Ontario Renaissance Festival

[Blu (Ontario)]

... I did once give up a half-day to watch a display of Roman drill (marching) at Fishbourne Roman Palace, but was bitterly disappointed to find that the 'show' consisted of only six self-conscious men who were decked out in home-made Roman-style costumes with cardboard armour!! Whether the drill was authentic, Heaven only knows, but the 'uniforms' certainly were not!

The term, I believe, used to describe your phoney Roman soldiers would be "farb". I heard this used a couple of years ago at a battle re-enactment in Niagara. I wonder if the term would also apply to those who should happen wear a kilt badly. (ie. white hose and ghillie brogues for casual.) It's possible that I may have qualified for "farb" status at one time or another.

[Blu (Ontario)]

"Is this a colonial phenomenon, perhaps?"
I would agree, Blu. My guess, which might be way off, is that amalgamated european americans are trying to find their own past and identity.... Maybe in the "old countries" they already feel more connected to their history, and so don't feel so strong of a pull to find their identity this way.

You might be right,zeytoun... In fact, I would be very surprised if some one hasn't written a paper on the subject. In north America, we consider things that are a few hundred years old as being ancient history. In Europe, people walk around on stones a thousand years old without giving it a second thought.

[Rob]

There are a few, just a few, organised re-enactment societies here actually, and they will relive (as far as is possible) some of our Civil War battles, but I have never heard of one in the south of England.

Ham,

I did hear about a Romans versus Britons re-enactment at Ivybridge, Devon recently, but in general you are right; most of the Sealed Knot Civil War re-enactments are North of Watford.

Rob