06-07-2012, 07:11 PM
Though I agree with both of you on the wording 'nitpicking' and entertainment value, which I have seen in all photos of various events of which the Arles amphitheatre was one of the most impressive, as well as some of the venues I attended at Xanten, I disagree with the opinion that the general public does not care. I agree of course with your point about certain happenings in Judaea 
I teach history and research antiquity, both on very different levels. In that way I must say that when one knows a bit more, it is very helpful to paint a more vivid reconstructed image of how things might actually have been back then. I am not criticizing the Deva event here, but when I see the Roman march when the Dies Natalis Roma is celebrated I come across fantasy uniforms, trooper helmets, strange impressions of Roman rituals, women wearing yellow and orange without even realising that makes them prostitutes and so much more nonsensical as well as whimsical tidbits that it annoys me, even though I am in general, not a stitch Nazi.
With your remarks on having been an officer in her Majesty's Army and the eye for detail that the job brings with it I also agree fully.
About the way the Roman Army developed itself from Republican towards Imperial times many books have been written and you can even find clues and very good descriptions with the ancient authors themselves. The way Polybius describes the build up of a roman encampment for instance is very clear. Chain of command is also very rigid.
What i do find very irritating however is the attitude of some re-enactors and even some groups who state that "We know it best" "We look better than you" and then even though this might be true, do not and sometimes even blatantly refuse to help others achieve the same standards let alone display with them. No, they rather shun groups which are "less accurate".
I am not on about groups who display military drill in one single unit wearing several pieces of armor which lay about 500 years apart here. That, in my view, is something which is not done and should be discouraged.
"Whether the public cares or not"...
If the public would like to believe that: "One of the signs this man is an Optio is because he is wearing an Optio's ring", so be it.
I will be happy to explain to them that this is nonsense.
Of course we all should work together. Of course also the entertainment factor is a part of it all, but where it comes to "tiny" matters like women who would like to join in a display there is a lot of (in my eyes) SAD and childish behaviour to be found amongst re-enactors.
Nonetheless, when my pupils go see a display and return with stories about slaves which are not only off the mark but blatant nonsense, all because they have spoken to some fat bloke of some group wearing a slave bracelet around his neck stating he is a freedman and this is what freedmen wore, it becomes a whole other matter to me.
Hope you can understand that.
M.VIB.M.
I teach history and research antiquity, both on very different levels. In that way I must say that when one knows a bit more, it is very helpful to paint a more vivid reconstructed image of how things might actually have been back then. I am not criticizing the Deva event here, but when I see the Roman march when the Dies Natalis Roma is celebrated I come across fantasy uniforms, trooper helmets, strange impressions of Roman rituals, women wearing yellow and orange without even realising that makes them prostitutes and so much more nonsensical as well as whimsical tidbits that it annoys me, even though I am in general, not a stitch Nazi.
With your remarks on having been an officer in her Majesty's Army and the eye for detail that the job brings with it I also agree fully.
About the way the Roman Army developed itself from Republican towards Imperial times many books have been written and you can even find clues and very good descriptions with the ancient authors themselves. The way Polybius describes the build up of a roman encampment for instance is very clear. Chain of command is also very rigid.
What i do find very irritating however is the attitude of some re-enactors and even some groups who state that "We know it best" "We look better than you" and then even though this might be true, do not and sometimes even blatantly refuse to help others achieve the same standards let alone display with them. No, they rather shun groups which are "less accurate".
I am not on about groups who display military drill in one single unit wearing several pieces of armor which lay about 500 years apart here. That, in my view, is something which is not done and should be discouraged.
"Whether the public cares or not"...
If the public would like to believe that: "One of the signs this man is an Optio is because he is wearing an Optio's ring", so be it.
I will be happy to explain to them that this is nonsense.
Of course we all should work together. Of course also the entertainment factor is a part of it all, but where it comes to "tiny" matters like women who would like to join in a display there is a lot of (in my eyes) SAD and childish behaviour to be found amongst re-enactors.
Nonetheless, when my pupils go see a display and return with stories about slaves which are not only off the mark but blatant nonsense, all because they have spoken to some fat bloke of some group wearing a slave bracelet around his neck stating he is a freedman and this is what freedmen wore, it becomes a whole other matter to me.
Hope you can understand that.
M.VIB.M.
Bushido wa watashi no shuukyou de gozaru.
Katte Kabuto no O wo shimeyo!
H.J.Vrielink.
Katte Kabuto no O wo shimeyo!
H.J.Vrielink.
