As an exciting season for the Romanorum show draws to a close, we would like to say a big thankyou to all of our members, clients and friends for a great year. Our group and efforts now boast 15 riding members, an infantry presence and also a fascinating living history display, quite unrivalled in this country.

We are the largest roman cavalry group in the country and can now display cavalry from early to late. We also have our enemies of rome slot, in this we can now give our audiences a taste of the type of oponent our soldiers would have fought from Persian knights to Anglo saxon warriors to Celtic chariots - shown again in great detail and the highest level of authenticity! 

We hope to continue to educate and entertain people throughout what promises to be a busy 2013 season and are already planning our winter training season for this. Anybody interested in joining our team please contact us

Planned for the future:
  • Continuation of the Arsaco-Sasanian project with Nadeem Ahmad, to include impressions from the 1st Century BC through to the 8th Century AD, cavalry, infantry, and civilian, as well as a stunning royal living history display. This will be the most comprehensive and authentic re-enactment display of antique Iranian culture worldwide.
  • Continuation of the 1st Century Sarmatian cataphract project with Steve Rogers, who plans eventually to cover not only himself but his horse all over with brass scales - that will be quite a sight (bring sunglasses)!
  • Chariots!
  • An amazing infantry display showing archery, javelin and axe throwing, and even some combat (which will be rather varied)
  • And of course, the skills of our riders and our riding display will continue to impress crowds and improve even further. We will be putting on displays from the early and late Roman periods.

If anyone is interested in joining into any of our projects or hiring us, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

 
We held a small event at Murton Park last weekend with some cavalry and living history.
 
Picture
The Old Sarum show was a show dedicated to King Arthur fighting the Saxons. We attended the event with a number of other groups, including Britannia, Wulfheodenas, Fectio, Letavia, Foederati, Cesterfeld, Thuringer Ritterbund, Ostarliuti, Wulfingas, Swaert Bord, and Heringeas Hundas. The show took place on the Sunday and the Monday, and while the Saturday saw heavy hail and thunderstorms, both Sunday and Monday were relatively pleasant. Seems even the heavens decided to make an exception for Artorius wearing his jewel studded brass diadem over his helmet.

There were three parts to the day in which our riders took part. The first was a battle on the bridge of the fort, where the cavalry were sent in to back up the infantry and watched and waited, ready to pounce on the enemy infantry at the command. The infantry were victorious and the cavalry were simply used to round up fleeing Saxons. 

Afterwards, we performed our usual skill at arms show - a display of throwing javelins, using lances and swords, and archery. Finally, for the third part, all the re-enactors on site took part in the big battle - the Romano-British vs a combined force of Saxons and Vikings. While the bad guys looked formiddable, they were severely weakened by several storms of arrows and three cavalry charges before being routed by the Romano-British infantry (they had a couple of nasty surprises for us - such as throwing axes!). 

The site was a lovely site and many thanks to all who organised it and allowed us to come and participate. It was also great to meet all the other re-enactors from Britain and further afield.

Many thanks to Simon Burrows, Andrew Stemler and Abigail Louise for photos.

 
Picture
Romanorum has started putting together its own infantry troop. We will be adding our own infantry to shows to include drill with Latin commands, practice with weapons, and skills such as archery, javelin throwing, axe throwing. The infantry displays should be a great chance to engage with the public and maybe get them involved (safely!) as well.

Our infantry should make its first appearance at Ribchester on the 7th and 8th July. Come down and check us out!


 
Picture
Photo here courtesy of Dale Miles

Chester Roman Festival - the biggest Roman event of the year. As luck would have it, also an extremely wet one.

We had a good turnout of riders - riding on Saturday was Nobiscum, Tiberius, Fronto, and this was the first outing for Bahram as well (who felt more at home with the Byzantines than he did with our own late Romans!). On the Sunday we had Tiberius, Anthony, Fronto, and Bahram again who headed the parade with a Persian banner (I'm sure if the Emperor had seen this, he may have phrased his speech slightly differently!) Behind the first row rode Fronto carrying the draco as well. Fronto was dressed in Sarmatian paraphernalia, carrying a belt with a Sarmatian tamga and a ring-pommel sword, (and a captured Roman helmet) and will no doubt be expanding his Sarmatian equipment as the months go by. The Roman riders were almost in the minority!

Unfortunately the event was too wet on both days for the horses to stay saddled up and for our cavalrymen to ride around the site, and we were unable to put a show on as well. A huge number of other groups turned up and we were all made very welcome - by the hosts and organisers, the other groups and participants, and especially the public on the parade.

Saturday night saw the team enjoying the hog roast and lots and lots of chocolate crepes (what can I say, turns out both Romans and Persians had a bit of a sweet-tooth!). And it also turns out the concept of traffic lights is a little too modern for them as well (although fortunately the parade had police escorts).

More photos of the riders at the event, and of other groups at the event as well, can be found in the image gallery below. The impressions of our riders will continue to be worked upon and expanded as well. 

We would like to thank Paul Harston and the organisers for giving us the opportunity to ride at their event again, and also special thanks to photographers Dale Miles, Daniel Cumisky, Damian Becton, David Flockton, Claire Chamberlain, and Steve J O'Brien for allowing us to post their photographs in our gallery below (yes, we need to get a group photographer!)

These are photos of the riders. If you have an image you would like to send in for inclusion on our website or Facebook page or group, please do get in touch at [email protected]

(Click the images to enlarge)


 
With less than a week to go now people are working on various bits of kit in preparation for the weekend. Kit must be cleaned and mended and any modifications made before Friday or Saturday.

The event should be a good one. Romanorum Cavalry will be taking part in the parade and a few members may be around to speak to the public afterwards.

To make it extra special, this will the first outing of the Persian aswâr in public - a sight not to miss! More pictures in the Gallery and on his personal website.

One of our members is also working on a Sarmatian impression, and you may be able to recognise certain elements of Western steppe culture and tradition creeping in.

Be sure to come and check it out! Look out for the Drafsh-e-Kaviyani and the Draco side-by-side!