Historic Replicas

When people think of the ancient western world, the two societies that come to mind most often are Greece and Rome. This association makes sense, as much of the culture and traditions between the two civilizations were quite similar. While the Greeks are often considered the founders of modern thought thanks to Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, the Romans also contributed greatly to the world that we live in today.

From our art and literature to our vary language, much of what we take for granted today was made possible via these cultures. These societies also made significant advances in math, science and various other technologies and areas of study. Most of the original artifacts from these cultures have been destroyed, but there are still accurate Greek and Roman replicas to be found.

Have you ever taken the time to pinpoint the attributes that your favorite movies have in common? It’s rather vague to say that I like “comedies” or “dramas,” even if both those statements are technically true. After some serious consideration, I’d have to choose period pieces and war movies as my favorites – but only if they’re realistic and believable. And that means scrupulously authentic costumes.

When done right, a movie should make me forget that I’m in the theater and actually watching a film. Anything that draws me out of that engrossing experience is to be criticized. Movie costumes don’t have to be flashy; in fact, they should just look and feel right for a particular time and place. Subtlety and accuracy should be the two foremost goals for any historical costume designer.

Pirates have been romanticized in Hollywood movies and popular culture to the point that their images softened somewhat over time. That’s why the recent trend of high-seas hijackings off the Somalian coast was so jarring to the Western world. Films such as “Pirates of the Caribbean” portray these seafaring bandits as little more than colorful characters in search of a little plunder.

Historians and hobbyists know the truth, however. Pirates have always been vigilantes – indiscriminant criminals who had no qualms about breaking international law just to get rich. With that said, pirate replicas such as guns, sword hangers and hats only serve to prove that the pirates of old were a fascinating bunch. Part of their appeal lies in the fact that they could conquer and pillage mighty naval vessels with little more than some extensive nautical knowledge and a few rudimentary weapons.

By now I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll never be a famous thespian. The fact that I earn a generous living at a day job I happen to love does something to soften the blow. Still, I get a genuine thrill from performing in theatrical productions with a local acting troupe. In our most recent play, I was cast in the titular role of Julius Caesar. When offered the part, I said I would take a stab at it.

Our community theater budget is especially low this year, so I had to turn to a third party for a suitable costume. Luckily it took practically no time at all to find replica Roman costumes online. I placed an order and donned my costume in a matter of days. From there, I went on to ham it up in a play that I’ve always admired. It looks like I’ll be shopping for something a bit more Scottish because we’re getting ready to tackle Macbeth.

Most people wouldn’t understand what a LARPer (Live Action Role-Player) is, but there are a select few in the fantasy role playing world who know of these elite gamers. Unlike traditional role playing games which partake on a table top or television screen, LARPers take their fantasy role playing one step further, and translate it into real life with fantasy costumes and accessories. Most LARPing takes place in wooded areas outside the boundaries of society, and is not for the faint of heart.

If one were to compare LARPers, roleplaying gamers, and regular people in fantasy roleplaying terms, regular people would be considered human (as they are now). Humans lead short lives, are often regarded as foolish, and are well renowned for their dedication and piety (often to excess). In this scenario, roleplaying gamers would be dwarves, who tolerable in society, but tend to stick together. Dwarves are those who burrow in the earth (often a basement) seeking riches (fat game loots). LARPers are of dwarven blood, but over time, evolved into a subterranean race. These dwarves, also known as “deep dwarves”, delved so deep and so greedily that they became more creature than human. LARPers, in our modern society, would fall into this role.

You know who doesn’t love a good theme party? Boring people, that’s who! As a kid, I had all the standard themed birthday parties, all of which involved some sort of movie/book/TV tie-in: A-Team, He-Man, Star Wars, Ninja Turtles, they all were a huge part of my childhood.

For my 25th birthday, I decided to have a Lord of the Rings themed party and encouraged people to come in fantasy costumes worthy of Middle Earth. At first, a few of my easily embarrassed pals grumbled, but the day of the party came and it was a complete success! There were more hobbits there than at a sci-fi convention. I, of course, dressed up like Gandalf because he’s the coolest wizard ever.

The Greeks were one of the most fascinating and most successful cultures in the ancient world, with a rich history that spans several centuries.  The Greeks were also one of the most advanced cultures in the world, and from this cultural advancement, the Greeks were pioneers of literature, art, science, language, and philosophy.  The most common Greek costumes associated include the toga, which is a simple drape of cloth worn around the shoulder to cover much of the chest and the lower extremities.  When people think of Greek warfare, for which the civilization was also famous, often the image of the Spartan hoplite comes to mind.  Wielding a huge shield and long spear with a sword strapped at the waist, the Spartan hoplite was one of the most feared warriors in all the world.  The Spartans mastered combat and built their society around warfare, making them one of the most fascinating cultures to study.

Much of the Greek culture has translated into cultures around the world, and so much of the Greek is rooted in European culture that it’s almost impossible to distinguish one from the other.

The release of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, in which Johnny Depp played the famed Captain Jack Sparrow, sparked a revolution which pushed pirates back into popular culture.  To this day, the facts and myths associated with life as a pirate fascinate people of all ages.  Pirates lived out their lives on the sea, and were often known to commit acts of fraud, thieving, and drunken debauchery.  But pirates also had a code of conduct, and were a superstitious bunch, traits that pushed their images into popular culture.

Pirate clothing is a favorite amongst people at costume parties, and consists of several different articles.  The common perception of the pirate outfit includes articles like a button up shirt, bandana or pirate hat, and fabric trousers.  Pirates also carried accessories for combat like a cutlass and a pistol, and other accessories including compasses, coin pouches, and small knives for combat or utility purposes.  Perhaps more interesting than pirates are all the myths about giant sea beasts, sirens, and ghost ships from pirate culture.  These myths have helped spawn modern interest in pirates and their lives on the sea.

Viking society was built around the Viking battle axe and the Viking swords, and a man’s social status was dependent upon his skill and bravery in battle (well, that and the amount of loot he brought home from a raid!).  It makes sense, then, that the Vikings had their own dueling rituals, and embraced the duel as a natural part of their justice system.  The Vikings’ concept of a duel would do much to influence ritualized combat in later societies, in that they were one of the first cultures to make it a legitimate course of action for those who felt they’d been wronged, like a law suit today.  The Viking duel, or Holmgang, could be used to settle virtually any dispute, whether over money, honor, or the love of a woman.  The Viking world was strict and unforgiving when it came to matters of war; once challenged, a Viking had to accept, or risk being labeled a coward and stripped of his social standing and self-respect.  He might even be declared an outlaw!  The winner could legally claim everything the loser owned, even his wife and children.  A few skilled warriors even turned the Holmgang into a kind of con game, challenging other warriors who’d done nothing wrong and killing them to botain their property.  Nevertheless, some aspects of the Holmgang display an uncommon sense of fairness.  Unlike later European quarrels, in which only members of the ruling class could have a legitimate duel, any Viking could challenge another regardless of social standing.  That meant that even the poor and downtrodden had the means to stand up for themselves.

It’s somewhat unclear whether dueling existed in Ancient Greece and Rome.  The Roman costumes / uniforms definitely weren’t made for it.  Both were military societies whose men were trained for war, and they took their honor and reputations as warriors very seriously.  They probably didn’t hesitate to defend their honor with a sword when they felt they’d been wronged.  Dueling was a more sophisticated concept, though, involving combat between equals armed with the same weapons, and restricted to noblemen, since only they had honor to satisfy.  Dueling as we know it today wouldn’t take shape for several more centuries.  The Greeks and Romans had an equally exciting tradition though, and one with much higher stakes.  It was the practice of single combat, in which a lone warrior could decide the outcome of an entire war.  There have been accounts of single combat since biblical times (David and Goliath, for example), but the Greeks and Roman appear to have been particularly fond of it.  If a warring king or general wished to spare the lives of his men (or just conserve his resources), he could select a champion to fight on his army’s behalf.  The opposing leader was compelled to choose his own fighter, and this one battle would decide the victor. Both armies were honor-bound to respect the outcome of the battle, and be prepared to surrender if their champion lost.  The two men donned their Roman armor and met in the no-man’s-land in the middle of the battlefield while their comrades cheered them on from afar.  Can you imagine the terrible excitement these warriors must have experienced, knowing the fate of their homelands rested on their shoulders?