Roman Soldiers

Sample Script for Roman Soldiers

Move along!...........Move along!  Keep the line moving.  No collecting.  No gathering. 

Go pay your taxes!  Have you signed the Census?........Move along!  

Don’t listen to them!  Don’t buy that swill!  Move along……..Move along!...........No, you may not!! 

What is that strange thing??  That will deserve a high tax.  Make sure they go straight to the tax collector. 

Yes, Centurion.  Yes, Centurion.

Please meet in the Youth Room for dressing. Make sure you return all costume parts and props NEATLY to the Youth Room.

The Roman soldier roles consist of 3  basic characters.

The Centurion: the Centurion is the leader of the guards. He oversees everything happening in the city and makes sure the soldiers are executing their duties of keeping order in the city. He leads the procession into the city and proclaims the opening of the city to people waiting to enter. 

The regular foot soldiers: they patrol the city to ensure that order is maintained. They make sure that all citizens sign the census and pay their taxes to the tax collector. They report any major issues to the Centurion. The foot soldiers generally serve one rotation per night as the tower guard. 

Tower Guard: the tower guard stands watch over the city from above the entry gate. He oversees the crowds coming into the city to maintain the flow. He reminds the entrants that they must sign the census and pay their taxes. 

General notes: the costumes for the Roman soldiers are very authentic and as such one should try to keep any auxiliary clothing as authentic/neutral as possible. For example, no white sneakers, watches, bright sleeves or leggings. Some people choose to go with bare arms and legs and sandals under their costume but it can be rather cold, so dark shoes, black sleeves or leggings are acceptable.  In keeping with the character, the soldiers are generally loud and boisterous but within reason. As you will likely encounter many friends and acquaintances it is important to try to always remain in character.  

A wax tablet is a tablet made of wood and covered with a layer of wax, often linked loosely to a cover tablet, as a "double-leaved" diptych. It was used as a reusable and portable writing surface in antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages. Cicero's letters make passing reference to the use of cerae, and some examples of wax tablets have been preserved in waterlogged deposits in the Roman fort at Vindolanda on Hadrian's Wall. Medieval wax tablet books are on display in several European museums.

Writing on the wax surface was performed with a pointed instrument called a stylus. A straight-edged spatula-like implement (often placed on the opposite end of the stylus tip) would be used as an eraser. The modern expression of "a clean slate" equates to the Latin expression "tabula rasa".

Writing with stylus and folding wax tablet. painter, Douris, c. 500 BC (Berlin).

Wax tablets were used for a variety of purposes, from taking down students' or secretaries' notes to recording business accounts. Early forms of shorthand were used, too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax_tablet

Roman soldier dress and weapons