Sermo Vestis Militaris (Military Uniform Discussion)

[Ned]

Although we are only Auxilia, we must continue to present a professional image to the full Legionnaires.

Our centurions are forced to wear helmet crests of horsehair or worse.  We should be able to wear feathers like the regular centurions.  I am embarrassed every time I go the marketplace.

And our standard bearers should not wear the pelts of lesser animals like coyotes or deer.  They should wear wolf pelts or perhaps bear to show that we contribute to the total effort as much as any member of the VI Legion!

No, we should be proud of being Auxilia and should not try to look like full Legionnaires.  They are the ones in battle, not us.  Our contributions are vital, but we are not Roman citizens; we hail from the provinces.  We are content to work quietly at our jobs.  After all, Auxilia are not trained nearly as much as a Legionnaire, so we should dress distinctively.  We don't want to draw unnecessary fire from barbarians, do we?

But the last Emperor made too many uniform changes -- our helmets, shields, and armor are different from when I first joined the Auxilia.  And I have to pay for these myself!

But Cladius Didius looks foolish in his tunic -- he is the size of an elephant, but refuses to acknowledge that life was good to him in Gaul.  We should have distinctive uniforms for our  Auxilia "Maximus" members.

Our youngest recruits deserve some distinctive items to help motivate them for the rigorous training. Perhaps we could award them phalerae to wear on their breastplates.  That should do the trick.

Sigh - - - some things have not changed in millenia.

[jeders]

That's a good one.

[Major Carrales]

Although we are only Auxilia, we must continue to present a professional image to the full Legionnaires.

Our centurions are forced to wear helmet crests of horsehair or worse.  We should be able to wear feathers like the regular centurions.  I am embarrassed every time I go the marketplace.

And our standard bearers should not wear the pelts of lesser animals like coyotes or deer.  They should wear wolf pelts or perhaps bear to show that we contribute to the total effort as much as any member of the VI Legion!

No, we should be proud of being Auxilia and should not try to look like full Legionnaires.  They are the ones in battle, not us.  Our contributions are vital, but we are not Roman citizens; we hail from the provinces.  We are content to work quietly at our jobs.  After all, Auxilia are not trained nearly as much as a Legionnaire, so we should dress distinctively.  We don't want to draw unnecessary fire from barbarians, do we?

But the last Emperor made too many uniform changes -- our helmets, shields, and armor are different from when I first joined the Auxilia.  And I have to pay for these myself!

But Cladius Didius looks foolish in his tunic -- he is the size of an elephant, but refuses to acknowledge that life was good to him in Gaul.  We should have distinctive uniforms for our  Auxilia "Maximus" members.

Our youngest recruits deserve some distinctive items to help motivate them for the rigorous training. Perhaps we could award them phalerae to wear on their breastplates.  That should do the trick.

Sigh - - - some things have not changed in millenia.

Want a punch line...?

"Then the EMPIRE FELL!"

[AlphaSigOU]

Love 'em, Col Lee... were these in actual Roman texts?

[bosshawk]

Ned: You have entirely too much time on your hands.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Can we hurry up and get to the part where the "Last Emperor" gets fed to the lions?