HARPASTUM Game

On Saturday 18 September (1 PM SLT) our Legio will reenact the play of Harpastum, one of the main ancestors of modern football/rugby.

The rules of the game were probably very simple and it was surely very rude. Legionairs loved it, but also civilians did, as watchers, but also as players. The ball was quite hard, in leather stuffed with wool or oakum. The number of players was variable, depending on their availability and on the dimensions of the field, that was often extemporary, the best being in sand. They were divided in 2 teams and the teams had maybe to carry or launch the ball beyond the farest side of the opposite field. Another interpretation is that the players had to keep the ball in their own half-field avoiding the opponents to take it, a sort of inverted football.

The version we are adopting is quite similar to an intermediate ancestor, the so called Soccer in costume, that is still played in Florence, Italy, assuming that it is the closest game to harpastum, from a chronological and topographical point of view: its first documentation in fact is in the 2nd half of the XV century.

All the citizens are invited to watch the game, or to take part in it. In this case they have to sign themselves on the apposite board in the fort of the XIII, in Ostia.

Legionaire of the month of May

The Legionaire of the month for May is Conny!
(The post will be rewritten better as soon as possible)

LEGIONAIRE OF THE MONTH OF APRIL

Hello all, finally we have the winner of the Legionaire of the month prize!
This time is Jo Soler! She did a great work as always to the Legio but this time did a very nice work also with room renting at the fort!
Congratulation1

Skilled archer badge assigned

Hello all, I am happy to announce that Foxtrot Fyanucci earned the skilled archer badge for have showed great ability during last archery constest.
Congratulations!

Legionaire of the month March

Salve all,
it is again time to choose the Legionaire of the month.
I am very happy and I was also a bit touched by my proclamation as Legionaire of the month.
I always do the most for the Legio and Roma SPQR just as an hobby, a pleasure; however this prize make me happy because shows that people like the work that I am doing.
Thanks to all!

Legio Badges

1) Skilled archer
Assigned to the soldiers that won an Archery tournament

2) Skilled gladium fighter
Assigned to the soldiers that won a Legio tournament

3) Skilled pilum thrower
Assigned to the soldiers that won a pilum tournament

4) Very disciplined soldier
Assigned to the soldiers that show a very hight respect of rules

5) Active soldier
Assigned to the soldiers that are judged most active in the group

Matronalia festival

Matronalia (or Matronales Feriae) was a festival celebrating the goddess of childbirth ("Juno who brings children into the light"). A celebration of motherhood (mater) and of women in general. Prior to the reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar, this was the first day of the new year. It was also shared with the first day of the Feriae Marti.

The date of the festival was associated with the dedication of a temple to Juno Lucina on the Esquiline Hill circa 268 BCE, and possibly also a commemoration of the peace between the Romans and the Sabines. On the day, women would participate in rituals at the temple, although the details have not been preserved other than the observation that they wore their hair loose (when Roman decorum otherwise required them to wear it up), and were not allowed to wear belts or to knot their clothing in any place.

At home, women received gifts from their husbands and daughters, and Roman husbands were expected to offer prayers for their wives. Women were also expected to prepare a meal for the household slaves (who were given the day off work), as Roman men did at the Saturnalia.