Varus Disaster show on History Channel

[Gregg]

Did anyone else see it? Interesting. The recreation scenes were generally better than a lot I've seen in the past. Liked the eerie effect of all the scattered bones...<br>
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I was particularly surprised by the discovery of the "town" at Waldgirmis, and the speculation that there may be more sites like it yet to be found.<br>
<br>
Gregg<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Gashford]

Hello,<br>
<br>
I was fortunate enough to be involved in the filming for this, the Romans where supplied by LEG II AVG www.legiiavg.org.uk <br>
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They where plagued with natural problems, such as it being a nice sunny weekend instead of the desired rain.<br>
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Apparently there is about three hours unused footage left of the filming but they only used what was shown, perhaps when the editors edition of the DVD comes out<br>
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But I do agree of the filming I have been lucky enough to be involved with this is the most eerie looking, just didn't feel very eerie walking through the mud, rain machines and brilliantly lit forests, the editing people that put it together did a nice job I think ... just missed my close up. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

hey...and the Colchester Roman Society<br>
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<br>
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we're the good-looking ones!<br>
<br>
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oh and we played Germans too!<br>
It was interesting how easy it was to 'disappear' into the forest only feet away from the Romans <p></p><i></i>

[Gashford]

oops,<br>
<br>
My fault entirely the Colchester Roman Society where there to ... even if they turned coat and fought with the celts at one point ... the cunning swines!!<br>
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Seriously, apologies, I didn't do it on purpose and to show it I will buy a beer or two next time we meet<br>
<br>
Graham <p></p><i></i>

[Daniel S Peterson]

Hey, and don't forget LEG XIIII from Germany either. We supplied most of the chain mail, trumpet, and other bits for the Cavalry, and I think I was the only Roman willing to stand directly under the rain machine fighting off the Germans and guarding the Eagle. And then lie in the mud nearly drowning under a constant flood of water while the Germans stripped off my phalerae. Too bad that wasn't used after all the effort, and my feather crest is completely shot now. Oh, got to be a Germanic "War Band" leader too (with the bearskin) Dan. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

hey we didn't turn coat at one point!<br>
<br>
<br>
we turned coats several times <br>
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its OK Graham........see you at Bavay no doubt<br>
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Dan--the scene where you are stripped of your phalarae was included.....but you have to replay the rain scene a few times...................well you can just about make me out- in the act of trying to remove your phalarae.<br>
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Overall an interesting experience- just wondering when the Vespasian prog. will be broadcast<br>
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<p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

The show was just on not too long ago, along with Gladiators and the Sparticus revolt.<br>
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I must say you all did a wonderful job! I certianly hope you keep the rust from your arms and armor. They kept showing a scutum with water running off of it...I hope it was waterproof or a prop or something, I wouldn't want to see such a fine reprroduction woterlogged and rotting.<br>
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Mr. Peterson, I noticed your crest looking a little worse for wear too, a bit more worn than it looks in your book.<br>
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Also, I noticed that your lorica plumata had aa double row of "scallops" along the bottom rather than the single row as you wear in the book... is it a different piece of armor or an addition to the one photographed in your book? I've been curious how such doublings of plumata or regular squamata would be done.<br>
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Anyway, I was very impressed. Seeing the soldiers of Rome not just gazing silently but moving and actually fighting provides quite a different accent to the mental picture of the legion.<br>
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One final question, I had never seen a scutum reconstruction before with that pattern on it. Whats the story to it, any connection to the actual legions that were lost?<br>
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-bus <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Excellent performance!!! I watched it twice and got it video taped. It's nice to finally see groups working in to show accurate depiction of what happened!!<br>
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<p></p><i></i>

[Gashford]

I will dig up the deal on the shield, I am not an expert about Varus so I am unsure of the legions involved.<br>
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It seems that I am going to be owing quite a few beers, but as Dan forgot that I was the soldier fighting next to him at his death I figure we are even! Although you did die, but then the grunts never get on with the officers<br>
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I will be at avay so see you there.<br>
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Graham <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

I was lucky enough to see the video...great produciton, typical BBC....even the Germen TV used some scenes in another documentary. The scene with the Syrian archers advancing in front of the army column is great..these are really cute looking archers.....wonder which group they were from and and if anybody knows them: would love to get in contact with them<br>
cheers! <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

it wasnt actually filmed on site- but in North Wales, on probably was the hottest days we experienced all season!<br>
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the archers were from leg II Aug and CRS- Syrians leg II and western archer CRS. [I dont remember anyone else supplying archers- apologies is I missed out anyone!]<br>
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the legionary shield designs are [possible??] II Aug designs, rather than of the three legions lost.<br>
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and it wasnt the BBC, IIRC, but Channel 4.<br>
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I'm waiting for the Life of Vespasian to be broadcast- which was filmed at the end of the year.<br>
This time I'm also one of the Jews, giving old Vespasian a hard time<br>
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I have some pics of the Varus filming which I'm trying to put on the web- along with some photos I took at Kalkriese which I visited last summer <p></p><i></i>

[Daniel S Peterson]

Vardulli,<br>
I'd like to use any good photos of the Varus film for the next book. If you could send some copies it would be great. The engine cover in my van was left slightly open, and super hot air wrecked my film rolls which were sitting near the cover.<br>
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Bus, yes this is the same armour, but when I completely redid it after the tinning wore through and the iron scales started rusting, I added the second row of scallops. I wanted to do this originally, based on the Verona Centurion tombstone of XI Claudia Pia Fidelis, but it would have meant another couple months delay. There are over six thousand scales, all hand drilled and embosed. I have taken them with me everywhere to get the work done whenever there was a spare moment, including plane flights. Apparently airport restrooms have hidden cameras because I tried it on to see how the scales hung, and before I boarded my flight, airline security personnel accosted me to ask what the armor was for!<br>
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Now they are all heavily silver plated, no rust at all after the fake thunderstorm deluge, despite a complete drenching.<br>
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Dan. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

I find that utterly facinating! Its so neat to see the work of so many hours of labor, and so much love, in a beautiful, functional piece like that. I must say I like the double row of scallops a lot! Is the mail underneath galvinized or in some other way rust proofed, made of a material other than iron, or do the scales protect them?<br>
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Once again, great work you folks!<br>
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-bvs <p></p><i></i>

[Thiudareiks Flavius]

I think I mentioned this before, but one of the producers contacted me before production began because he'd used my 'Clades Variana' site as part of his research. We stayed in touch and he promised to send me a copy of the finished documentary. I even got an e-mail from him saying it had been sent and asking me to reply with some comments.<br>
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But the video never turned up.<br>
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Not long afterwards a virus ate my hard-drive and I've lost all record of our correspondance.<br>
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I suppose this documentary will get to Australian TV eventually, but I can't guarantee it. We had to wait about four years before that 'The Roman War Machine' one which featured lots of talking head spots with Peter Connolly finally made it to air here.<br>
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So has <b> anyone</b> got a copy of 'The Lost Legions of Varus' that they can give/loan me?!! I think we use the PAL format here in Australia, so I'm guessing British/European R.A.T. contributors are more likely to be able to help me. I've been reading about this thing since the middle of last year and it's a bit frustrating not being able to watch it.<br>
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Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.<br>
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<p>Tim O'Neill / Thiudareiks Flavius<BR>
<P>
Visit Clades Variana - Home of the Varus Film Project<br>

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[Gashford]

A quick note for Vardulli, if you are in LEG II AVG, I think you are? Who are you? Could you drop me a note, my email is in the profile section against my name.<br>
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Cheers matey.<br>
<br>
Graham <p></p><i></i>