Legionary Essentials
Basic information at the training stage.
First campaign, first steps
Preparing to take part in your first campaign with Legio XXI Rapax may involve many questions and a number of unclear matters. What should I remember when packing for my first trip, what does a typical campaign day look like, how are meals served, can a phone be used, etc.? The answers to these questions, and to all other matters, can be found here.
First steps after arriving at the campaign site
At the beginning, on the first day of the campaign, all members gather on site to erect the camp. There is a great deal of work to do, and every pair of hands is needed. At that time, vans are unloaded, tents and shelters are set up, and benches and tables are assembled. All work is carried out according to a previously prepared plan, and everything has its place. Even if this is your first trip and you do not know what to do, report, for example to the Centvrio or to your decanvs, that you are free — you will be assigned to some task. We set up the camp in ordinary work clothes. Only in the evening of the first day, usually when the whole camp or most of it has already been set up, the password "ANTYK" is announced, informing us that we should all already be dressed in historical clothing, and that all modern devices and elements should disappear from visible places in the camp. Of course, the announcement of "ANTYK" is communicated an hour or two in advance, so that everyone has time to change clothes and unpack.
Historical clothing
In the afternoon of the first day, the loan store is opened. If you do not yet have some part of the clothing, or absolutely nothing at all, and your decanvs has not been able to provide you with a complete outfit and basic vessels such as a cup (pocvlvm) and a cooking pot (patera), you will receive the rest from the loan store. Historical clothing should be “kosher”, that is, suitable for the realities of the given period. If you have bought an item from outside the verified sources, ask, for example, your decanvs or the Centvrio whether it is “kosher”. Historical clothing also includes underwear.
Remember to contact your decanvs before departure regarding your equipment, and to take care of borrowed equipment, as well as everything that belongs to the Legion.
Remember that as a soldier, throughout the day you are obliged to wear a military belt (cingvlvm)!
My contvbernivm
During your first campaign, your status is "volontarivs" literally, volunteer. From the second campaign, you receive the title "tiro" (recruit), and in the future you may apply for the title of ordinary legionary (miles gregarivs). Until the end of the trip, like everyone else, you will be assigned to your “sub-unit”, that is, a contvbernivm, which consists of 4 people. A decanvs stands at the head of the contvbernivm . Both the decanvsi, and the composition of the contvbernia (that is, assignment to a given tent) are selected by the legion staff, customarily by the Centvrio, anew for each campaign. Each contvbernivm has one tent — the place where you will live for the rest of the campaign together with your decanvs and two other tentmates / companions (contvbernales / commilitiones). If one of our contvbernales or anyone else calls us by name, we answer "ADSVM" (present / I am here).
Remember that from the announcement of "ANTYK", every time you want to leave the camp, you should report to your decanvs. Your decanvs must always know where you are.
The first night
Within the camp there is a ban on using modern forms of light, which means that all kinds of flashlights are forbidden. Each evening, the lanternae placed in the camp are lit, and in the centre of the camp there should already be a prepared hearth. In the tents, there should be at least one clay oil lamp, which should be provided by the decanvs.
The arrangement of bedding and all equipment inside the tent is up to the occupants and is a matter of agreement among them. A reed mat and a thick blanket serve as bedding. Pay attention to ensure that neither you nor your contvbernales leave any modern items visible inside the tent.
Where to hide modern items?
From the beginning of the second day of the campaign, the use of modern equipment and moving around with it within the entire camp area is completely forbidden.
Backpacks, bags, etc., after the announcement of "ANTYK", should be kept outside the camp. The safest option is to hide them in your own car or in someone else’s. Various kinds of toothpaste, flip-flops, modern towels must also not be visible within the camp or the tent. If we want to keep some modern items at hand, they should be hidden in a linen sack, which should be arranged before departure, placed in a Roman bag (pera), or in a chest, if you or your Contvbernivm has one. Such a Roman bag is the best place to hide keys, phone, wallet, etc.
If we want to leave the camp and take a bath, after first reporting this fact to the decanvs, we either leave with bathing accessories hidden in a sack, or go to the place outside the camp where we have left them, for example a car. When we return, we remember not to come back into the camp with modern accessories visible. Particular attention should be paid, for example, to the towel — if it does not meet historical requirements, that is, if it is not “kosher”, it cannot be left to dry within the camp.
Daily cycle
At 07:00, wake-up takes place. Then, at about 07:15, there is a mandatory assembly, during which the Centvrion presents the plan for the day, followed by the morning warm-up. At 09:00, breakfast takes place. Shortly after breakfast, drill training takes place. Soldiers are called to drill by the loud command of the Optio "ARMATE" (arm yourselves!), after which they have about 15 minutes to arm themselves and come to the assembly point. Drill training is carried out in full armament, but usually without armour ("sine lorica"). For taking part in drill during demonstrations, armour is already obligatory. Drill training lasts about an hour, while demonstration drill lasts about 45 minutes. During it, soldiers practise following commands, manoeuvres, formations, including the legendary tortoise formation, that is testvdo, and train in the use of weapons, including sword fighting and throwing the pilvm. After drill there is still much to do — someone has to bring wood or water, help is needed with setting up or repairing wooden stakes (svdes) surrounding the whole camp, Latin lessons are planned, including basic vocabulary and song learning, sometimes soldiers are needed to take part in filmed scenes or photographs, etc. In the afternoon, exercises in archery (archers — saggitarii), sling shooting (slingers — funditores), or catapult operation (those operating the catapult [scorpio] — ballistarii) are important. Every soldier, including a volantarivs, should belong to one of these three groups. In the afternoon, lunch takes place at about 14:00. In the evening, the final assembly takes place, followed by a briefing. Quite often, the briefing does not end the activities, and at this time various exceptional events take place. Late in the evening, dinner is served.
In free time, if there are no urgent matters, it is worth using the time to visit the site, other stands, or the museum.
Watches
Watches are posted every day. Two selected contvbernia are responsible for the watches. The Tesserarivs is responsible for selecting the contvbernia for watches. He ensures that each soldier performs one watch during the entire campaign. The watches are held at the following times:
- 23:00-01:00
- 01:00-03:00
- 03:00-05:00
- 05:00-07:00
The first, second, and third watches consist of patrolling the camp in full military equipment and ensuring that the fire does not go out in the hearth and lanternae. The fourth watch, however, consists of washing the kitchen equipment used to prepare meals, but without full military equipment, wearing only a helmet and carrying a sword. Contvbernia selected for night watch on the following day serve as the “kitchen watch”, that is, throughout that day they watch over the fire in the kitchen (cvlina) and wash kitchen equipment. The kitchen watch is performed until evening, when the role of the watch is taken over by the next contvbernia.
Equipment maintenance
Borrowed equipment and Legion property must be taken care of — we all use them. Care should be taken to ensure that equipment is not misplaced or damaged. Particular attention should be paid to the helmet, armour, and shield bosses — sweat and moisture cause equipment to corrode. Large patches of rust should be removed as soon as possible. Sponges or abrasive non-woven pads are best used for removing rust. Of course, they must not be visible in the camp, so if we want to remove rust within the camp, such a sponge or pad should be wrapped in a cloth, available in the camp, or in another material that will cover it. Naturally, we use only such materials for removing rust that will not damage the equipment. To maintain armour and helmet, apply a small amount of olive oil to a cloth and rub it into the metal.
Food and drink
Meals are served three times during the day: breakfast (ientacvlvm), lunch (cena), and supper (vesperna). When the food is ready to be served, the Frvmentarivs calls everyone to the dining area (popina). Everyone comes with their own cup, pot, and spoon. A queue then forms for the dining area, and one of the principales asks each person in turn one question, which is the condition for receiving a meal; if someone does not know the answer, they must go to the beginning of the queue and try to answer the question again. Usually, the question requires giving some Latin word. Of course, this requirement does not apply to a new person, a volontarivs.
The dishes usually do not reproduce historical meals, but the ingredients do — potatoes, tomatoes, and generally vegetables and fruits unknown to the ancient Romans are not eaten.
In the dining area (popina) or in the technical tent called the aqvarivm there is always drinking water. In the morning, on the hearth (craticvla) in the kitchen (cvlina), it is possible to boil water for coffee or tea. You may also drink your own beverages, such as juices, cola, etc., but of course they must be poured into your own pocvlvm.
From morning until 19:00, alcohol consumption is completely forbidden.
Summary and more important notes
- Before departure, make sure with your decanvs that you will have complete equipment. Also remember smaller items such as a cup (pocvlvm), a pot (patera), a wooden spoon (ligvla), something for removing rust, such as a small sponge or abrasive non-woven pad, and a small amount of olive oil.
- Within the camp area, nothing modern may remain visible, which also applies to the inside of tents.
- Every time you want to leave the camp, for example to use your phone, smoke a cigarette, bathe, etc., report to your decanvs. If the decanvs is absent, report to the Optio.
- In the aqvarivm it is possible to charge a phone with a charger, but it is also sensible to think about a power bank.
- Phone calls, smoking cigarettes, etc., may only be done outside the camp area.
- On the last day of the campaign, after the final demonstration, everyone slowly begins preparing to dismantle the camp.
- After camp packing is announced, we first deal with packing Legion equipment, folding tents and shelters, and only then proceed to pack our own belongings.
- During camp packing, the loan store is opened. Remember to return all borrowed equipment.