Valens Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Actually, I'm wondering what this centurion is doing. He isn't going to battle, but he has the greaves on. If he were dressed as modern armed forces, he'd have a on starched shirt while leading a work detail. Maybe he's just giving encouragement to the men digging camp or doing drill. Looks like he could use some of that PT too. He could be inspecting or ordering his lines prior to battle. And I'm hesitant to call this on the shields. I wouldn't expect all that uniformity in shields to have taken its forefront yet if this was in the mid BCs. It would've been nice if the reinactors had chosen to add a more recogniazable auxilia trademark like a leather tunic over the chain, a celtic-style shield, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longbow Posted November 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Does anyone have any pics of soldiers of different ranks from the julius ceaser period,thx. Allso did he have a pretorian guard? thx again .L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 The first picture is of auxiliaries from the first century CE, or at least it's supposed to be. It looks like the auxilia of the Ermine Street Guard based in the UK. The second picture looks like Legio XX in Maryland if I rightly recognize the man on the right as Rich Campbell. I believe that the phalerae, the discs the centurion is wearing, were awards for valor or service, and were awarded in sets of 5, 7, or 9 (might be wrong on the numbers). And keep in mind that these are pictures of reenactors, not of actual Romans, so that in some ways it's futile to argue about things like why the centurion is wearing greaves if he's not going into battle... Some people would see Julius Caesar with a proto-Praetorian guard, but most agree that the unit specifically was created as such under Augustus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longbow Posted November 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Cheera danno .L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kama Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 i think the centurion is using a stick as a sword to drill the men. For our regiment, out first sergeant uses a stick with a bunch of carvings that he put in it. he uses that instead of a gun sometimes because a gun is too cumbersome and carrying a stick into battle looks so cool. The centurion is probably using it for fun, so his arm dont get tired holding up a sword, or because he doesnt want to take an eye out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spurius Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Danno thanks for the info on phalerae sets. Upon research, they were handed out for valor or service. I had thought that they were just worn as decorations or on parade, not during routine or battle situations. As far as the speculations on the pictures, it's just for sheer fun and critique of the reenactors. I like it when people ask or comment about my American Civil War uniform (76th Ohio Infantry Regiment). We're just trying to figure out pictures taken out of context and adding 'You are there' style comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kama Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 you do the civil war too spurius? check out my reenactment in the after hours lounge. i do the civil war too. Im in the 23rd north carolina/15th arkansas and rarely the 6th new jersey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Clodius Posted November 26, 2004 Report Share Posted November 26, 2004 No, they aren't just decorations they're awards for bravery. Sort of like wearing the Medal of Honour, VC, DSC, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenPrinCohILegVIVictPF Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 i think the centurion is using a stick as a sword to drill the men. Actually Centurion carried a stick called a vitus to drill the men. It is not because it is "lighter," it is because when he beats a trooper for being slow or off beat, the milite dosen't die. This is not the modern military. The Centurion was not bound by the JAG. He could do nearly anything he deemed needed to make his troops do what was needed. Including beating the tar out of them. There is even a famous account of a Centurion nicknamed "hand me another" because he broke so many vitae on the backs, helmets or shields of troops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted April 2, 2005 Report Share Posted April 2, 2005 Hi, CenPrinCohILegVIVictPF. May I just call you Centurion for short? Welcome to the forum! Yes, I remember reading about "hand me another." How I would have hated to have served in that unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamilcar Barca Posted April 2, 2005 Report Share Posted April 2, 2005 Yes, Tacitus does mention a centurion known only as "Fetch me another" Cedo Alteram, but he got what he deserved and was lynched by his men during a mutiny on the Rhine in 14AD. As for the Centurion with the medals, it was common to wear them into battle during Caesars day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scanderbeg Posted April 2, 2005 Report Share Posted April 2, 2005 I remember him fro I, Claudius. Can anyone remind me of what he did? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamilcar Barca Posted April 2, 2005 Report Share Posted April 2, 2005 Its already been said, He'd beat a soldier with his vitis until it snapped, then he'd ask a sub-ordinate to "fetch me another", so that the beating could continue. He apparantly did this often and thus earned the nickname. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenPrinCohILegVIVictPF Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 Ave Ursus, Thanks for the welcome. Centurio's my rank in the Sixth. My name's Gaius Manlius Magnus. Most just call me Magnus. Good to meet you. GMM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Germanicus Posted April 4, 2005 Report Share Posted April 4, 2005 Are the medalions adorning his breastplate not awards for valour ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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