Frequently Asked Questions
Roman Legion Reenacting
We know people have many questions about Ancient Roman Reenacting. For instance, What is Ancient Roman Reenacting? Who are the people that are reenactors? How does an individual become a reenactor? Where do I purchase clothes, armor and equipment? How much does it cost to become a reenactor? These questions and more will be answered below. If we have not answered your question, or you have found it somewhere else on our site, please feel free to contact us.
- What is the purpose and objective of your legion?
What is Ancient Roman Reenacting?
Do I have to be of European decent?
Do I have to perform?
Are there auditions?
What if I don't want to portray a soldier?
Will I get paid?
Must I pay dues?
Are children/minors allowed to join?
Would I need to do a lot of studying?
How much does it cost to become a Roman reenactor?
Who are the people that are reenactors?
Who can join?
How do you become a reenactor with the Fourteenth Legion?
Where do I purchase the clothes, armor, equipment, or first century civilian clothes?
How active do I have to be to keep my membership?
Can I join this group as well as other historical reenactment groups?
What is the SCA?
What is the purpose and objective of your legion?
We are a "living History" organization that tries to depict, with as much historical accuracy as possible, events and life during the first few centuries of the Roman Empire. We seek to educate ourselves as well as the public about this era of our world’s history. We do this by participating in camp life and reenactments, as well as by giving presentation to schools and civic groups. A major facet of reenacting is the personal enjoyment gained by performing well in front of the public and by participation in the camaraderie of the events. We welcome wives and family members, and help them find authentic roles to play.
What is Ancient Roman Reenacting?
Reenacting is portraying a time period, usually affiliated with a time of war or great conflict. Reenacting has been a hobby for decades, with thousands of members worldwide, focusing on educating and preservation of history. Reenactors teach and relive historical events through a first-person learning environment. There are essentially two general classifications of reenactment. There is “black powder,” which covers everything from the advent of firearms in Europe to the modern era. Then there is what is called “medieval” reenactment, which spans the years from farthest Antiquity to the Renaissance era and the introduction of firearms. Roman reenactment falls under that category.
Most of our reenactments are done in the style of private tacticals, which are typically a weekend retreat, recreating battles Ancient Roman times, or marches. We use swords, pilum (a type of spear), armor and other authentic weaponry and gear. During the summer, we have public events with period encampments where non-reenactors are invited to come and watch. Reenacting is a hands-on, interactive way to learn and teach about specific time periods in history. If you like history and want to be able to take a step into the past, you might want to ask yourself: Is reenacting for me? Ancient Roman Reenacting is a unique and fascinating hobby shared by hundreds of thousands of people throughout the United States, Great Britain and Europe.
Reenacting is in itself a re-creation of a person who was a soldier, civilian, leader, or enemy during the Ancient Roman period. While other units may cover other Roman periods, we focus on the first through third centuries, A.D.
Members of the Fourteenth Legion portray life which includes cooking, eating, chopping wood, maintaining accoutrements, living quarters, and speaking with the public. We also participate in military drills, tacticals and battle reenactments. New members do not have to be experienced reenactors, and are under supervision by company officers to show new members how a Roman legion soldier lived centuries ago.
Do I have to be of European decent?
No! Historically, many Roman soldiers were not European. In fact, it is in keeping with the spirit of the Roman Army, that people of any nationality or background could be admitted into the Roman legion.
No, there is no performance requirement. We are as much a social group as we are a reenactment group. We welcome anyone who wishes to learn more about history and what we do to recreate it. We often get together to discuss Roman history, work on creating our gear, learn about battles, swords and weapons handling and much more! Check out the Events section to find out when the next event is planned!
No, but some performing skills or an ability to talk to people does help a little if you plan to appear with us. It's difficult to teach Living History without holding the public's attention. We DO have requirements regarding historical clothing and equipment. You'll need to see the Legion manual and start learning some of the history of the period.
What if I don't want to portray a soldier?
That's OK! While we are primarily a Roman soldier legion, we encourage our members or their family to get involved to portray various historical figures, or camp followers, who supply and outfit the regimental camp; however, members are expected to have at least a cursory working knowledge of all aspects of our reenactment so you will be able to interpret the events of our camp for visitors.
Will I get paid?
No, we are a non-profit organization. We do, whenever possible, obtain payments for our appearances to cover the expenses. All money earned by Legio XIIII goes into our group resources. Members can also learn or practice period activities which may be demonstrated and sold to the public, both as a way to earn money and add to our overall experience.
Must I pay dues?
Yes. Annual dues are $25 US for all Legion members, and $35 for a family membership that includes family members who wish to participate as camp followers. Any additional soldiers from the same family (over the age of 18) must pay for their own membership. The dues are used to cover the cost of fees associated with our non-profit status, web site maintenance, postage, event fees or deposits, and/or site rental, event supplies and insurance (when required), brochures and other publicity, misc. office supplies, as well as to help acquire group equipment for events, such as tents or siege weapons. You can make your dues donation or renew your membership online via Paypal through our Donations page..
Are children/minors allowed to join?
The members of Legio XIIII are very much like an extended family, and while we portray a military group, the camp followers would have had children running about, helping with chores etc. Teens are welcome to join as an Active member with parental permission. Many schools also give credit to the older children when they participate in our demonstrations. While it is our goal for this to be primarily a military group, and full active members have to be at least eighteen to join, we extend the invitation to many families to participate alongside of the group. They would still have to be dressed in accurate attire, though, and any children are under the direct responsibility and care of their parents or teacher. Those parents or teachers would have to maintain orderly conduct around all equipment, since we do not assume any liability for any injuries or damage that may occur as a result. Any damage to equipment that occurs as a result of any unsupervised family members, are the financial responsibility of that family.
Would I need to do a lot of studying?
We realize that not everybody has time to study the intricacies of history, so almost everything you'll need to know is in available through either the Legion manual or the suggested reading in the Links and Resources Page. Many topics are covered at our social gatherings as well. Every legion member should know a basic outline of the unit history - where we were stationed, conflicts, where the "GMV" comes from and what it stands for, etc. It is mandatory, however, that you read the Terms of Agreement and General Rules and Guidelines to complete your membership.
How much does it cost to become a Roman reenactor?
Initially, Ancient Roman reenacting can more expensive for those considering a military role then a civilian role. For instance, a sword could run as low as $100 to as high as a couple thousand dollars, depending on where it was created. Civilian clothes could cost anywhere between $35.00 to $350.00. All reenactors experience this sticker shock. The Fourteenth Legion and its members have items that can be borrowed until new members can afford to purchase their own items. We encourage new members to purchase their basic gear within one year, and continue working on their attire from there. You may view our Attire page for more detailed guidelines.
Who are the people that are Roman reenactors?
The people who are reenactors are not professional actors or actresses. Reenactors are people from all walks of life that have an interest in Ancient History and the Romans. People who become reenactors come heavily armed with curiosity. It is their curiosity that draws them into those first few centuries.
Who can join?
Any male over the age of 18 is allowed to join as a legion member. It is intended that all members be soldiers: no cooks, washerwomen, camp followers, women assuming male impressions or musicians allowed. Those non-military individuals can be family members of legion members. A probationary period would separate the "recruits" from the full members. This time period is provided so that if the rather arduous nature of this group's involvement does not suit someone, he may back out of membership with no feeling of guilt from unmet commitments.
How do you become a reenactor with the Fourteenth Legion?
While it is certainly not mandatory, we encourage potential members to attend an event, meeting or reenactment before filling out an application for membership. This gives you a chance to meet the members of the Fourteenth Legion to ask questions, so that you can make a sound decision if Ancient Roman Legion reenacting is right for you and your family.
If you are READY TO JOIN NOW, you can read the Terms of Agreement and General Rules and Guidelines pages, make your dues donation through the Donations page, then complete the online Membership Form. You will receive a confirmation email welcome message from the centurio, following your completion of this process.
Where do I purchase the clothes, armor, equipment, or first century civilian clothes?
Our web site’s attire page will get you started, which follows Legion XX’s standards, along with some of the suggested texts from the Links and Resources page, you will find Uniform, Equipment & Authenticity Guidelines for New Recruits and Legion XIIII Advanced Members. This information gives a detailed list on what you will need to reenact as a Roman Soldier or Civilian. Communication is the best learning tool. There are many vendors that sell Ancient Roman clothing, gear, and weapons. Decide whether you are looking for original items or reproduction items. Do some research to find out what you need for gear, and to know what items would be authentic. Our Links and Resources page also has a link to Legion XX’s Things to Avoid regarding clothing, gear and equipment.
How active do I have to be to keep my membership?
There are no minimum requirements necessary to maintain membership in the unit unless you seek a command position. We have members that, because of other obligations and their distance to various events, are only able to attend one or two events a year. We realize there are many obstacles in our modern-day lives that prevent us from dedicating entire weekends to reenacting events, and we do not penalize members who cannot attend. What sets a "living historian" apart from others is not the clothing but his or her knowledge of the period being portrayed and a familiarity of that period's material culture.
While living history is entertaining, it is a proven educational method. We ask that our members take it seriously and refrain from developing a "theme park" mentality.
Can I join this group as well as other historical reenactment groups?
The group would not expect exclusive membership - there are many events that are suited to other reenactment groups that members might want to do outside of this group. It is hoped, however, that the sense of camaraderie and esprit de corps that would naturally develop in a unit this unique would influence its members to do the tacticals and battle reenactments with the group.
The SCA is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. Their "Known World" consists of 19 kingdoms, with over 30,000 members residing in countries around the world. Members, dressed in clothing of Ancient Rome, Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events which may feature tournaments, arts exhibits, classes, workshops, dancing, feasts, and more. It falls somewhere between living history and an historical theme party. When you join the SCA you choose a "persona", a fictional person who could have lived in the period of your interest. You "become" that person. The required standards of dress are minimal, but you are expected to behave as your persona might. When you earn recognition or awards in the SCA, you do so for real deeds. The SCA is neither living history, nor reenactment. Perhaps it could best be described as "historical play". Some people take some of their play very seriously however, and some really excellent research and recreation is done in the SCA. Their "royalty" holds courts at which they 
recognize and honor members for their contributions to the group. You can view their web site at http://sca.org
We hope that you and your family will consider joining Legion XIIII and rediscover history!
