What would a Primus Pilus in 400AD Britain wear?

[Fhyn]

Hi folks, working on trying to get a very well done kit put together for my 400AD persona in the SCA. Yeah I know, what does the SCA and historical accuracy have anything to do with each other. But well some of us, do try really hard to look our part.

But trying to decide and find out, what I would of been wearing on the battlefield.

Currently, I have a rivetted chain shirt, goes down to about 2 inches above my knees. I believe I have read and seen, that chain in later roman times, might of been more like this, than the lorica hamatas of earlier times. But have not read anything definitive on it.

But I am also dablling with the idea of making a lorica squamata.

My helm is based off of a romano-sassanid style ridge helm. But well certain things were done, to make it SCA legal.

Shield I am using is a curved oval shield, though currently, it is shorter than what would of been normal for back then, so I hear less whining on the tourney fields. But for wars, I am looking to make more of a traditional shield to use.

Any and all advise will be appreciated. I am working hard, for that look of someone who just stepped thru the mist of time, and maybe more of an inspiration to others in the SCA, to get their kits looking more realistic to what they would of been wearing.

Plus, will be honest, I am working also towards that hero look. So awe inspiring is something I am looking towards doing also.

Thanks

[Robert Vermaat]

Good for you John - spreading the 'coolness' of the Late Romans into SCA is a worthy task. Besides, if you do want to take part in Roman shows, I think you'd have to make very few changes.

Hamata sounds OK, if long-sleeved.
Helmet and shield also sound fine.

What of shoes? Spatha?
Tunic?

A picture also help us to advise you.

[Fhyn]

Well here is a pic, but like I said, this is very rough for now, as I replace bits here and there. Also remember, I have to do certain things, to meet SCA safety requirements.

Helm - Is based off a ridge type, but has no ridge. The armorer and I decided to leave it off, to help with no catching points for our combat. Also helm has a lot of bronze work done to it, depicting different things, that have happened to me, in my 18 year sca career. Granted, would of not been period from things I have seen, but was something I wanted done.

Pants - are way off, but they are what I have till I make new ones, that would better resemble, what I would of wore. But also, they needed to be a little bigger, to hide the hidden armor required for our fighting.

Shirt - Currently, I am wearing a coptic tunic my wife made for me under the chain, but will be going to just a solid red tunic to go under the chain, but also long enough to cover the hidden elbows I need to wear.

Sword - Unfort, have not found anyone, that makes spatha fittings for rattan swords. Beginning to think about learning to cast bronze myself, and do it myself. So in meantime, have more of a later period celtic cross guard/migration period pommel.

Belt - Having a late roman style belt made for me by Raymonds Quiet Press, to match better, than my normal knights belt. But its not done yet, so for now, still wearing my current belt.

Shield - is a work in progress. This version is for our tourney fighting, so is smaller than its counterparts. Plus have not done any painting of it yet, cause I am still working on what i want on it.

So yes, this is definetly a scaized kit, and somewhat embarrased to even post it here. But its also why I am working on making it , more appropriate.

In the future, there is a very good chance I sell the shirt, and either get a hamata shirt from Find-it Armory, or maybe by then, a squamata shirt, if he has them done by then. Or might just get the scales and do the shirt myself.

So any and all advise would be appreciated on what and where I need to really tweak this kit, for a 400ad Primus Pilla in Britain. But also remember, certain things, I have to have for our safety conventions.

Thanks all

edit - and yes, I am working on getting a better pic. This one is fuzzy and small.

edit - adding a pic of fighting, just so you get a side view.

edit - redid pictures, since those were a bit to small. Cause I had used them on a previous forum, and they had to be under 100kb.

[Marcus Julius]

Good to see. I too am working on an SCA compatable kit. I'm starting to lean towards a cavalryman's "hyppica gymnasia" set-up, just because it seems to give the most protection without doing too many non-period add ons for SCA safety.

Although a Centurion with greaves and manica on my sword arm isn't out of consideration yet, either. The biggest drawback is that I would have to fight without the crest which (to me) is one of the biggest elements making up the centurion look.

[Robert Vermaat]

Maybe just a superfluous reminder, but 'primus pilus' was by 410 no longer a regular ranks as it had been in the old days.

[Fhyn]

Really, for some reason I thought it was still being used at this time, at least by the romans.

Hmm, well you get the jist of the idea, but guess I need to do some more research on proper names for a head grunt.