Are there any republican-era reenactors?

[Aemilianus]

Nice stuff Aemilianus. I've been puzzling over footwear as well for my Republican impression. Like you, I've also made a doubler fastener from metal for my hamata. I've also covered my scutum in white felt.

Some discussions I started on boots:
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?p=158487
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=20767

And Christian sarted a discussion on 2nd Punic War impressions.
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=15554

Salve,

Hey lots of things to discuss about there.

As I am in vacation far from my documentation I will have to write from memory...

As far as the boots are concerned, Connolly advised me to take caligae, but what pattern? I don't know...

Florian Himmler and his friends from the Regensburg University in Germany told me a couple of years ago to look at Sicilian Greek vases from the period to have an idea of the design, but so far I haven't found nothing.

For the "perones" or ankle boot they follow the description you gave in the text. I found two articles and drawings about them:

One in a French book "Le cuir et la pelleterie à l'époque Romaine" by Christine Leguyoux

Second in a German book about leather shoes, but I do not have the title in my head.

The thing is that both Caligae and perones were also farmer shoes, and the fact that most soldiers of the period were of farmers origin thus make sense for these types of foot wears.

For the other subjects I will really enjoy participating at your discussion once I get back. Lots of things to compare and share ideas on.

For the fastening, I think that many systems could have been in use, but the most important is to recreate an try what works, and what is not practical.

In my opinion but I have no proof so far until I build one and test it, I am not in favor of a leather strap going under. If you do that, how can you close it on the chest? this might leave a lethal gap around the neck. I am very open minded about it and I will love to know if anybody has experimented this technique, and if it works fine.

Let's continue discussing all these great subjects and may more...

Vale,