How to dress up as a Gaesatae?

[Basileus_ton_Basileon]

Also, how does one obtain/make a thueros?

[Skullheadhq]

Why would anyone want to dress up like Gaesatae?

[Titus Marcellus Scato]

Why would anyone want to dress up like Gaesatae?

It's probably best not to ask that question....

[Ca Putt]

The most expensive part of it are the drugs.

[The Celtic Viking]

Well, if only because of my title, I feel obliged to help you out because, as it happens, I have instructions on how to make one by one who did. All credit should go to NeoSpartan, though I don't know whether he's still around here anymore - it's years since he wrote this.

Anywho.... I made that shield, just as I made another one for this past Halloween (and still have both). The way I did them is easy and if I had a few additional tools and allowed myself more time I would have made them better. But in general it easy, and it takes about 2-3hrs to make. More if you do artwork as it has to dry.

The way I did it was simple. Its the shield with a handle. BUT no shield boss, which means the handle is outside the shield...


...not inside like it would really be like. If you want a real boss you need to cut a whole in the shield where you hand can fit, make a strong yet hallow boss, and attach it (somehow) to your shield.

If you want to do it like I did, here is what you need.

Materials.
A. 1/4 of an inch plywood sheet. Make sure it is strong, quality 1/4" plywood.
B. A long 1" X 2" piece of wood. (basicaly a long rectangular stick)
C. and 4 long screws.

Tools.
A. Hammer
B. Screw driver (both automanic and manual)
C. A saw, especially one that lets you cut circles. If it only cuts straight lines is OK just get extra heavy duty sand paper.
D. Sand paper.

Directions:
1. Get your playwood and draw out the shield outline. Then cut it (I had a friend cut it for me, as I don't own a saw)
2. Sand the edges.
3. Measure your palm from your pinky to your thumb, and add 1" (more u have big hands) to that measure.
--this is the lenght of the handle, BUT don't cut anything yet.
4. mark this measurement on the center of your shield. With a straight line and mark the ends.(
5. From each end, measure an additional 2"-3" and mark them.
6. Now add up all the inches (heand measure +1"+3"+3")
--->this is the measure you will use to cut the 1"X2" long piece of wood.
7. Cut the 1"X2".
8. Now this cut piece will be your handle, but it is likely too thick. You now have to cut it down to make it fit your hand, and sand the edges (don't make it round or too thin).
--I used a wood hand cut saw since thats what I had (Make sure you have a saw horse or sturdy chair).

9. Grip the handle you just cut and sanded and see how your hand closes.
10. Let go, and close your hand in the air as if you were holding the handle. MEASURE the distance from your biggest knuckle to the center of the whole in your grip made.
11. Add 1/2" to that measure.
--this is how much your handle will protude away from the shiled.
12. Use what remains of the original 1"x2" piece of wood, and cut out 4 pieces 3" long. Sand them a little.
13. Stack them, and make 2 pairs.
14. Place each pair on the 3" marks you made on the plywood (look at step 5).
15. Place the handle on top.
--like this:

---
16. Mark the outline the handle makes on top of the 3"pairs.
17. Mark the outline the 3"pairs make on the plywood.
18. See if the distance from the handle to the plywood is equal to the measure you did in step 10.
---- usually they the distance in step 10 will be longer, which means your knuckels will hit/scrape the plywood. Which will be painful and make a bloody mess when you try to wield the shield.
19. Now you have to make thin pieces of wood to make the distance of step 18=step10.
----->HINT! use the left over pieces from step 8.

20. One the measuares equal, and you test your grip again. Make 2 pairs of marks on were you will put the screws throught.
21. Make sure you make clear and indivual marks. This is because things won't be 100% perfect and the two 3" pairs, and the thin pieces you made may not be interchangable.
22. Mark the pairs, mark the side that is facing out, and mark where the screws will go.
23. Tape everthing down.

24. With the pairs taped on the plywood, the handle taped on the pairs:
--With one hand hold one of the pair, HOLD IT HARD.
--With the other other hand make a whole with the the screw driver. (the whole should be a little thinner than the screw you are using).
-----> be careful you don't drill deep into your floor/table (LOL)
25. Repeat step 24.

26. Make sure everything is taped and not moving.
27. Now you will screw the screw throught the wholes you made.
28. Start at one pair, put 2 screws. Go to the other pair, put 2 screws.
----HOLD ON HARD, and make sure tha screw driver is powerful. It is likely that you have to use a hand screw driver in the last 1/2". (I had to)
29. Make sure you don't screw you shield to the floor LOL!

And TADA!!! You are DONE!!!!!!! Now just pain it!. You shield will be SOLID!
---That handle will not fall off unless you use a sledge hammer.
---The quality plywood can take a breating. I had druken fuckers punch it and hit it with their shoulders. Oh and don't hit people with the edge of the shield it hurst and you can break a nose or teeth if you hit somebody's face with the edge.

you can make your sword ouf of 1/4" plywood too. I recomend 1/2" plywood for the sword as it is even harder, but sanding it will also be tough.

here is a pic of my current arsenal:


Again for the boss, its a little more work. The thing that stopped me is that I don't have something to bend sheet metal nor drill strong enough to punch through it. HOWEVER! next year I might, as I have a friends at the Uni who can do that for me.

I have pictures of him "dressing up" with it too, but I think that might be too personal to share.

Edit: Oh, there was another message from him linking to a video on how to make a fake-helmet too, but the video exist no longer. Still, this might be worth to add anyway:

To make a look-a-like shield boss, use aluminum foil paper, and hold it down using all metal push pins. (just make sure you have strong thumbs)

[Basileus_ton_Basileon]

Thanks, Celtic-Viking. I can get hold of shield bosses and bucklers rather readily, so will your design actually hold up to some 0.225 lethality bashing?

[Ibrahim]

serious question?

Also, how does one obtain/make a thueros?

I don't know.