03-21-2007, 11:16 AM
I believe that the 75 men, women and children enjoyed their weekend in Armidale last weekend.I did also, and to be fair, my expectations of folk getting up at 6am and being active by 7.30 was perhaps unrealistic. ......... ......... ......... ......Queensland ers also have this bugbear about Daylight Savings Time........ ..
The attendees were Pax Romana, Mare Nostrum, Cassian from Dumnonia, Ragnavalds Lith,MEAD, Anarchist Mercenaries, Con Marra, Mark Reynolds of the Sydney Ancients and host group NEMAS. All exhibited greated a great spirit of involvement and attention to detail in their costumes,camp, armour and weapons and foodstuffs. Civilizations represented were Greek, Roman, Skythian, Dacian, Germanic and Kelt, Egyptian, Hittite, Semmitic and Seapeoples.
Friday night saw most camps set up by dusk. However at 1.30 two wild eye men entered the forest having just driven from the Blue Mountains and were looking for their chieftain, Shanks. At 4.30 The Pax Romana crew arrived from Brisbane having driven convoy style all the way. I offered them space in The Long House (which we had weather proofed effectively with truck tarps) but they politely refused and proceeded to erect their Roman tents in a proffesional fashion.
Saturday was thus slow starting but I was able to prod the Romans into a short full kit march to the fort site where we did some dry stone walling with much amusement. The Barbarians who were supposed to attack us in a shooting at shields exercise in the meantime had taken themselves into the forest there to fight amongst themselves for the Champions Portion of the Pork spit Roast at the banquet that night. They fought with sword and spear and falx and with biting sarcasm. It was agreed that the overall champion of the Barbarians was the aged chieftain, Long Shanks of The Anarchist Mercenaries. He was rewarded with acclaim by his peers that night as he exhibited his trophy.
Terry Fitzimmons had arrived and was able to inspect his troop as they returned to camp from their fortifying experience. Not long after he responded to the taunts of the barbarians and defended the honour of his Romans (who were not wearing a fighting kit) and smote many a young challenger.
The Wild Boar was cooked to perfection and carved expertly shortly therafter and Lismore, Blue Mtns, Nemas and Brisbane folk all brought forth generous and authenti-que platters and feasted well. As the night rolled in the camps polarised between the Barbarians and Romans, depending on where one sat down prior to having had one too many.
Whilst The Romans waxed philosophical the Barbarians had Keltic Wrestling bouts and heard a tale from Simon Herbert about the doughty deeds of Australians in Angle-Land during the Battle Of Hastings Reenactment last October.
The camp was roused on Sunday by a reville on a trumpet. The first activity, once armed up, was a Shooting at Shields exercise, involving Greeks and Romans against Barbarian archers firing blunts. I was hit in the toe and the shoulder pad of my Greek Cuirass. The funniest shot has to be when Roman Legate's crest was hit and fell to a ninety degree angle from where it should have been.
The Romans thereafter commenced their route march. The younger troupe of six fell out after a five hundred metres and the rest of us continued on. Two Greek hoplites, a slinger,a Republican and an Imperial Roman, two Roman ladies and three young Grecian scouts armed with javelins- hoping that they would track the Barbarians before they ambushed us.
However, that never happened because the Barbarians decided that it was too big a task and and chose to return to their camps and the fortress to fight among themselves instead. The Expedition completed their six kilometres in fine style- exploring pockets of the Pine Forest to be subjugated and civilized in the near future.
When we finally got back the homestayers were investigating Matt Bryants extensive sets of Bronze Age Kits and weapons. Matt was kindly training Lismore and Nemas's newer members as well as encouraging all who attended to seriously push back the time periods of reenactment. Notable also was the was the shield maiden called Anna who kept on fighting alongside Pax Romana in their gladiatorial training school.
Reluctantly all the camps packed themselves up, some assisting with de-tarping the long house roof, which was greatly appreciated. Although the Olympic Games were postponed until next Assembly, the Award for the best "Roman or Other Civilised Person" was presented by Current NEMAS King Richard Coumbes( AKA Lord Bender), to Mark Reynolds. He had "the Best Kit and The Best Attitude". The statuette, which Mark gets to scratch his name on, will be passed on at the next Ancients Assembly to the most deserved participant.
This Ancients Assembly was an excellent meeting of re-enactors and was reminiscent of earlier Armidale Eoster Gatherings. I am definitely glad that we had so many different cultures represented so well. Everyone made a super effort considering that it was not a long weekend and i know of at least a dozen people who could not make it at the last minute. Lessons I have learnt include: The Veterans Walk Further, Organising an event is boring and Organisers deserve their beer in great quantities, the Event Itself will be lots different to what you imagine, There Can Be Only Fun!! ( I knew the last one already!) :lol:
All left feeling happy and tired. It was with great sadness that we heard that Travis Woods and Mead rolled their car but we are so very happy that no-one was injured.
I would like to thank my beautiful wife, Carey, for being so patient over the past few weeks,
to Nemas members Adele, Elaine and Jess Lynn for helping pull it together. Kirk, Kraig and Aaron, Kyle and Simon for assistance in setting up and packing and being such fun during it!
Gods Willing I will be able to join the fine folk of Mare Nostrum ( 3 of whom did that walk)
at the Colo River with Sydney Ancients this year?????
richard robinson aka milesminimus
The attendees were Pax Romana, Mare Nostrum, Cassian from Dumnonia, Ragnavalds Lith,MEAD, Anarchist Mercenaries, Con Marra, Mark Reynolds of the Sydney Ancients and host group NEMAS. All exhibited greated a great spirit of involvement and attention to detail in their costumes,camp, armour and weapons and foodstuffs. Civilizations represented were Greek, Roman, Skythian, Dacian, Germanic and Kelt, Egyptian, Hittite, Semmitic and Seapeoples.
Friday night saw most camps set up by dusk. However at 1.30 two wild eye men entered the forest having just driven from the Blue Mountains and were looking for their chieftain, Shanks. At 4.30 The Pax Romana crew arrived from Brisbane having driven convoy style all the way. I offered them space in The Long House (which we had weather proofed effectively with truck tarps) but they politely refused and proceeded to erect their Roman tents in a proffesional fashion.
Saturday was thus slow starting but I was able to prod the Romans into a short full kit march to the fort site where we did some dry stone walling with much amusement. The Barbarians who were supposed to attack us in a shooting at shields exercise in the meantime had taken themselves into the forest there to fight amongst themselves for the Champions Portion of the Pork spit Roast at the banquet that night. They fought with sword and spear and falx and with biting sarcasm. It was agreed that the overall champion of the Barbarians was the aged chieftain, Long Shanks of The Anarchist Mercenaries. He was rewarded with acclaim by his peers that night as he exhibited his trophy.
Terry Fitzimmons had arrived and was able to inspect his troop as they returned to camp from their fortifying experience. Not long after he responded to the taunts of the barbarians and defended the honour of his Romans (who were not wearing a fighting kit) and smote many a young challenger.
The Wild Boar was cooked to perfection and carved expertly shortly therafter and Lismore, Blue Mtns, Nemas and Brisbane folk all brought forth generous and authenti-que platters and feasted well. As the night rolled in the camps polarised between the Barbarians and Romans, depending on where one sat down prior to having had one too many.
Whilst The Romans waxed philosophical the Barbarians had Keltic Wrestling bouts and heard a tale from Simon Herbert about the doughty deeds of Australians in Angle-Land during the Battle Of Hastings Reenactment last October.
The camp was roused on Sunday by a reville on a trumpet. The first activity, once armed up, was a Shooting at Shields exercise, involving Greeks and Romans against Barbarian archers firing blunts. I was hit in the toe and the shoulder pad of my Greek Cuirass. The funniest shot has to be when Roman Legate's crest was hit and fell to a ninety degree angle from where it should have been.
The Romans thereafter commenced their route march. The younger troupe of six fell out after a five hundred metres and the rest of us continued on. Two Greek hoplites, a slinger,a Republican and an Imperial Roman, two Roman ladies and three young Grecian scouts armed with javelins- hoping that they would track the Barbarians before they ambushed us.
However, that never happened because the Barbarians decided that it was too big a task and and chose to return to their camps and the fortress to fight among themselves instead. The Expedition completed their six kilometres in fine style- exploring pockets of the Pine Forest to be subjugated and civilized in the near future.
When we finally got back the homestayers were investigating Matt Bryants extensive sets of Bronze Age Kits and weapons. Matt was kindly training Lismore and Nemas's newer members as well as encouraging all who attended to seriously push back the time periods of reenactment. Notable also was the was the shield maiden called Anna who kept on fighting alongside Pax Romana in their gladiatorial training school.
Reluctantly all the camps packed themselves up, some assisting with de-tarping the long house roof, which was greatly appreciated. Although the Olympic Games were postponed until next Assembly, the Award for the best "Roman or Other Civilised Person" was presented by Current NEMAS King Richard Coumbes( AKA Lord Bender), to Mark Reynolds. He had "the Best Kit and The Best Attitude". The statuette, which Mark gets to scratch his name on, will be passed on at the next Ancients Assembly to the most deserved participant.
This Ancients Assembly was an excellent meeting of re-enactors and was reminiscent of earlier Armidale Eoster Gatherings. I am definitely glad that we had so many different cultures represented so well. Everyone made a super effort considering that it was not a long weekend and i know of at least a dozen people who could not make it at the last minute. Lessons I have learnt include: The Veterans Walk Further, Organising an event is boring and Organisers deserve their beer in great quantities, the Event Itself will be lots different to what you imagine, There Can Be Only Fun!! ( I knew the last one already!) :lol:
All left feeling happy and tired. It was with great sadness that we heard that Travis Woods and Mead rolled their car but we are so very happy that no-one was injured.
I would like to thank my beautiful wife, Carey, for being so patient over the past few weeks,
to Nemas members Adele, Elaine and Jess Lynn for helping pull it together. Kirk, Kraig and Aaron, Kyle and Simon for assistance in setting up and packing and being such fun during it!
Gods Willing I will be able to join the fine folk of Mare Nostrum ( 3 of whom did that walk)
at the Colo River with Sydney Ancients this year?????
richard robinson aka milesminimus
