Earliest known Roman and Greek Renactment of Battles

[TheatreofWar]

My name is Dawn also known as Theatreof War. I am an Advanced Photography Student re Theatrical Portfolios. I beleve that Re-enactments is a form of forgotten performance with its roots in Greek Theatre -as a form of Tragedy.I know that The Romans woul fight often to the death re-enactments in the Colleseum and also flood it to have naval battle re-enactments.(the Gladiators a step away from the re-enactment).I would like to know if anyone out there could help me in finding the first known Roman-reenactment and if possiblt the earliest Greek Re-enactment.
I know there was this guy called Aeshylus -a war veteran from Marathon
B 525BC - D 455BC who wrote one play called the "Persans " 472 BC where there was a re-enactment of a battleship between the Greek and the Persans, (this is where he Aeshylus been sriously injured.
Does anyone know of anyother play earlier than this regarding a battle re-enactment. Cheers Dawn

[Robert Vermaat]

My name is Dawn also known as Theatreof War.

Hi Dawn,

First of all, let me welcome you here.

Secondly, please add your real (first) name to your signature (in your profile). It's a forum rule.

Thirdly, I had to move your post, the subjest of which has nothing to do with rules or announcements. Please take care where you post and look up the proper section first.

[Kevin J. Aschenmeier]

TheatreofWar/ Dawn

Hi. I think if you read Aeschylus, you will find almost no action in his tragedies, or any other ancient Greek tragedy. There is no re-enactment of a battle. The Greek tragic writers relied on words, rather than deeds. Action tends to happen off stage, then is reported on stage by the few actors, and chorus. The works are brilliant beyond a doubt, particularly if you read the ancient greek.

You will have to look elsewhere for re-enactment.

Kevin

[TheatreofWar]

Dawn here I really thank you for replying to me.
My research has found out -Greek Army recruits - cadets were used in the spring to perform in the Theatre without-little food rest or sleep to improve their endurance levels.

:? There is evidence of Military dances which the Greeks perform
Could these have been by these cadets? They often emulated being attack Full armour would be worn. Some of these dances Podism Xipism Homos Tetrcomos -or is it the Greek equivalent of exercise and keeping fit. This might mean the dance could be a form of re-enactment.

There is a strong possibility these dances were brought back to Rome by Sulla the who did go to Greece and loved the Theatre others say it was Cesaer - had a discussion to a Greek Literature scholar about this.
The Romans did have re-enactment of battles in the Colleseum. Even Naval ones where they would flood it our -hence the term Naumachia - naval combat word refers to re-enactment of a naval battle and the basin where it happened.

Perhaps the idea of an re-enactment as we know it may have its roots in the Greek Military Dances Times which developed into the Re-enactments put on by the Romans.

Or when did the Roman Re-enactments actually start in Roman Times???
The triumph was more important to the Romans who made it more Theatrical.

I would be grateful for anyone else reading if they cant point me in a direction which proves the earliest known recorded Battle re-enactment be it Greek or Roman Cheers - TheatreofWar otherwise known as Dawn.

[richard robinson]

Hi Dawn et al
i have no pointers to give you but one of my personal speculations.
We know that there was a tradition of hanging up/ dedicating captured and/ or personal arms and armour after battles and wars in temples and sanctuaries.

I have the theory that these dedicated armours may have been borrowed from temples and sanctuaries to equip gladiators staging "historical" combats.

It is probably completely wrong but I still like the idea.
regards
richard

[TheatreofWar]

Dawn here -AKA Theateofwar

Looked into the idea of Gladiators / Romans - they came from the entarage of a funeral - no one got killed at the start. They had two people doing a mock fight.

I suppose the idea of Gladiators might have referred to what the person did when he died. Perhaps the person was a warroior . Those Romans loved a bit of Drama! This is my speculation - a kind of entertainment as the procession moved along.

Interestingly enough one famous Greek guy called Heroditus witnessed in Egypt during a festival a mock battle???? Could this be the earliest re-enactment?????

I know in Greek Theatre - there was an altar on stage - technically it came out of a temple. A place where you could do things you could not do in real life . A bit like a preist re -enacting how Cain killed Abel.
The theatre was a place to instruct and learn about everthing including war.

I know that Greek Generals were asked to put on a military dance when they came back from a triumphant battle - perhaps when they performed the mock battle dances to represent how /the tactics they won the battle.- they probably used the losers shields and weapons during the re-enactment/mock battle and just left them there/ Temple/theatre out of harms reach and in a safe place. Also to remind others what they have done smiliar to regimental flags seen in churches representing the colours of a regiment? (my thoughts but it kind of makes sense).

I suppose when people came to the temple/Theatre - these shields and weapons would be seen like an offering to the Gods- (They have protected us in battle and here is the proof).?????

Dawn aka Theateofwar