RAT conference MAINZ 2008

[Praefectusclassis]

Polling about a date for the RAT conference seems to come to no conclusive date, so we'll do it differently to get things going.
The date is 22nd-23rd of November 2008. Location is Mainz, Germany, the city with the highest density of Roman army related museums. You'll never get a better excuse to visit them all with like minded souls!

Please post in this thread if you intend to participate, but note that your submission will not be definitive until you deposit an amount (between 50 and 75 euros for the meeting room & hopefully two dinners) in a special bank or PayPal account. Details to follow.
Having firm commitments will allow us to book hotel rooms as a group with hopefully lower rates.

[jvrjenivs]

Okay, good there finally is a date.

Count me in.

[caiusbeerquitius]

I´ll be there, probably with two of my students.

[FlaviusCrispus]

Put me down as a "probable."

Is there any kind of reenactment event scheduled that weekend in Mainz? If not, could we perhaps arrange to stage one? I'd like to bring a couple of my fellow Legio VI soldiers along, with kit. Help get the sour taste of the Novae fiasco out of our mouths (see Bulgaria thread in Events section).

[Praefectusclassis]

Hi David
I'm not sure, but I suspect there's nothing planned. Do take into account that NW Europe in late November is very likely cold and wet. Not ideal reenactment weather to say the least.

[Jona Lendering]

I will be there.

[jvrjenivs]

Hi Jona, any change that Marco will join us again? Otherwise I'll check if I can get my dad's car for that weekend. (At least I think it's good to drive together again, isn't it)

[ParthianBow]

Hi there
I'm very interested. Will there be much in the way of lectures/talks?
Cheers

[Jona Lendering]

Hi Jona, any change that Marco will join us again?

Better check your dad's car, because Marco's appointments are usually until the very last moment rather iffy. As you know, he is a cameraman for the TV news. (D-mn, I wanted to go to the cinema with him tonight, but some stupid politician had to say something to the world again. On Friday evening, for Pete's sake. evil: )

Will there be much in the way of lectures/talks?

I have not counted the number of lectures, but the quality was -during the two previous meetings- higher than some of us had expected. The main attraction of Mainz will be each others company, of course. Besides, there are many museums:

* Landesmuseum (sculpture and inscriptions);
* Museum für antike Schifffahrt (ships and navigation);
* Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum (general);
* Museum Castellum (bridgehead on the east bank) (only on Sunday);
* Roman Theater.
* Cenotaph of Drusus.
* Temple of Isis.

Weblinks:
[url:2iploan8]http://www.livius.org/mo-mt/mogontiacum/mogontiacum.html[/url]
[url:2iploan8]http://www.livius.org/a/germany/mainz/mainz_1.html[/url]
Mainz is probably the most Roman city north of the Alps.

[FlaviusCrispus]

A close friend and client (who is also a friend of RAT) says he can probably arrange a meeting / talk by Christian Miks, author of the definitive book on Roman swords, "Studien zur römischen Schwertbewaffnung in der Kaiserzeit." And perhaps a special behind-the-scenes, closed-to-the-public tour of RGZM.

[jvrjenivs]

he can probably arrange a meeting / talk by Christian Miks, author of the definitive book on Roman swords, "Studien zur römischen Schwertbewaffnung in der Kaiserzeit." And perhaps a special behind-the-scenes, closed-to-the-public tour of RGZM.

Although I would find this a very interesting lecture for sure, I don't know if that is the purpose of the RAT conference. I know you're maybe not familiar with the idea, but the most important of the conference is to meet your RAT-friends for real. To talk an discuss something face to face, instead of talking to a person with a login and avatar. Meet the people behind that acount. Some lecuters are there to have a nice programm during the day, but the visit of the museum and the talk in the restaurants and cafe's I found most interesting and important. Therefore I would say that we should restrict to 'RAT members' to give the lectures, instead of getting some external speakers.

But this is just my personal opinion, and I would like to know others vision about this.

[Jona Lendering]

But this is just my personal opinion, and I would like to know others vision about this.

Although I agree that the social aspect -meeting RATs in real life- is the most important, I would certainly not be against a lecture by a guest (especially if he can offer a closed-to-the-public tour of RGZM).

[Praefectusclassis]

I agree with Jona on this one.

[Jona Lendering]

[size=150:2tuebs54]FINANCIAL MATTERS[/size]
To make sure that we can organize this as easy as possible, Christian, Jurjen, Jasper, and I need an advance payment. Sixty euro, we hope, is a reasonable amount.

So, please transfer your 60 euro to

V.O.F. Livius
Bilderdijkkade 61-3a
1053 VJ Amsterdam, Netherlands

Account number: 67.07.91.121
IBAN: NL26 INGB 0670 7911 21
BIC: INGBNL2A

As far as I know, this works for most European countries, including several non euro-countries; however, if problems occur, write Jasper.

Please add the words "RAT conference Mainz". This is my business account, which has hundreds of transfers/year.

As Livius is a school, it may be possible that, if you're a student, your costs may be tax-deductible. If you want to try, I will write an official statement for your taxman.

Final remark: yes, Livius has a commercial side to it, but the RAT conference is a non-profit activity. Your personal information (name, address, etc) will be used for this congress only and never be given to a third party.

[Praefectusclassis]

For non-Euro users: you can PayPal your contribution to jasper @ romanarmy.com. I will then forward your contribution to Jona.

Again: this is for rent of the meeting room and hopefully two dinners. None of the organizing committee is looking to earn anything from this conference.