him, and some articles. I toured Roman sites in England with Professor Eric Birley in 1978, where I found out about the Ermine Street Guard and was an associate member for a couple years. It was Eric Birley who told me that H. Russell Robinson had died in 1978 at the age of 40. I didn't actually start serious Roman reenacting until 2002, after going to a small event hosted by Matt Amt's group, Legio XX, in Maryland in September 2001.
I love wearing the armor, all the gear, going on route marches, going to the Lafe event -when finances allow. Any excuse, no matter how flimsey, works to get me into Roman clothes - it's NOT a costume to me. I'm the Optio/2nd in command in the Legio III Cyrenaica reenactment group. We are getting some very good recognition by the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA); three of us are regulars doing programming at schools, etc.
I'm on the board of directors of the Living History Association, based in Vermont, USA and that organization's motto is "People bringing history to people." There I and others educate each other as well as the public about our various time periods.
While I don't mind doing things by myself, the real joy is doing Roman army reenacting with like minding people/forming friendships out of a shared passion.
I "fell in love" with the Roman army when I was 6 years old, then met the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest at age 9 in a Roman History book. I started collecting Roman military miniatures just out of college. I bought a copy of "H. Russell Robinson's The Armour of Imperial Rome in 1976; I actually have at least 3 books by him, and some articles. I toured Roman sites in England with Professor Eric Birley in 1978, where I found out about the Ermine Street Guard and was an associate member for a couple years. It was Eric Birley who told me that H. Russell Robinson had died in 1978 at the age of 40. I didn't actually start serious Roman reenacting until 2002, after going to a small event hosted by Matt Amt's group, Legio XX, in Maryland in September 2001.
I love wearing the armor, all the gear, going on route marches, going to the Lafe event -when finances allow. Any excuse, no matter how flimsey, works to get me into Roman clothes - it's NOT a costume to me. I'm the Optio/2nd in command in the Legio III Cyrenaica reenactment group. We are getting some very good recognition by the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA); three of us are regulars doing programming at schools, etc.
I'm on the board of directors of the Living History Association, based in Vermont, USA and that organization's motto is "People bringing history to people." There I and others educate each other as well as the public about our various time periods.
While I don't mind doing things by myself, the real joy is doing Roman army reenacting with like minding people/forming friendships out of a shared passion.
Quinton Johansen
Marcus Quintius Clavus, Optio Secundae Pili Prioris Legionis III Cyrenaicae
Marcus Quintius Clavus, Optio Secundae Pili Prioris Legionis III Cyrenaicae
