Dress and Deportment
• Equipment to be built as per the standards of Matthew Amt's
Legio XX handbook, except where noted (ask Matt / Magnus if you’re
not sure about something.)
• Try and keep your gear (all of it) clean, rust and corrosion
free. Not only will it last longer, but but it’s difficult to
portray a professional soldier when you look like a bag of potatoes.
Conduct in Public
When and if we do public events, at all times ensure everyone's
safety. That includes yours, the public's and your buddy's. Obey
all site rules, and if you have a question about something, don't
hesitate to ask.
Care of Equipment
• All steel surfaces should be rust free and clean. A
satin finish is likely easier to maintain than a high polish.
Scotch bright pads by itself and/or rubbing compound, 800-2000
grit emmory cloth (wet/dry sandpaper), rag and autosol or never
dull, etc. etc. can be used to maintain your armour. Once clean,
coat with either an oil (3-in-1 oil, mgeneral purpose oil, etc.),
or vaseline. This will maintain the satin finish on the armor,
and prevent rust.
• Brass should also be kept corrosion free, however, a rag with
some rubbing compound or polishing compound will work wonders.
Once clean and shining, oil or vaseline can be applied to maintain
it.
• Leather should be oiled, once in a long while, with a very light
coat of neatsfoot oil, to maintain its water resiliency, and suppleness.
(Some other leather products may be ok to use as well, such as
Pecard’s.)
• Ensure you inspect your own eqpuipment for possible damage or
problems, and do the same thing for your buddy. The last thing
anyone wants is to take to the field and their entire girdle plate
section falls off.
Membership
The main requirement for membership is interest. If reenacting
is something you would like to do, and are serious about it, then
by all means, join up! It takes a certain commitment, as far as
acquiring your equipment, either by making it or purchasing, and
learning the basics of the Roman army. The average person can
spend anywhere from $700 (conservative estimate) to $2,000 or
more on gear, depending on quality and how much they decide to
make themselves. In terms of time, it could take as little as
a few months to get all of your kit, or a couple years. It does
take a big commitment in time and money, but there are ways to
make it easier.
Generally, meetings are held about once
a month, where members can work on their equipment. The group
will participate in 4-8 events a year on average, from local events
to ones in the US which require a fair bit of travelling.
For now, the legion is accepting anyone from anywhere beyond the
immediate Niagara region. If you live farther, and are willing
to make the trip once in a while, that is fine also. If you are
interested, contact the group leader for the closest cohort and
we'll work from there.
Also, feel free to join our yahoo! groups and stay in touch easier.
There are also some extra files and such on each group that have
good information on historical aspects of the Roman Army.
For cohort X in Southwestern Ontario, click
HERE.
For cohort VIII in Southeastern Ontario click HERE....or
you can join both!
Age Requirements
This I believe is subjective to the person’s maturity and particular
impression they want to do within the group. Many factors can
contribute to a person’s membership. Your best option is to get
in contact with the Commander. As a point of interest, the earliest
known age for entry into the legions was 14, however, certain
exceptions can be made based on maturity, character, etc. Civlilan
portayals, can of course, be open to all ages, so long as they
are appropriate. (you wouldn't see too many 8 year old senators!).
Remember, we’re striving for a degree of historical accuracy above
and beyond many other types of groups.
Equipment
The minimum requirements for any type of display or public event
excluding military demonstrations is as follows: sandals (Caligae),
belt (Balteus), tunic (colour and fabric are subjective, ask your
group leader), and if possible but not required, a sword (Gladius).
The sword must be complete with scabbard and baldric. For non-military
or auxiliary roles, the appropriate tunic and sandals are all
that is required. There is usually some spare gear to be had,
so if you wish to participate but haven't had a chance to acquire
gear yet, feel free to ask.
The minimum requirements for any type of combat oriented exercise,
including the afore mentioned kit is as follows: helmet (Cassis),
armour (Lorica), and shield (Scutum), not just for the overall
impression, but for safety as well. The above equipment is the
bare minimum needed to re-create a 1st or 2nd century legionary.
From there, you can begin to acquire or build the following items:
scarf (Focale) which you should have with the armour anyway to
prevent chaffing on the neck, cloak (Sagum or Paenula), javelin
(Pilum), dagger (Pugio), arm guard (Manica), and greaves (Ocrae).
This is what completes the basic "battle" kit of 1st
and 2nd Century "Heavy Infantry". When the legion participates
in weekend or overnight events, more equipment will potentially
be needed, especially in cold weather. As a point of interest,
getting camp gear can sometimes be tricky. As long as you can
hide modern stuff under a cloak or something, it's allowed. In
fact, it's a good idea, especially to have some kind of air mattress
or sleeping bag.
It should be noted, that there is no "set" order in
which to make or buy kit. It is entirely up to the individual.
Start with something you are most interested in, and go from there!
The link below provides an online manual for Roman re-enactors.
It is one of our bibles. This manual will show you how to build
EVERYTHING, from sandals to scutum. It is invaluable. Its creator,
Matthew Amt of Legio XX has granted those wanting a copy, permission
to print out and use whatever is needed in order that it is not
used for personal profit. READ this manual thoroughly when making
a piece of equipment. I have e-mailed Matt a few times with questions,
when I could have found the answer if I had only read a little
more carefully. Keep in mind some kit may be a little different
since we are reenacting a 2nd century legion, whereas the manual
is based more on mid-1st century gear.
Having said that, it's a good idea to check around, some sites
offer alternatives to what is listed on the Legio XX handook.
Legio XX HANDBOOK
