Texas RenFair 2012

[John M McDermott]

Legions XF and XIII made a combined appearance at the Texas Renaissance Fair on November 3 and 4. A good time was had by all.


[attachment=5669]renfair2012a.JPG[/attachment]

[PhilusEstilius]

John.

I can't believe it after a good time by all everyone is still sober and on their feet, where was all the Vino Collapso

PS Having said that everyone is looking realy good.

[Pointer]

Awesome! Post more Pictures! Have any of your Optio?

[Chris B]

Here is a picture Patrick.

[Chris B]

One Marching...

[Chris B]

One of the full group after parade...

[agrimensor]

Nice show, guys.

[arklore70]

Its a great event and one of my more fonder memories when I lived in Texas. The photos I suspect were taken during and after the morning parade, beacuse after that the vino and beer flowed very freely as I am sure it did this year as well.
R/

[Pointer]

I appreciate it Chris... Is he on RAT? I would like to glean a few things from him. Please have him contact me if you would. I am currently working on an Optio Impression. Thanks Patrick

[John M McDermott]

[attachment=5687]IMG_0206.JPG[/attachment]

[attachment=5688]IMG_0225.JPG[/attachment]

[attachment=5689]IMG_0252.JPG[/attachment]

[John M McDermott]

Can't pass this one up. There was little misconduct this time, but as you can read below, there was a Texas Ren Fair when:

Unfortunately, post event activities got out of hand as in New Ulm.

Even the presence of two high ranking Legio XF officers could not stem the tide of undisciplined and unfortunate conduct at this year's Ren Fair.

A group of Legionairres from Legios XF and XIII gathered for drinks at one of the outdoor pubs after events had concluded. Things went from bad to worse. Two loose women (wenches?) approached the group and began drinking with our handsome soldiers. After much wine and song, it was decided, quite innocently, that a photograph of Miles Dan of Legion XIII kissing one of the wenches would be good fun. The effects of a hard day of marching and much drink created a temporary distortion of normal balancing senses in Miles Dan, and, during the act of posing for the photograph, he and the wench fell over. The ground and wind conditions, the weight of the wench all conspired to cause Miles Dan's tunic to fly up over his head, presenting the entire crowd at the pub with the answer to the perplexing question of what a Legionairre really wears under his tunic.

It took about an hour for things to calm down.

As a public service announcement, all Legion XF personnel are recommended to wear underwear when wearing tunics and drinking in the future. We should learn from the mishaps of our sister Legions.

[Chris B]

Patrick,

That is a picture of me. So ask whatever you would like.

John,

That is why I always wear 3" inseam underarmor underneath my tunica, chiton, kilt, etc. I guess I am the more modest one of the bunch...:-)

[Nancy Horlacher]

My husband and I were at Texas RenFest that weekend and he was thrilled to see you. Your group looked very good in the parade. He is working on his outfit for the Roman weekend.

[Crispvs]

"I would like to glean a few things from him. ... I am currently working on an Optio Impression."


For an optio impression, all you need is a staff with a knob on the end and an optio's ring. As far as we know, these were the only things which visually distinguished an optio from an ordinary soldier. As far as I know, the only securely identified optio's ring to have been found was the one found near Bonn, which has been reproduced by a number of groups.

Everything else you may see in reconstructions (side plumes, masks, fancier belts etc.) is nothing more than modern assumption. We don't even know what the knob on the end of the staff was made of, although a spherical brass cage of about the right size which was fitted with a ferule and which contained a small ball which would have rattled around inside it was found somewhere a year or two back and makes for an intriguing possibility as a candidate.
Side plumes seem to have featured on quite a lot of soldiers' helmets and there is nothing to suggest that they had any rank significance.

On another note, and back on topic, it looks to have been an enjoyable occasion. What's going on with the chap with the Hollywood wrist bands? He seems to be wearing senatorial boots. hock:

Crispvs

[M. Demetrius]

All sorts of Roman, "Roman" and Hollywood Roman are welcomed to march in the parade. Some of the kit is as authentic as anywhere else, some is plastic armor, some is fantasy, but all are welcome. It's a Ren Faire event, not necessarily a Living History or Reenactors' gathering.

...but, are you saying that bracers on the wrist are less than historically accurate?? Do the movie makers know this?? Surely you're joking, Crispvs! (*ducks for cover and scurries out of the room, chortling madly*)