Show here your Roman soldier impression

[Flavivs Aetivs]

I don't know when the Romans took to wearing long sleeves, but I have always had the impression it was some time in the mid second century AD.

It was, for the most part. I'd have to check Sumner, there might be an early 2nd century example.

There are two trooper helmets, four of them are wearing trousers (including one unashamedly wearing full length modern trousers), three sets of long sleeves and what appear to be a pair of patterned leather greaves.

I'm not arguing with this because you're right, but they're new and you gotta give some people time to improve. The one new guy is an experienced re-enactor looking to get his own gear already. The other two are kids who showed up at the SC State Museum event last year and showed up again this year. Yeah the stuff they're wearing is crap and I'm not defending it but they're trying to improve.

The cheap leather greaves were a fight, like I said I argued for 2 hours that morning and managed to get them to loose the vambraces, and was trying to get them to loose the greaves and get some Gallic G's from the loaner kits.

Dr. Zarecki's trousers are based off real ones (wool, patterned after the leather Valkenberg Trousers which date to the early 3rd century AD).

On the bright side, the SCA literally came out and said "wow we need to improve" after seeing some of our stuff.

Roman Reenactment in the US is on shoddy footing and there's a certain point where you go from encouraging improvement to shutting out potential members. They're high school kids that by some miracle found an interest in something the US Educational System barely gives a passing mention to in 7th grade, and they don't have a lot of money but with the right encouragement they could end up being active members with great impressions.