Converting Republican to Caesarian Romans

[traveller]

I have decided to build up a Caesarian force to fight my Foundry Germans. Since there is limited supply of Caesarian Romans in 28mm I am considering using some Republican Romans in mail from Aventine and replacing the heads. I would be grateful for any comments if there are any issues/pitfalls to consider. Thanks

[Notts Gamer]

Hi

Foundry make a very good (if expensive and costy to ship etc) Caesarian Roman range - the figures are often on e-bay.

One thing you have to watch, is the greaves on the Republicans - I believe that the post Marian Romans wore sandles and not greaves.

I was going to carry out a similar project with Crusader Republicans but encountered that problem.

Cheers

[traveller]

Hi

Foundry make a very good (if expensive and costy to ship etc) Caesarian Roman range - the figures are often on e-bay.

One thing you have to watch, is the greaves on the Republicans - I believe that the post Marian Romans wore sandles and not greaves.

I was going to carry out a similar project with Crusader Republicans but encountered that problem.

Cheers

Well spotted! I suspected there might be some small problem... The Crusader Republicans look even better than the Aventine since some of them even have the right type of helmets. I found a passage on:

http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/romemilitary/ss/052011-Greaves.htm

regarding greaves that could give some hope:

Roman soldiers wore greaves as protective leg armor. The Latin term for bronze greaves is ocreae. Normally, the Roman legionary only required one greave in Julius Caesar's day, since his shield, the four-foot tall scutum, covered the other leg; thus, the right leg had the greave, although the Samnites wore the greave on the left (“sinistrum crus ocreā tectum,” Livy 9.40).
 Livy (1.43.2) describes the way the first class of Roman soldiers was equipped early on in Roman history:
 
Required arms for these were a galea (helmet), a clipeum (shield), ocreae (greaves), lorica (cuirass), all from bronze, for bodily protection; and for weapons against the enemy, a hasta (spear) and a gladius (sword).
The second class was required to outfit itself similarly, although with a wooden instead of bronze shield, but the third class did not have to provide itself with the bronze greaves.

So I think I will take the freedom of having some "leftover" greaves in my army

[bigredbat]

Some of the Aventine figures are fine as Caesarians, they are specifically designed for that period- ask Keith, he'll tell you which ones are suitable.  Foundry range is good too.

I wouldn't be too worried if some of the minis have greaves, I rather doubt that the Romans in that period, would have been uniformly equipped.

Cheers, Simon

[aecurtis]

Ummm...

Nope, no point in discussing this.

Allen

[Notts Gamer]

Ummm...

Nope, no point in discussing this.

Allen

Brief, to the point and final, as we have come to expect from Allen

[aecurtis]

No, I'd just noticed that I'd typed about thirty lines of response, with multiple credible online references, and then realized it was probably a waste of time.

Allen

[Stecal]

Warlord Games just revealled the masters at Salute for 25mm Plastic Caesarian Romans they will be releasing, err soon?

[Prof.Witchheimer]

I like them, we definitely need more Caesarian Romans but I really hope they will be not that small as their Imperial Romans.

[bigredbat]

I'm sure that I saw a picture of one of the Roman covered passenger wagons depicted at the top of this thread, as a green, I believe for Warlord Games, on someone's Salute photo post.  Could be good news for the Prof.!

Re my earlier posting about Aventine, I now recall that Keith told me that he had intended to produce a small number of Caesarian castings, but I don't believe that Adam ever got around to it (although some of the centurions are spot on as Caesarians).  I reckon that they will get there in the end!

Cheers, Simon

[midismirnoff]

I like them, we definitely need more Caesarian Romans but I really hope they will be not that small as their Imperial Romans.

Most likely they'll be as big as the latter auxilia.

[Colonel Tubby]

Those new Warlords do look promising.

[NickNascati]

Wargames Factory also produce Caesarian Romans.  It was one of their first sets.  Decent figures when assembled and painted.

[airbornegrove26]

I'm very excited about these.  Hopefully they will mix in well with foundry.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

I'm very excited about these.  Hopefully they will mix in well with foundry.

Hope it as well, I just in love with Copplestone's Caesarian Romans though I wish there would be some more poses for the rank & file ones.