Tessera

 

Volume I, Number 1                                                                                 December, 2006

 

Avete, Comilitiones.

 

Hopefully, this newsletter finds you all well and recovering from the holidays and the New Year.

 

News:

December was a big month for Legio XI.  Our superb centurio, Paul Montello, gave a gracious farewell as our esteemed leader in order to be able to devote more time to family and business.  We are grateful to Paul for his efforts over the past several years as he founded the legion and raised it to where we are today.  Laudes, frater.  Fortunately, Paul will still participate with the legio and we will continue to benefit from his knowledge and mentorship.

 

Myself, along with Chris Stewart as our optio and Andy Booker our tesserarius, will between us assume Paul’s former duties, and we are always willing to help our newer members expand their knowledge of things Roman and build their Basic Kits.

 

While some of you may not have noticed, we now have a new website thanks to Chris Stewart.  Located on the web at www.11thlegion.com, it offers some good information to new and prospective members although it is still under construction.  I expect over the next several months that it will become the premier website of the Roman Military Re-enactment Community. 

 

In addition, Chris has also set us up with a new Yahoo! newsgroup which has been very useful, linking it directly to our Legio XI website.  As a result, we have had many folks ask to join the newsgroup, and I hope they will also be able to join and participate with the Legio at event/workshops.

 

Laudes to you, Chris!

 

 

Events/Workshops:

 

December was a very productive month for us.  On December 3rd, we participated in yet another great event at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in conjunction with their exhibit on Imperial Rome.  We gave a presentation on the Roman Soldier, and as always benefited from Martin Kealey’s and Marty Howes’ superb gladiatorial combat demonstration.  Chris Stewart, myself, Alex Kyrychenko, and Andy Booker were present, as was Josh Davis, one of our great friends from Legio VI in South Carolina.

 

On December 9th, we conducted a legio workshop at the home of Chris Stewart.  Myself, Alex Kyrychenko and Chris worked on various projects, to include new baltei for both Chris and Alex.  I also gave a demonstration of how NOT to use a draw knife to form Chris’ hastile, but I think that by our next workshop that I will be better!

 

Alex and I also got together on 24 and 31 December, where we worked on his balteus.  As of this writing, I think that Alex has it completed – pretty good work for a guy that had never pounded a rivet 2 weeks ago!  Laudes to you, Alex, for taking the effort to make a balteus of your own.  Just goes to show our new members that making kit items is not as difficult as it might seem, as well as demonstrating the utility of our workshops.

 

And, of course, what would December be without “One Night in Bethlehem” at Chris’ church, Glenloch Baptist in Roopville, GA.  I must say, I was very, very impressed with the entire congregation’s efforts to do this realistically.  I think many of you participated, and I know Chris and the other church members appreciated that subtle touch of authenticity that Legio XI always brings to events. 

 

 

New Members:

 

As I stated earlier, we have some new members in our ranks.

 

Jimmy Beck, who lives in western Tennessee.  We hope to see Jimmy soon, hopefully at a workshop so we can start on his kit.

David Wills, from Manor, Texas.  David is already a Roman re-enactor, with a great deal of experience.

Gary Friese, from San Marino, California.  Also an experienced re-enactor.

Matt Lukes, from Ontario, Canada.  If you a re familiar with RAT at all, then you know that Matt is an incredible source of information on all things Roman.  We are glad to have Matt as a member of our forum, and need to figure out how we can convince him to take time off and come visit!

 

Welcome, Fratri!

 

 

Upcoming Events:

 

I would ask all of you to check the Legio XI website (www.11thlegion.com), Chris has posted our 2007 Calendar to include all workshop dates.  Of note, a couple of near-term events to mention.

 

6 Jan 2007:  Workshop at my house.  Email me for directions.  No particular focus, but am happy to help anyone with their current project.

1-4 Feb:  Castra Romana Mobile.  Lots of info on the Yahoo! site and also on the web.  This will be a premier event and I expect that we will all have a great time.  Contact me for more details if you need them.

 

You will note on the Calendar (posted on the website) an event tentatively scheduled for June called “Castra Romana Atlanta.”  Chris and I have talked a great deal about this, and believe that we should host an event similar to that conducted by Rusty Myers of Legio VI near Charleston.  This would be a multi-legion event, open to the public, with demonstrations, gladiatorial combat, a camp, etc.  If you have any ideas for a location, events, etc., please contact Chris or myself.

 

Finally, any comments about what you would find useful in future newsletters would be much appreciated.  I’m always looking for feedback to make things better.

 

Regards,

 

Edge