Eastern archer photo

[Anonymous]

Some time ago I saw a reenactment photo of an eastern archer with a long white tunic and kneeling ready to fire. I think it was in a British group webpage. I've searched for it but can't seem to find it. Can anyone tell where I can find this photo?<br>
<br>
Thanks <p></p><i></i>

[Crispvs]

It was on our site on the 'Auxilia' page. I'm not sure if it is still there or not. If I understand correctly (and I'm ready to be shot down over this) our archers are currently in a state of uneasy truce over the long tunic issue, with two in particular evoking the "just off the boat so would still have traditional gear" idea. Normally they seem to choose the length of their tunicae according to the weather. Apart from supplying them with any new information I come accross on archery equipment I tend not to have much input into the affairs of our Cohors Hamiorum. Our website can be found at www.romanarmy.net .<br>
<br>
Crispvs <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Thanks Crispvs. That was the photo I was looking for. Nice site btw. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

There were several debates about the lenght of the archers' dresses..<br>
And often it was stressed that the long dresses featured on Trajan's Column did not appear on the individual tombstones which are generally considered more accurate that TC.<br>
That lead some to consider that all the archers were in fact dressed like regular foot auxilia : short tunic and "european" style helmet.<br>
What if both were used?<br>
Trying to make things simple I figured that if I could find sculptural evidence showing both tunics and long dresses, It was because they were both in use. At least that looks logical, at first sight...<br>
The phenomenon of "exotic" units keeping their traditional dress is far from being unique: the hussards (Hungary), the mamelukes (Egypt), the zouaves, the spahis and the goumiers (North Africa), and so on..<br>
Some of these units like the nepalese gurkhas retained their original ethnic character; some, like the mamelukes of Napo's army, didn't. Round 1812 they were all French.<br>
Some others, like the zouaves during the american Civil War, were never raised as an ethnic unit. The only thing exotic about them was the unifiorm.<br>
The same could apply to the roman imperial army.<br>
So, thinking that during the Roman imperial period, some units of bowmen originally raised in the Orient wore a sort of exotic uniform does not seem too far fetched for me.<br>
Imperial armies of all periods have similar characteristics: they are very flashy and colorful affairs and they all have within their ranks units of "irregulars" wearing an exotic type of uniform.<br>
I suspect the Roman imperial army followed that rule too. The existence of conical eastern style helmets featuring typically roman decoration could be considered proof of that.<br>
Now a question on axes. I think I remember seeing a stela where a bowman is shown with an axe --a hatchet rather-- tucked into his belt. It looks like a short handled tool with a more or less square blade. I also remember the mention of a "securis" axe, that turned into a "tsikourion' in the Byzantine army.<br>
Could it be that the bowmen were issued an axe so they could cut themselves a couple of pointed stakes, like the english bowmen did to protect themselves against the french cavalry at Agincourt?<br>
<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=antoninuslucretius@romanarmytalk>Antoninus Lucretius</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://lucretius.homestead.com/files/Cesar_triste.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 4/19/04 1:40 pm<br></i>

[Mithras]

Could that 'axe' not be a knife, or more probably, just the auxiliary's citizenship scroll? <p></p><i></i>

[Praefectusclassis]

Nope, the axe Antoninus is referring to is clearly that, or at least some sort of chopper with a thin handle and a wider, almost square, blade. <p>Greets<br>
<br>
Jasper</p><i></i>

[Crispvs]

I had a good look at the stone itself when I was at the Museum of Antiquities in Newcastle a couple of years ago and have stared intently at photos of it on many occasions and have at all times felt that the exact identity of whatever is shown is open to interpretation. The sculpture is very worn and many details have been rubbed smooth over time. The identifaction as an axe rests on the relative positioning of two parallel grooves, the upper longer than the lower.<br>
<br>
Crispvs <p></p><i></i>

[Aluscladiusmaximus]

The last time this subject came up There was a very interesting post although I can't remember who it was from. A copy of this post with a enhanced picture of the grave stone can be found on my web page<br>
[url=http://www.geocities.com/overyom/Roman_Archery_2.html" target="top]www.geocities.com/overyom/Roman_Archery_2.html[/url]<br>
<br>
There appears to be little evidence for long tunics in Britan ;all the grave stones of archers appear to be wearing short tunics and wearing helmets is quite rare .<br>
Using Trajan's column as a reference is little better than using Gladiator as a reference ( they are both telling a story and are roughly correct but wrong in many details)<br>
<br>
Alus Claudius Maximus <p></p><i></i>

[Praefectusclassis]

Hi Alus,<br>
Thanks for quoting Romanarmy.com as source for those photos. Would you be so kind to make that link workable? <p>Greets<br>
<br>
Jasper</p><i></i>

[Crispvs]

Alus,<br>
<br>
Good to see you back! I don't know whether people find my postings interesting or not but I certainly posted something in relation to your picture on the thread you mention.<br>
<br>
Crispvs <p></p><i></i>