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Legio VII Gemina

Age: Època Antiga
Web page: http://www.projectephoenix.org/
Check our activities at the Agenda.

With almost 40 members Legio VII Gemina is the most numerous re-enactment group in Catalonia recreating a great range of civil, religious and military matters. The group was born in Tarragona in 2000 thanks to the Seritjol brothers -Magí and Enric-, both Roman world experts and enthusiasts. The group sets in the Flavian Dinasty era, during Emperor Vespasian's mandate. The group is named under the single Roman legion settled in Hispania during that period. Hispania was a completely pacified province at the time and Romanisation carried on all over Europe after the latest conquests by Emperor Augustus. Legio VII Gemina had been left in the city of Leon to safeguard gold mines in Las Médulas. A vexillatio -or detachment of legionaries- from Legio VII, was called for in Tarraco, capital of the Province and home to the governor, for these soldiers to take care of the governor, exercise public order and help elaborate censuses and property registers.

 

With only 7 years of existence Legio VII Gemina has become remarkably prestigious and has played a part in festivals and events all over Europe.

 

As aforementioned, the group displays a wide range of activities dealing with aspects of civil, religious and military Roman lifestyle. With the exception of music and gastronomy, few other topics in Roman daily world have not yet been depicted by this group.

 

The following are some of the group's most successful performances:

 

• Recreation of a Roman banquet (convivium)
• Staging of local elections in a Roman town (comitia)
• Salutatio or client relations among a patrician citizen (a senator, a knight) and the plebe (a citizen of lower class, a foreigner, etc) 
• Dramatization of General Tit's Triumph Pomp, -son of Emperor Vespasian-, who suffocated the Jewish revolt in 70 AC
• Recreation of a military camp, with several tents for legionaries and a  centurion
• Recreation of Roman legions in early Imperial Times (1st Century AC), with several pieces of artillery (tormenta)

 

Of all Catalan groups, Legio VII Gemina is, undoubtedly, one of the best organised. In their headquarters at Riera de Gaià, -a village near Tarragona- they craft and recreate many of the pieces and replicas used in their shows.