ADLOCVTIO
NEWSLETTER OF THE TWENTIETH LEGION

Vol. XIX, no. vii, July 2009




MINIMUS

    The Legion has been invited to appear at the two small programs based on a visit from Barbara Bell, the British creator of the Latin series "Minimus".  Each year in London, Barbara holds a "Minimus" day at the British Museum (you can see pictures from it on http://minimus.com ) where children are split up in groups and go to 3-5 stations including a museum mini-tour, a Latin lesson, a craft, and a visit with some Roman re-enactors.  The plan is to do something similar on a smaller scale.  The coordinator is Ruth Ann Besse, a Latin teacher and regular visitor at Legio XX events. There will be crafts, general Roman history displays, and a few of us Romans, all promoting the study of Latin and ancient history.  Activities will be mostly indoors, and I'm not taking the tent, but it looks like we'll have a few soldiers and a couple ladies with things to show and tell.

   The first is Saturday July 18, noon to 3 PM, at the Heffner Community Center, 42 Oswego Ave., Takoma Park, MD. We'll be paid in brownies.  Directions:

From points north, best bet is to get on the Capital Beltway I-495 and take Rt. 193 University Bld east OR Rt. 650 New Hampshire Ave. south.  Turn right onto Piney Branch Rd. Rt. 320, follow it across Sligo Creek Parkway.  Go through a pair of lights at Sligo Ave., and a couple blocks past that turn left onto Ritchie Ave.  (If you pass Takoma Park Jr. High you've gone too far.)  In a block the street turns left, then take the first right onto Oswego, and #42 will be one of the houses on your left (I think!).  (Not many choices, and the Public Works is at the end of the street.)

    From Virginia and the south, I hate to send you all the way around to New Hampshire or University, but those are safe.  The next most reasonable choice is East-West Highway Rt. 410 west, which you can get to directly from 295 and the BW Parkway; or from the Beltway take 450 west about a mile and turn right on 410.  Follow that forever, cross New Hampshire Ave, where it gets narrow with a couple stop signs (and is called Ethan Allen Ave.).  There are lights at Carroll Ave. (I used to live a block from there!) and the firehouse at Philadelphia Ave., where you follow 410 by turning right.  At the light at the bottom of the hill turn right onto Maple Ave., go a few blocks and turn left on Ritchie Ave., up the hill, angle left at the top, and turn left onto Oswego.


   The second is Sunday July 19, 1 to 3 PM, at the Laurel Library in Laurel MD.  Yes, this is a few blocks from the Commander's house!  Meet at the Library, or meet by 12:30 at my house and march or carpool over.

   Both events are promising us snacks.  On Sunday, after the Library gig, the Legion is welcome to gather at my house to work on stuff or just party a little.  We can do potluck supper for anyone who hangs around that long (either bring something edible along or hit one of the many stores or restaurants nearby).  You don't *have* to do the event to be eligible for the party!

Laurel Library
507 7th St.
Laurel, MD

   The Library is basically at the end of my street, Carroll Ave., where it meets 7th Street.

From the Washington Beltway, I-495/95, go North on I-95 towards Baltimore.  Take Exit 33 onto Rt. 198 East towards Laurel.  After about a mile and a half, 198 splits at a Shell station (now the street is called Gorman).  Go another block and turn left at the second light at the 7-11 onto 7th Street, Rt. 216.  Go straight through the next light (which is for 198 West, Talbot St.) and turn left into the Library parking lot.

From the Baltimore/Washington Parkway or points east, take Rt. 198 West through Maryland City and through the 2 lights at Rt. 1, then right at the next light onto 7th St./Rt. 216, and left into the Library parking lot.

    From the North, come down I-95 to Rt. 216 towards Laurel.  Go through 2 traffic lights, then a stop sign, then a couple more blocks and right into the Library parking lot (just before the next light).

Hope to see you all at one or both of these worthy events!  




VIRGINIA SCOTTISH GAMES

    Thanks to Julie Brooks of La Wren's Nest, the Legion has been invited to the Virginia Scottish Games and Festival on September 5-6 (Labor Day weekend).  This will be comparable to the Potomac Celtic Festival, with traditional Highland dancing, competitions, vendors, lots of kilts, etc.  The location is just off I-66 a little west of Gainesville, VA.  It looks like other Scottish-oriented living history groups will be there as well.  I'll hunt down details on food, pilum-chucking, etc., and pass that all along.  Should be a simple gig, though, with around 8000 visitors--good exposure!  Here's their website:

http://www.vascottishgames.org/ 



HARTWOOD DAYS

    The Legion has also been asked to appear at Hartwood Days, the 10th Annual Youth and Community Fair near Fredericksburg, VA.  It is organized by a local Boy Scout group, and it's a one-day event on September 12, 9 AM to 4 PM.  That's the weekend after the Scottish Games, yes, but I am hoping that folks who are not able to attend one of the events can focus on the other.  The living history part of this show will be a timeline like Marching Through Time, so the organizers are interested in attracting reenactors from any era to participate.  Vendors and business exhibitors, too!  Spread the word.

http://www.hartwooddays.org 



LUPERCALIA!

    Yes, the long-delayed annual Lupercalia bash is back on the calendar, for August 22.  It kicks off at 5 PM at the home of Richard and Allison Campbell in Alexandria, VA.   Historically-oriented attire is encouraged but certainly not required.  Don't miss it!   




MORE DISTANT EVENTS

ROMANS MARCH ON NEW ULM, MINNESOTA, from Kevin Williams

This year marks the 2000th anniversary of the Varus ambush in the Teutoberg Wald as many of you know.

This year on September 18-20 the town of New Ulm, Minnesota will be having a three-day festival to honor their German heritage at their Hermann the German memorial.  This will be a huge event complete with visiting foreign dignitaries, fireworks, a parade, a roman encampment, and a recreation of that fateful September day in 9 AD.

Local barbarians and those from nearby tribes are invited to join in the reenactment.  Saturday  afternoon at the Roman campsite,  you can join one of the tribes:  Hermann’s Cherusci Auxiliaries, the Bructeri, Marsi, or form your own tribe.   We’ll supply the face paint  and some Cherusci Auxiliary uniforms.

Visit the camp that afternoon (all barbarians welcome) and later that day on Saturday September 19, a 2000-year-old event in history will be revisited.

The event is being hosted by the town of New Ulm, the State of Minnesota, along with Legio XIIII Martia Victrix, and my group Legio X Equestris Veneria (Rome Chicago).

Interested Romans and barbarians should contact kev.kmw AT gmail DOT com or jkmake AT gmail DOT com

More information: http://hermannmonument.com/ 

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ROMA AETERNA--Rome, Italy

Let me introduce myself:  I am Mauritius Comellus Carliis, member of Vadis Al Maximo the organization that is planning, with the patronage of Roma’s administration, three days of celebrations for the Roman Empire and the return of Ludi Circensis.

We have the pleasure to inform you that another day has been added to the VADIS AL MAXIMO revival of the Roman Empire.  The event that will be held in Rome, Italy, will take place the days 15, 16, 17, 18 October 2009.  The calendar of the event is still not complete but we can anticipate that will have an opening ceremony Thursday October 15 evening, followed by on Friday morning quadriga’s training sessions, races and war displays in the afternoon, gladiators and races again at night.  With finals on Sunday the event will arrive at the closing of the games in the evening.

To complement the First Gladiator Maximus Trophy, we have added the Legionis Romane competition where the participant legions will show marching and battle techniques.  Best show and costumes will gain substantial cash prices.  In order to participate at this event and their benefit packages, the participating legionnaires  and gladiators groups will have to submit us  a short video of their performance for evaluation purposes.  Videos and pictures to be sent to:  trofei@vadisalmaximo.com .  A group of experts in Roman History will analyze them in order to establish the programming.

It is imperative that we receive the material before the end of March 2009.

A Castrum Romanum will be prepared for those legionnaires and families that they do not want to go to hotels.  This accommodation will be considerably less expensive but we do need an early reservation.  The Castrum will have also a Roman Taberna with restaurant service.

We are still working with travel agencies in order to present you discount packages including airfare, hotel and tickets.

More information can be found on our web site:

http://www.vadisalmaximo.com 

Thank You!

Mauritius Comellus Carliis
mauritius AT vadisalmaximo DOT com



CALENDAR

   July 18-- Minimus show at Heffner Community Center, Takoma Park, MD
   July 19-- Minimus show at Laurel Library, MD
   August 22-- LUPERCALIA party at Richard and Allison's
   September 5-6--VA Scottish Games
   September 12-- Hartwood Days, Fredericksburg, VA

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ADLOCVTIO is the Official Newsletter of the Twentieth Legion, supposedly published on the Ides of each month.  I am Quintus, aka Matthew Amt, the Legion's Commander and Editor of the Newsletter, matthew_amt AT yahoo DOT com, http://www.larp.com/legioxx/