Creating Your Roman Armor Costume
A good Roman costume can be hard to find. There’s many different types of roman armor and accessories out there that you can use to create your costume. This article will discuss the different parts you’ll want to have if you are interested in purchasing or making an authentic Roman soldier.
First of all, you may be thinking, “Who would want to dress themselves up in roman armor and helmets to look like a Roman legionnaire?” Well, surprisingly there’s quite a bit demand for it especially around Easter and Halloween. Churches need them for passion plays and there are adults who want hard core costumes for Halloween. Others need them for their reenactment group or historical club. Finally, some people just want a full costume of a roman soldier to display in their house and use it for the occasional “dress up time”.
When looking to purchase a full roman outfit, you’ll want first make a list of what you want in it. The essentials are Roman armor, or Lorica Segmentata, which is the main breast plate of the legionnaire. There are many different types out there but the most authentic is the Corbridge type A and B. Many sites do not list what type a Lorica is but you can be assured that most of them full in these two categories. You’ll for sure want one of the Roman helmets, but depending on what type of costume you want that will change what helmet you get. Do you want to be a Roman centurion or a common foot soldier? A Roman general? All three of those need a different helmet. There’s the Roman trooper helmet for the legionnaire, the centurion helmet with an ear-to-ear plume, and the centurion helmet with a back-to-front plume for the general. You’ll also find that many websites offer many variations of these helmets to cover all eras of the Roman empire. This includes the Gallic and Imperial Gallic centurion helmets, and the Italic and Imperial Italic roman helmets. There’s a lot of options out there, but for most people who want a casual roman outfit, you’ll want the Roman trooper helmet or one of the centurion helmets.
The next thing you’ll want for sure is a Roman belt and sword. Some of the roman belts can be quite expensive but there ornately decorated and authentic. You’ll want to make sure that you have a roman baldric (sword hanger) as well for any of the roman swords you pick for your costume. The most common roman sword is the gladius. It was a short stabbing sword that legionnaires used in close combat. This will probably be the sword you want with your outfit.
Lastly, to finish your costume, you’ll want Roman sandals and a tunic. Most stores sell the Roman sandals in many different sizes, so you’ll be able to find something. The tunic can be a one-size fits all but many stores have them in medium, large, and extra large. Well, there you go. The total cost for something like this can be in the range of $700-1000, depending on the items you order.
Tags: roman helmets | roman swords | roman swords | roman armor | roman belts