Pertinax

this shot perhaps informs us of the work an attacker would have to do to try and cause damage to a legionary http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=950 consider this not as an isolated soldier, but as a man in formation and you begin to think perhaps this might be a tricky task.Remembering that the scutum is not just there to display nice capricornae, and could be used as an offensive item also.

Gaius Octavius has posted elsewhere as regards codeine as a patent medicine.We have many references to the Poppy as a painkiller in the Roman world. I reiterate that the quality and strength of the plant varied as one moved away from the intense fertitlity of Egypt toward the frigidity of Thule ( I oversimplify but the idea is not irrational). The narcotic properties of the plant were well known to Greek and Roman, "opium" is the dried latex obtained from incisions in the unripe fruits of Papaver somniferum (but other varieties have milder abilities). As the plant contains over 40 recognisable alkaloids its speed of ingestion and action is unsurprising, meconic acid is the signature compound for recognition. the main alkoloids are as follows: and perhaps a skilled physician in ancient times could intuitively produce these variants by experiment and experience: morphine (8-14%) main narcotic, analgesic (pain relief) noscapine (4-8%) antitussive -relieves a serious cough! codeine (2-4%) antitussive, mild narcotic papaverine (0.5-1%) muscle relaxant note heroin is a modern synthetic derivative and much more toxic and habit forming thamn morphine. I have noted elsewhere the history of morphine dependency from men wounded in the American Civil War.

Thank you, this sort of snippet is always useful and amusing. Codeine (from Papaver somniferum) would be a legitimate throwback to Roman usage as a mild narcotic/analgesic .I dont think my botanical preparations will include experimentation with the unripe fruit of the poppy though, despite its legitimate use by our glorious ancestors. Im shortly going to edit this thread and move the "medicinal wine " posts into the Narcotic or medicines thread, but I shall wait a little while to see if other members have anything to add to the "possible flavours" of the base wine that AD has usefully suggested.

I think Pantagathus will have something to say about this, I dont think your suggestion is unreasonable, all the reinforcement is to carry a swinging blow down and away from the head or to mitigate and spread impact. Rome's enemies seemed to spend a lot of time swiping at her Legionaries rather than prodding them, so perhaps the reinforced design is a generic adaption to general combat conditions? "Eyebrows" , cranial reinforcement, flared neck guard , all these things aim to deflect a blow from above-though I will mention also the elaborate ear pieces-not just to allow decisive interpretation of orders but to protect organs greatly esteemed as 1. gateways to the spirit 2. as of being erogenously important.

This is not my area of speciality at all, but, having spoken to the re-enactors of VIII AVG and II AVG both units were obviously pondering the time frame that they should consider accurate for their work. My tentative suggestion is that it is certainly a mid 1st C AD equipment , in the "style" that we are assuming to be standard pattern,but the re-enactors are of a mind that the provenance of the type is earlier than commonly assumed. However look at the "kalkriese" sub links here: http://www.larp.com/legioxx/lorica.html In the Osprey 58BC-AD 69 Legionary book , look at plate F (2). and of course now you know how to make your own armour! LW I expect to see you in parade gear within a fortnight! and I see "segmentata" appears to be correct.

Which we see here: http://www.engineeringtalk.com/news/mas/mas110.html and which I wager, derives a major part of its flavour from the use of Gentian herb

Which by nice symmetry leads me to post this shot of a Centurion wearing a quilted leather jerkin for use under a layer of chain , note also the scale piece he is holding http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=946 note: by the way, I know the real contemporary term for segmenta is unknown but are we to use the term segmenta or segmentata?

I am presently experimenting with the use of an "ordinary" off the shelf wine/sherry as a base for a workable medicinal tincture. The experiment is to re-create an approximation of ordinary medicines available to to a medicus in 1st and 2nd C AD Britain.I understand the principles of maceration to produce the base tincture of selected herbs. I will be starting with two obvious choices, Yarow and Horehound, the former an attested and commonplace vulnery the latter a Legionary cough medicine for wet climes. As I have stated in my blog this type of medicine matures to potency and effectivness , like a wine, and can be stored and shipped without deterioration. My question to those learned in the lore of the vine is: which modern wine/sherry/spirit would you think reflects an approximation of a plausible base for such medicines? Remember the finds of cough medicine ( in Britain) were of full sized amphorae caulked with pitch in the usual manner,so I anticipate use of a roughish vintage for the common soldiry. Any thoughts learned members?

Not to mention something that is often referred to as the 'Ice Age' which turned that place into a friggin huge glacier. To paraphrase "South Park" , Scotland has two seasons every year, The Ice Age and July.

Thank you. he was a really charming and pleasant person.

Tremendously heavy, but it has the simple advantadge of slipping over the head quickly. I think one would need to wear a reasonable thickness of undergarments/tunica to avoid having arrow points push links into the flesh (and cause infection). If you scroll through my gallery entries you will see the Auxiliaries in chainmail: also a Centurion here as well; http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=917 http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=852 I held 1 strand of heavy scale (clibanarius/cataphract armour) -now that is very heavy indeed, you cannot imagine moving fast wearing that: I suspect the heavy horsemen "jostled" their opponents to death.

This is my local selection: http://thebridgebierhuis.co.uk/thebeers.html

Very sad news from the Secvnda , John Davis , their personable and vastly knowledgable Architectus has lost his life in a road accident. I have placed a Memoriam on the main Forum floor and posted a shot of John in his Auxilliary garb in the gallery.On the Secvnda site ,you can see the tributes coming in and some more images of him at various re-enactments. http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?&a...=si&img=942 This entry is also by way of invitation, to any visitors from the Secvnda to contact UNRV and contribute to our community . Also if I have made factual errors regarding any Secvnda images , or Secvnda activities please let me know at once. My excuse for any error is the amount of valuable information from your learned members that I had to absorb. I know you will all be very busy in the next two weeks at Archeon: http://www.archeon.nl/enghomeindex.html Thanks to David Richardson of The Secvnda.

Ive put this memoriam here because John Davis devoted himself to Roman knowledge and I was privileged to discuss ballistae and catapultae at some length with him.I realised he had a wide and profound knowledge of many Roman arts and sciences, and would have liked to have discussed these in detail with him,as he seemed to be a man of wit and perception, alas that cannot now be.The link leads to a likeness of him in the gallery and a tribute page at IIAVG. My condolences to all his family and friends. http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=942

Pay no attention to the Brigantine. Scotsmen bloated with haggis; loaded with Scotch and regretting having put day light between themselves and a guinea. No no no, it is well known that Nessie (being female) has only small flat teeth ,ideal for crushing shortbread to a delicious high calorie paste. In breeding season of course, a flavoursome Scot marinaded in Whiskey would be swallowed whole and digested over a period of days. The large shoals of wild ocean going kipper are herded by the creatures and swallowed en-masse as a prerequisite to the mating frenzy. http://www.ardtaraigfinefoods.co.uk/acatal...sh_Kippers.html Only the large males, with their tusks , will fight and kill the wiley and aggresive Haggis. http://www.scottishhaggis.co.uk/ Personally I just order from here: http://www.lochfyne.com/ or http://www.glassonsmokehouse.co.uk/

Here is a shot of the fastenings: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=941 as you can see the number of straps is quite large, so its not a piece of kit you can slip in and out of at will.Chain just pulls over your head and thats it. I did remark elsewhere that if you got segmental gear damp it needed plenty of spit and polish to get its shine back.

If you watch re-enactors struggling to get ready , that brings it home, no wonder thaey left it on all day! Also its rather floppy and concertina like when removed so you always need a mess mate to help you .

The intention of the segmental armour was to deflect slashing blows, as was the shaping and reinforcement pattern of the various helmets (with splayed wide neck guards, and reinforced crowns).As LW, says against a thrust it is not so efficient, but it is marvellously flexible and allows total trunk and shoulder rotation.

Not much room eh? Deliberately so as well , the initiates must have felt very claustrophobic- ive thought about the rites long and hard, if you were buried alive (for a short while ) in this sort of space ," re-birth" into the world must have felt wonderful.What a contrast between the interior of the Temple and the wide open , wild spaces outside.

Nice find , here's the actual remains: http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=656