04-03-2012, 08:45 PM
I think we have a situation where to try and go totally authentic on a tent would probably broker us vs setting up a tent that reflects the "flavor" of the period.
To illustrate this I'd say look at the string of Marathon? pictures that can be found here. 2 show the Greek encampment and 1 a Persian tent. Now anyone that has looked at various tent manufacturers will recognize the 3 tents shown as a wedge, a square end marquee and a round end marquee with very short sides (Can't remember where I've seen this style at but it's not a true marquee as it doesn't have the side posts, so it has a different name).
The point being that anyone wandering into that encampment would see the flavor of a period encampment, even if it wasn't 100% historically accurate (and being here in California with it's fire retardent laws etc... making an accurate campsite is nigh on impossible).
For a single person or a couple I'd say something along these lines would do:
http://www.tentsmiths.com/period-tents-wedge-tents.html
For the Spartan Officer's tent the OP asked about I'd think a square end marquee or army style.
As to living vs sleeping in tents. I've lived in a double bell wedge with fly for up to 10 days at a time with my wife and 2 boys while 16th Century reenacting. Would I want to do it for a year at a time? No, but for a couple of weeks straight it is doable.
It's a mindset thing. The tent is actually just there for sleeping in, unless you're an officer and need table space to conduct business at. The living part is the space out side the end of the tent - perferably under a tent fly.
To illustrate this I'd say look at the string of Marathon? pictures that can be found here. 2 show the Greek encampment and 1 a Persian tent. Now anyone that has looked at various tent manufacturers will recognize the 3 tents shown as a wedge, a square end marquee and a round end marquee with very short sides (Can't remember where I've seen this style at but it's not a true marquee as it doesn't have the side posts, so it has a different name).
The point being that anyone wandering into that encampment would see the flavor of a period encampment, even if it wasn't 100% historically accurate (and being here in California with it's fire retardent laws etc... making an accurate campsite is nigh on impossible).
For a single person or a couple I'd say something along these lines would do:
http://www.tentsmiths.com/period-tents-wedge-tents.html
For the Spartan Officer's tent the OP asked about I'd think a square end marquee or army style.
As to living vs sleeping in tents. I've lived in a double bell wedge with fly for up to 10 days at a time with my wife and 2 boys while 16th Century reenacting. Would I want to do it for a year at a time? No, but for a couple of weeks straight it is doable.
It's a mindset thing. The tent is actually just there for sleeping in, unless you're an officer and need table space to conduct business at. The living part is the space out side the end of the tent - perferably under a tent fly.
Ira Gossett
