Fectio
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Open Monuments
Weekend - Fort Vechten
Saturday 8 and
Sunday 9 September 2007 |
| Every
year, Fort Vechten takes part in the national
Open Monuments weekend by hosting a multi-period
event. Fectio and other Roman groups also take
part in that big event. Friday
September 7th, and the first first groups began
to arrive. Earlier that afternoon, Fectio
and Pax Romana had already put the first
material in the field. Later in the evening, the Minervii
arrived all the way from Germany to pitch their
tents in the now so familiar corner of the field.
We all exchanged warm greetings and tales, while
the sun did its best to spoil us all with a
beautiful sunset.
|
Fort Vechten, southeast of Utrecht. |
Detailed image of the area. |
The first cars have arrived at the tower. |
Welcome back! The Minervii
making a friendly gesture towards our
photographer.. |
New material to show: the new scutum of Publius/Patrick.
|
COH XV also have a new scutum. |
Meanwhile, the sun did the most stunning exit in
the West, leaving the Limes in growing
darkness.. |
Just awesome. |
 It had been already been 5 months
since our last multi-period event, the Childrens Fair which happened
to be here as well. High time for us to get reacqainted
with our companions from across the Rhine and our
countrymen from earlier times. This was already Fectio's
4th Open Monuments weekend.
| Day 1 - Saturday
|
The morning arrives... |
... and there is cleaning to do. |
Saturday started a bit grey and ended with
rain in the late afternoon. That did not stop the public
however, who arrived in droves. Although the modern
soldiers within the fort draw much attention, we Romans
with our small camp next to the tower are always popular
too.
Next, gearing up ... |
... before the public arrives. And as always,
this event is very well attended. |
The troops are inspected.. |
.. before they all march to the fort, where they
join the 'boys in green' .. |
.. and they all line up to be inspected by the
fort commander for the morning roll call. |
Back in the camp, the material can be shown to
the public, like this neat row of scuta from COH
XV. |
The
Roman camp. From left to right, three open tents from Pax
Romana, then three tents in the corner of the Minervii,
then the new tent of Fectio, which we're very
proud of! The camp is getting bigger every year.
| Day 2 - Sunday
|
Another grey day at the tower, and they first
visitors have already arrived. |
And there they come - a constant stream of bikes. |
It's our great-grandson from the future! |
Patrick and Paulus of the Minervii
preparing for the first inspection. |
Menno getting in gear. |
The Late Roman medicus in action with a
'patient'... |
..until he's disturbed by his son! |
Officer material? |
I
had not been able to join the rest on saturday, so on
Sunday Jeroen and I made up for that. The weather was
again greyish but dry, perfect for reenacting. Again many
visitors found their way to the fort and to the tower,
despite the entrance being positioned on the opposite
side of the fort. But with leaflets, a good show and
appearances at the main fort, we managed to 'draw out'
enough people to fill the terrain around the tower.
One of
the now regular parts of the event is the plumbatae
shooting for kids. We line up about eight of them, and
another group is manning the shield wall. The misssiles
are of course not the real thing but light wooden fakes
with a rubber tip - perfectly safe and good fun. After
they throw all the plumbatae, the groups switch places,
and the former target become the attackers. As always,
this event is extremely popular.
Distributing the ammunition with instructions.. |
.. getting ready to letting loose. Meanwhile our
Hieronymus.. |
.. takes it all very serious. |
Incoming! |
Loose! A volley of plumbatae shoots down in the
shield wall and its defenders. |
Interaction with some familiar locals. |
Lessons in the kitchen.. |
..and what a fine result! |
Late Roman chat: Maarten, Maebh and me. |
Another
item to draw many people was the new gladiator fight.
Although we made the crowds wait a bit, the expectations
were the higher for it, and they were not disappointed.
Of course, it was not a show fit for the arenas of Rome,
after all we are still at the edges of the known earth
here. But the enthusiasm of the fighters was clear enough,
and only one can win.. A fitting end for a good weekend.
New at the tower: a gladiator fight. Of course
the public turned up for this one! |
Pugnate! |
Alexander, Paulus and Patrick battling it out in
front of the crowd.. |
.. until Patrick draws the short straw. Must be
the lack of shoes! |
Gladiators class? |
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