7 AD - somewhere in Germania (upd. 14.06.15 - more Germans)

[Poiter50]

Very nice, Prof. Apparently many of the Republican Romans were blonde (sp?) but the genetic pool changed over the years to darken their skin and hair.

[FramFramson]

Very nice, Prof. Apparently many of the Republican Romans were blonde (sp?) but the genetic pool changed over the years to darken their skin and hair.

There are still a fair number of blonde northern Italians these days, aren't there?

[Poiter50]

Bottle Blondes? I thought they were mostly redheads? 

[former user]

but the genetic pool changed over the years to darken their skin and hair.

[Poiter50]

former user, in many descriptions of Romans they were described as fair haired, lighter skinned. As the incursions from Moorish/Arab areas came about, so did the appearance of the people of Italian lands to what you see nowadays. As you travel further north in Italy, the people are lighter skinned but the migration of the modern person has seen a blending of skin types and hair colours. Just an observation from visiting and reading.

[former user]

this version is somehow new to me.
it is correct what You write about the North-African influence, but this is true for southern Italy and especially Sicily.
To my knowledge, the fair-hair influence came after the roman empire with the Ostrogoths and Langobards, and continued on a smaller level with the influx from the northern-european contacts through the middle ages. And let's not forget the normans in Sicily
In the antiquity, the whole mediterranean basin was a region of contact and exchange through phoenician and later greek trade and colonization. They should share the same gene pool.
I agree that the dark skinned brunette southern european is a cliche and the reality provides for a good mixture. Nevertheless, it is prevalent.
Now the ocurrence of blonde hair is still a question of research, an acceptable start for the several explanations offered is here in this quite well referenced section
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blond#Evolution_of_blond_hair

and I personally would tend to go with the sexual selection proposed by Cavalli-Sforza starting with the Baltic Region, which also goes with the strong demand for blonde hair in the early principate (for ladies wigs) that was traded from northern europe.
there is also a folklore section here that contains quite a few references about the roman times
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blond#Folklore_and_mythology

for which Victoria Sherrow published some conclusive arguments (IMHO)
I think the reason the Prof gave for the blonde roman is actually an authentic one from a roman POV

Edit: there is a reason why my response to the image of the dark-skinned "moorish incursions" gradually changing the original blonde gene-pool seems a bit worked-up. I will send You a PM on this @Poiter50, because I want to make clear that no personal offence whatsoever was intended, however we can't discuss politics here

[einarolafson]

Very nice as always!!  

Now I think blue works quite well, so I surely will be getting back to this one again in the future as for some sort of Roman marines. And yes, I will be thinking about other shield design in the case I am really going to do this Marine thing.

I started a small project including a Roman marine "commando". I might continue it after you have posted this fantastic miniature.

Cheers.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

I started a small project including a Roman marine "commando"

Would love to see it 

[einarolafson]

Would love to see it 

Done!!

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Another important step done, I've got a village for my Germans! Cudos to Lt.Hazel, the houses were completely his work (building and painting!), thanks Jan

[Centaur_Seducer]

Great job, Hazel!

And thank you for the interesting photos, Alex

Removable roofs?

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Removable roofs?

some of them.

[OSHIROmodels]

Cracking work Jan 

And nicely set up Alex 

cheers

James

[Bugsda]

My compliments to the herr leutnant, superb work 

[Malamute]

Wonderful stuff and some very nice photos to show them off