Author Topic: Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio  (Read 4428 times)

Offline Timotheos

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Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio
« on: April 06, 2008, 22:45:12 »
Here are some "native parts" customs that roughly match pictures--

1) A decurion in one of Richard Embleton's drawings in "Life Along Hadrian's Wall" wears a somewhat conical helmet with a dangling, single plume (a decurion was a cavalry centurion).

2-3) The gallic auxiliary cavalry is inspired by the Osprey series book 2 "Rome's Enemies" the gauls and Britons.  The author admits that the colors in the illustration are pure guesswork (and his wear black knee trousers with sandals).  I found a closest fit, and at least the different color scheme sets him apart from the official light infantry PM makes.

4) The optio was the centurion's nominated second in command.  He marched behind his century with a large staff to swat shirkers and intimidate those thinking of running.  The only picture I've found of his staff was on Wikipedia--a long, knobbed pole.  The staff also served to set him apart--his staff of office.  He didn't wear a cross-plume on his helmet, but the one that resembled the "normal plume" (as seen here).  However, his could be colored black and white (which I didn't attempt) to help make him stand out. 

Offline Timotheos

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Re: Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2008, 23:04:26 »
Here are some custom gauls, based (extremely lightly) from the pictures in the Osprey book.

The main detail:

PM dropped the ball on its Gauls by

1) giving them those musketeer boots.  According to the pictures in Osprey and other sources, Gauls wore moccassin-like shoes or sandals with long pants, more like the legs given to a lot of the medieval and viking klickies (and depicted here).

2) PM's Gauls with the "hatless-hair" are more like ancient Germans.  If Gauls wore one piece of armor, it was a helmet, according to the source books I've read.  Germans, on the other hand, went bare-headed into battle in the late BCs unless they were rich enough to own armor.

In my second picture, the barefoot gaul with a half tunic is God-awfully fake, but I thought it looked good.  I need to whip out the paint and paint a shirtless torso.  I found a caribbean pirate klicky who is shirtless, but no "white" klickies appear to be made officially that are shirtless.

There was a class of Gallic mercenaries in the late BCs, the Gesatae (meaning spearmen), who appear to have been tribe-less drifters (aka "mercenaries") who fought completely naked, except for shield and helmet.

Granted, for all their bravado, the Romans tended to cut them to pieces.  The Gauls were the equivalent of the modern drunk, who after a few pints thinks he can take on the world bare-chested.

Seriously.  Gallic swordsmen tactics were to assemble before the enemy, beat their shields and shout insults, then make a mad rush.  After a spell of fighting, they would back off for a break, then repeat the process.

The Romans, with their system of cycling in reserve rear-lines, were able to keep fresh men on the combat line until the Gauls exhausted themselves, then when the Gauls needed to break off to rest, the Romans, still fresh, could turn it into a rout.

Offline playmofire

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Re: Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2008, 00:57:12 »
You've done a lot of research, Tim, and it's paid off in those customs (I especially like the Roman ones) as they "look the part", which is what's really important as opposed to absolute accuracy.  I think the least successful is the Gallic swordsman pictured by himself.  The helmet doesn't seem right for the time and the striped shirt reminds me of a football (soccer) player.
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Offline Richard

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Re: Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2008, 01:24:29 »


Hello, Timmy ...  :wave:

Granted, for all their bravado, the Romans tended to cut them to pieces.  The Gauls were the equivalent of the modern drunk, who after a few pints thinks he can take on the world bare-chested.

Oh, no !!!     You mean Asterix is a fraud ... ;)


click on image above for Macgayver's wonderful website

All the best,
Richard



Offline Timotheos

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Re: Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2008, 04:12:53 »
The helmet doesn't seem right for the time.

Hi Gordon

The Roman legionnaire helmet (skullcap with cheek flaps) actually originated as a Gallic helmet and was current with the Gauls who marauded around Northern Italy in the 1st century BC.  But, I agree, it looks a little awkward and violates that sense of authenticity.

Another detail about the Gauls of Italy:
In their heyday, the Gauls (specificly Senones and Boii tribes) possessed better armor and weapons than the Latin tribes.  These Gauls annihilated several Roman armies and even captured Rome.  (The campaign against Rome began due to an offense on the part of the Romans.  The Senones were migrating through Northern Italy.  The Romans sent envoys to persuade them to leave.  During the conference, a Roman envoy murdered his Senone counterpart.  The Gauls demanded the return of the Roman envoys for punishment.  Rome refused, and the Senones marched south, eventually sacking Rome, before they withdrew back north.

The sources confuse me a little.  Some say the Gauls were great weaponsmiths, others say that their sword making was shoddy.  After the first slash, the sword would bend and have to be straightened against the ground under the warrior's foot. 

Offline Richard

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Re: Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2008, 04:41:32 »


But what about Asterix? Was he "the equivalent of the modern drunk, who after a few pints thinks he can take on the world bare-chested" or was he one of the "Gauls (who) annihilated several Roman armies and even captured Rome?"

This is all very confusing, Timmy ...  8}


Offline Justindo

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Re: Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2008, 06:49:26 »
Excellent customs, Tim!  I especially like your Gallic Auxiliary cavalryman and your Gauls.  You've done a lot of research and it has clearly paid off.

Most recent historians and archaeologists believe that the Gauls were master metalsmiths and many believe that they in fact invented chain mail, although this hasn't been totally proven yet.  It is believed that the Romans adopted this as well as the Gauls' helmets, as Tim states.  Also, the best swords and armour during the Republic and Empire came from Gallic smiths.

The Gauls, like the Germans, Celts, and other "barbarians" were extremely brave and fierce warriors and excellent one on one fighters, but they fought as individuals wanting personal glory and thus could not defeat the disciplined Roman Machine.
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Offline Timotheos

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Re: Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2008, 11:50:27 »

But what about Asterix? Was he "the equivalent of the modern drunk, who after a few pints thinks he can take on the world bare-chested" or was he one of the "Gauls (who) annihilated several Roman armies and even captured Rome?"

This is all very confusing, Timmy ...  8}



For all Asterix's bravado, he hasn't delivered a whole lot of results.  I think he, Abraracourcix, and Panaramorix need to consolidate their strategies, invest in synergy, set goals, and through a value-added action plan, adopt a results-oriented paradigm.

Offline Richard

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Re: Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2008, 12:56:43 »


Hello, Timmy ...  :wave:

For all Asterix's bravado, he hasn't delivered a whole lot of results.  I think he, Abraracourcix, and Panaramorix need to consolidate their strategies, invest in synergy, set goals, and through a value-added action plan, adopt a results-oriented paradigm.

They would have had to pay a management consultant a lot of Roman denarii for that "advice" ... :lol:

All the best,
Richard


Offline Richard

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Re: Roman Decurion and Gallic Aux Cavalry and Optio
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2008, 13:02:28 »


Hello, Justindo ...  :wave:

The Gauls, like the Germans, Celts, and other "barbarians" were extremely brave and fierce warriors and excellent one on one fighters, but they fought as individuals wanting personal glory and thus could not defeat the disciplined Roman Machine.


They probably could have benefited from Timmy's advice:

For all Asterix's bravado, he hasn't delivered a whole lot of results.  I think he, Abraracourcix, and Panaramorix need to consolidate their strategies, invest in synergy, set goals, and through a value-added action plan, adopt a results-oriented paradigm.

:lol:

All the best,
Richard