Caesar's Gallic Legions Equipment

[Screaming Eagle]

Hi guys, this is my first post and one of my biggest questions, so I thought I'd put it out there. I'm thinking of getting into reenacting, and I'm not sure what equipment the soldiers from the period I'm interested in would have worn.

I'm interested in the 60 BC - 0 AD kinda time period, so after the Marian Reforms but still in the Republican era (mostly). So, what helmets would legionaries from this period have worn, coolus or montefortino? What scuta would they have carried, oval, rectangular or a mix of both? Would they still have used the Mainz gladius? I know that lorica hamata would have been standard issue, and that pila, caligae and tunics would be pretty much standard thoughout Roman history, and I also know that Roman equipment was a very ad-hoc affair, and that some variation is acceptable, I just wanted some sort of guideline, cheers guys.

[Pertinax]

Hello SE , have a look here

 

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...p;showentry=369

 

to give you a flavour of re-enactment and links to some appropriate images

 

thence

 

http://triclinium.spaces.msn.com/PersonalS...sonalSpace.aspx

 

and look at the "link to these" section. Good Luck!

 

Any decent kit capable of use was kept in use for as long as possible !

Edited July 1, 2006 by Pertinax

[Screaming Eagle]

Thanks Pertinax, very helpful, cheers

[Northern Neil]

Peter Connolly's book 'The Roman Army' has some very good reconstructions of legionaries from the late republican period.