ADLOCVTIO
NEWSLETTER OF THE TWENTIETH LEGION
Vol. XX, no. i, January 2010
EVENT: FREDERICKSBURG
The Legion has been invited to participate in a
cultural fair in Fredericksburg, Virginia on March 6, 2010. It
will run from 11 AM to 5 PM, and will be mostly indoors. This fair is a
chance for different areas of the Spotsylvania County school division
to showcase the benefits of studying, and therefore learning more
about, different languages and cultures. Sounds like a good way
to knock the winter rust off the armor! Might not even drag the
tent out, but we'll nail down the details. Thanks to Richard for
the contact on this one. Let me know your plans, please.
ROMAN DAYS!! --by Deb Fuller
Friday I had a meeting with the staff at Riversdale, the new site for
Roman Days. As I mentioned before, they are listing RD as "Rome
at Riversdale" on their calendar but it will still be centered around
the same RD that we all have come to know and love. The street
address is: 4811 Riverdale Rd, Riverdale, MD 20737, http://www.riversdale.org/
Dates are set for the first weekend in June, 5-6. Hours will be
10-4 on Saturday and 12-4 on Sunday. The reason for the shorter
hours on Sunday is that Riversdale is that is their normal operating
hours and they are worried about getting enough volunteers to staff the
grounds for both days. Not to worry! This means we have
extra time on Sunday
so we can all sleep in a little bit, do some drill or just hang out and
socialize. The public usually doesn't start showing up in force
until noon on Sundays anyway.
Arrival and set-up is on for all day Friday. Friday night is also
open for "caligae camp" and pizza social if there is enough
interest. I'm assuming there is since it seemed to go really well
2 years ago at Marietta. The nice thing about Riversdale is that
it is more urban and there is a pizza joint around the corner so
Allison and I won't have to go on a major expedition to get
stuff. (Wasn't there someone else that went along on the great
pizza trek as well?)
New for RD10 - one major addition to RD will be tying the ancient
classical period to the Federal period (c. 1800-120ish).
Riversdale is a c. 1800 mansion and is interpreted pretty much
exclusively for that period. The staff is very creative about
programs and isn't completely locked into that era but their programs
have to somehow tie into the mansion and time period. No
problem. As well all know, the Federal period was all about the
neo-classical revival and there are loads of ways to tie ancient Greece
and Rome. (In other words, you guys will be able to chuck your
spears at the Celts to your
heart's content but we might have some people in other period funny
clothes wandering around.)
The schedule for both days will basically be the same as previous years
but we'll have to fill time for the two house tours that Marietta
ran. These Federal programs will help fill those slots.
We'll probably have some other activities going on around the camp as
well. So if anyone has good research on classical influences on
early America, please send them my way. The staff is really easy
to work with and is open to new and cool ideas so we have the
opportunity to do some really neat stuff here.
For example, we had the idea for an "architecture scavenger hunt" for
the kids where they try and find examples of Greek and Roman
architecture on the mansion. This will not be hard as the
mansion has a great columned portico on the front which will make a
great stage! BUT, if any of you have an urge to make models of
Greek and Roman buildings (*cough*RANDY*cough* ;), go right
ahead!! Another addition will be adding Federal costume to the
end of the fashion show to show how the two eras tie together.
So, I'm excited!! Is it June yet?
Questions? Comments? Have you all asked for time off yet so
you can come to Roman Days 2010?
Deb
http://romandays.wikispaces.com/
VENI VIDI VISA
I just discovered that Deepeeka now offers GOOD
BELTS! At last! Two different models, in fact: AH6760
"Roman Belt"--Simple ring-motif plates (actually stamped?) and a nice
buckle, no pugio frogs or apron. AH6725 "Roman disc legionary
belt, 1cent AD"--can't quite make out the frogs, but looks great
overall! I am rating both of these as "Approved" for Legio XX
use, barring any hidden disasters once I get a close look at them.
From Rusty Myers, lovely baskets from c. 1920
Switzerland: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/used-swiss-1920s-wicker-basket.aspx?a=593449
He says the ones he got were in great shape. Of course, you'll
only want to buy those *after* ordering a few hand-made split oak ones
from Robert Wear of Legio V Alaudae! Very cheap and excellent,
several sizes available. robertjwear AT gmail DOT com
MORE DISTANT EVENTS
Castra Lafe, 43 AD, March 18-21, 2010
Hosted by Legio II Augusta, Lafe, Arkansas
-----------------
Castra Aestivia V Tillsonburg, Ontario Canada May 29 & 30, 2010
(Memorial Day Weekend)
The event is located just south of Tillsonburg in Ontario which is 2
hours drive from Port Huron or 3 hours from Detroit and about 2.5 hours
from Buffalo. The event features military leadership, black smithing,
patrols, drill, archery, pilum, sling and rock throwing competitions at
a recreated Roman marching camp. For more information contact royals1
AT rogers DOT com
------------------
There is an event being planned for Fort Ticonderoga in New York State
on October 2-3, 2010, organized by Greek hoplite reenactor Christian
Cameron:
Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain in upstate New York is looking to
put on a Classical time line event. That is to say, the time line would
start in 500 BC and run to 500 AD.
The Fort is interested in a full educational program, with interpreted
camps and lectures. In addition, I would expect that we could arrange
needle felt areas, some patrol scenarios, and some serious
immersion--the Fort has been very gracious in supporting immersion
events for other periods in the past. Most of the staff are, or have
been, reenactors, and they are happy to support us if we support their
educational programs.
Next question--any interest out there? If successful, this would
be an annual event, with a big audience and a great deal of media
attention--at least, that's how all their other events work. I'd like
to use it as a platform to get North Americans eager for Marathon in
2011--but I'd be happy to see Roman and non-Roman impressions as well.
Thanks!
Taken from this thread on RAT: http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=26904
LEGO, LEGERE
Associate Sterling Nixon has recently published a
historical novel entitled The Sea Kings of Rome: Champions of the
Naumachia. It is as historically accurate as it is fast
paced. To find about more, see his website at http://theseakingsofrome.com
CALENDAR
March 6 --Fredericksburg Cultural Fair
April 17-18 -- Marching Through Time, Marietta Mansion,
Glenn Dale, MD
June 5-6-- ROMAN DAYS
September 4-5 --Virginia Scottish Games
------------------------------
Happy New Year! I resolve to get the newsletter out REALLY LATE
every month! Ha!
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/