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Review: Festivus Legionis, Clarksville, TN (US)

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:14 am
by Aldus Marius
Avete amici!

From members of The Roman Way in Texas and the Nova Roman province of America Austrorientalis, who attended the event on 13 October:


"Fl. Galerius Aurelianus Gub. Am. Austrorientalis S.P.D.

"On Saturday, a.d. II Idus Oct., six citizens of the province attended the Legio V Alaudae Roman Festivus in Clarksville, Tennessee, at the Austin Peavy State University campus. Those attending were Violentilla Galeria Saltarix, T. Galerius Malleolus, Mania Galeria Corvina, her daughter, Aula Galeria Renata, and myself.

"Members of the Legio V Alaudae (Knoxville, TN) and Legio VI Ferrata (Beaufort, SC) were present under the command of centurions Bob Wear and Rusty Myers. Total troop strength was about 10-12 milites, 1 standard-bearer, and the 2 centurions. The Soul of the Warrior and Legio V also set up as vendors.

"America Austrorientalis set up a tent displaying aspects from the Religio Romana and Roman domestic life. The former featured an altar set before our tent near a bronze cauldron representing a fountain or well. The latter included samples of common Celtic & Roman foods--lentils, millet, barley, oats, turnips, onions, garlic, oatcakes, and two types of bread--along with moretum (garlic, herb, and cheese pate), samit (Celtic curds with garlic & dill), honey butter, and garbanzo & sesame spread (hummus). The bread & side dishes was sampled freely by the participants and spectators much to their general enjoyment. Many Nova Roma flyers were distributed.

"Apart from demonstrations of Roman military & domestic arts and the munera (gladitorial games), the provincials held a religio caerimonia at 1:30 p.m. to celebrate the Meditrinalia and Fontinalia.

"During the last gladitorial match of the day, I took on the role of a disgraced Tribune condemned to the arena to fight the secutor, Tiberius Lupus. After a fierce match, in which both of us were wounded on the leg, I decided that no true Nova Roman magistrate would ever let himself be killed by a low class gladiator. So I fell on my sword . . . to the collective booing & disappointment of the crowd.

"As the event wound down, we packed up our displays and went off to dinner at a local caupona. Another excellent event sponsored by the southern provincials of Nova Roma."


In amicitia,