How Long Does It Take to Build a Roman Impression?
One of the first questions new Roman reenactors is surprisingly difficult to answer: “How long will it take to get all of my gear?” The short answer is anywhere from a few months to several years. That might sound intimidating, but there is some good news. You do not need a complete Roman impression before you can start learning or participating. In fact, building your kit slowly is often the better approach. Roman reenacting is not about filing an online shopping cart with everything labeled “Roman.” It is about researching an impression, learning new skills, and gradually assembling equipment that works together historically. For most of us, building the impression becomes part of the hobby itself.
Start With the Basics
Your first Roman kit does not need to include armor, a helmet, sword, shield, and every other piece of equipment a legionary might have carried. Start with the clothing. A basic tunic, belt, and appropriate footwear, and a few personal items can get a new reenactor surprisingly far. Starting with the simpler parts of an impression also gives you time to learn what is appropriate for the period and unit you intend to portray. That matters because “Roman” covers almost 1000 years of history and an enormous geographic area. A helmet appropriate for one period may be a poor choice for another. The same problem exists with armor, swords, belts, shields, footwear and even clothing. This is one reason we encourage new members to work with experience members before making major purchases. There is nothing wrong with taking your time.
Some Things Simply Take Longer
Roman reenacting presents another challenge: much of our specialized equipment is not something you can walk into a local store and purchase. Quality reproduction armor, helmets, weapons, and other specialized equipment may have to come from craftsmen who make pieces individually or in small batches. Some of those makers are overseas, which means…….waiting. An armorer may already have several months of orders ahead of yours. Once equipment is finished, international shipping and customs can add additional time and costs. In the turbulent world we live in, international conflicts can also cause considerable delays. A custom piece may therefore take months to arrive, while an appropriate item already in stock could be at your door much sooner. This is why we strongly encourage new members to talk to the unit before ordering expensive equipment. A six month wait for the correct piece of armor can be frustrating. A six month wait for the wrong piece of armor is much worse.
Making It Yourself
There is another option, to make some items yourself. You certainly cannot expect every new reenactor to become an armorer, cobbler, tailor, carpenter or leatherworker overnight. But many parts of a Roman impression can be made in house with some research, patience, and help from more experienced members. Clothing is an excellent place to begin. Leather pouches, belts, simple equipment, and other camp items can also become approachable projects as your skills improve. Making your own equipment is not necessarily faster than buying it. Your first tunic will probably take longer than your fifth. Your first leather project might involve a few mistakes, but that is part of learning. The advantage is that you begin understanding how the objects you use for living history were actually constructed. You learn about materials, stitching, tools, and archaeological evidence. You also become much better at repairing your own equipment. Eventually the object stops being simply another reproduction you purchased. You know how it was made because you were the one who made it.
That’s Why We Have Workshops
At Legio XIIII GMV Cohort II, we usually try to hold a workshop about once a month at the Centurion’s house. These are opportunities for members to get together outside of events and actually work on their impressions. One month we might be sewing tunics or other clothing. Another workshop might involve leatherworking; making or repairing belts, pouches, footwear, or some other project someone needs help completing. You do not need to arrive already knowing how to sew or work leather. Members who have experience can help those who are learning. Someone who has never made a Roman tunic can sit beside someone who has already made several. A member struggling with leatherwork can learn how to cut, punch, stitch, and finish a project instead of trying to figure everything out alone. These workshops also help make building an impression part of the social side of the hobby. We are not simply getting together for public events. We are learning from each other, researching, making things, and improving our impressions together.
You Don’t Need Everything for Your First Event
This may be the most important thing for a perspective member to understand. It’s blasted several times all over the website, but the key fact is: You do not have to show up with a complete kit. Legio XIIII has loaner equipment available specifically because we do not expect someone who just discovered Roman living history to immediately spend a large amount of money. A new member might begin with appropriate clothing while borrowing some of the more expensive military equipment. Over time, they can replace those borrowed pieces with their own equipment as their impression develops. We would much rather see someone slowly build a good impression than rush out and purchase a pile of questionable equipment simply because it was advertised as “Roman.” One person may have the ability to purchase most of a kit within several months. Someone else might spread the cost over several years. Another member may make much of their equipment themselves. All three approaches can lead to an excellent impression.
Learning From Other Reenactors
One of the advantages of Roman living history is that you do not have to figure everything out alone. Groups regularly exchange research, compare archaeological evidence, discuss reproduction equipment, and learn from one another. We are also fortunate to have friends in other ancient living history organizations, including Legio XX in the D.C. area, or the Greek Phalanx. That wider community can be extremely valuable. Someone in another unit may have already researched the piece of equipment you are trying to reproduce or spent years experimenting with a particular craft. Good living history grows when people are willing to share what they have learned.
Your Impression Is Never Really Finished
After six months, you might have clothing and a few pieces of equipment. After a year, you might have most of the basic military impression down. A few years later, you may own multiple tunics, different footwear, cooking equipment, personal items, tools, armor, and enough gear to wonder how it ever fit into one car. Then you discover another archaeological find, or decide you want to portray an Immunis. Maybe you want to learn leatherworking, or blacksmithing, or decide your belt could be more accurate. Suddenly you are improving your kit, learning new skills, obtaining more tools to get the job done. That is one of the best parts of living history. A Roman impression is not something you buy one week and declare finished. It grows as your knowledge and skills grow. There will always be another object to research, another technique to learn, or another piece of equipment that can be improved.
So how long does it take to build a Roman impression? Long enough to get started, but perhaps a lifetime to truly finish, and we are perfectly fine with that.
Legio XIIII, Protinus!
