NR Gallia events - Andesina June 2007, 24th - pictures

Andesina festival
Village of Grand (Vosges, France)
June 2007, 24th - pictures

Grand is a small village, deep in the French countryside, roughly half way of bnth Paris and Strasbourg, which was called Andesina at Gallic and Roman times. It was a famous federal shrine who was, as other ones, located at the boudaries of several Gallic civites, here the Leuki, Remi, Lingones. Among other ruins explored or not yet excavated, Grand owns a impressing amphitheater.

The amphitheater

An amphith. vomitorium

This is the place chosen by association "Andesina" to organize its Andesina festival to which take part every main historical reenactment French groups, and even German or Swiss ones. Close to the amphitheater where are welcome a few leather stands, we may find a "manoeuver" ground, and on two of its sides, a Roman camp and a Gallic camp.

Leather shops in the amphitheater

In the morning, every group could exercise, as did the Legio VIII Augusta.

Legio VIII Augusta on guard

Legio VIII Augusta ballista

The people could then visit the camps, here the Gallic one:

The Gallic camp

Quirites's group inquiring on Gallic weapons

I win, you've lost, woman!

or the Roman one :

Legionary clothes (undercloth and Montefortino helmet, specially)

At noon before lunch, all the formations marched to the
center of the village, where they all gathered:

Listening the organization staff

Pax Romana gladiators...

Pax Romana tough gladiators

...and Legio XXII were particularly impressing:

Disciplina

Several couple of gladiators then fighted in the first part of the afternoon:

Ah! Inter-net!

No mercy! 'Iugula' will decide the crowd)

Then the Roman and Gallic troops showed
how they were training (here Via Romana 1st c. AD Auxiliairies):

"Retro! Retro!")

Preparing for the gallic phalanx

But Gauls were not afraid, as we see in the eyes of this female warrior waiting for the onslaught:

Leuki on foot war

And they were wrong, for the legions did not yield!

Legio XXII hastati at work

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