Historical Accuracy : Turchoise Romani?

**brymht** · 07-22-2008, 16:09

How accurate was this? did legions frequently dress in turchoise; most specifically is the Re enlisted Veterans in EB. how common was this? In thought Red would be the norm in most cases.

**QuintusSertorius** · 07-22-2008, 16:16

Red is certainly a myth, though the "military cloak" tribunes and others wore was red.

I'd be certain they'd colour their tunics in whatever was most abundantly available in the local area.

**brymht** · 07-22-2008, 16:34

Was Turchoise available everywhere? I mean, why Turchoise?

**Reno Melitensis** · 07-22-2008, 19:14

Popular opinion among historians is that the commonest clothes where white to off white, so legionaries where supplied with this cheap clothes by the state, no dye. And it is this way that I paint my miniature legionaries.

Cheers.

**brymht** · 07-22-2008, 19:53

Why did the EB Team and many other mods choose to make many of their mini men this odd shade of blue/green?

**blitzkrieg80** · 07-23-2008, 04:28

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrian_purple (see royal blue or hyacinth purple)

this is not an official EB member explanation... English in this instance, also does not convey the true meaning

http://books.google.com/books?id=q0J...esult#PPA12,M1
or
http://books.google.com/books?id=hs-...um=2&ct=result

meh?

**abou** · 07-23-2008, 08:25

Originally Posted by brymht

Why did the EB Team and many other mods choose to make many of their mini men this odd shade of blue/green?

You're thinking too hard. It is just an expediency to make the units distinguishable from each other - and one within the limits of historically available dyes for the right price.

**Celtic_Punk** · 07-24-2008, 15:40

I agree abou, thats probably the most plausible reason for their colouration, i routinely find it hard to discern the lines in battle, i use the map on closest zoom to see a rough frontline and see how things are being pushed... (i dont use the green arrows or the big flashy standard thing)

**QuintusSertorius** · 07-24-2008, 16:05

Originally Posted by abou

You're thinking too hard. It is just an expediency to make the units distinguishable from each other - and one within the limits of historically available dyes for the right price.

Even if historically everyone was fighting in near-identical off-white cloth, at the least they'd have shield decoration to distinguish units.

It's vitally important for both sides to be able to tell friend from foe.

**Tollheit** · 07-26-2008, 17:29

Tyrian purple was not the only source for reddish colours in antiquity, rubia (madder) and carmine were known and used.

**Philippus Flavius Homovallumus** · 07-26-2008, 17:56

Originally Posted by QuintusSertorius

Even if historically everyone was fighting in near-identical off-white cloth, at the least they'd have shield decoration to distinguish units.

It's vitally important for both sides to be able to tell friend from foe.

Which doesn't mean it was possible, the evidence is that the first time the Romans used uniform shield designs was during the Social War, but even then it is unlikely that standardisation was complete until the Principate.