Hello fellow history enthusiasts and fighters, from Roman reconstruction to actually picking up weapons ourselves, there is plenty to explore — and practise — this autumn. Here are the latest news and opportunities. Is This Roman Properly Dressed? A while ago, I shared an animation of the Roman legionary I originally illustrated for the Varus Battle museum in Kalkriese. It prompted some interesting questions. Should he be wearing additional padding and pteruges underneath his segmented...

Hello archaeology enthusiasts, fighters and fellow history aficionados, there is quite a lot happening behind the scenes at the moment — from ancient weapons and practical martial arts research to medieval emperors and historical films. So today, let me take you from a Late Bronze Age spearhead to an upcoming spear-and-shield course, two opportunities to train together, yesterday’s remarkable events in Magdeburg — and finally two film projects that I am very much looking forward to seeing....

Hello fellow history enthusiasts and blade aficionados, one of the great privileges of studying original weapons is that there are things an object can reveal in your hands which are remarkably difficult to recognise from photographs, measurements or typological descriptions alone. But researching an object is one thing; communicating what you have learned is another. Sometimes it takes a detailed drawing. Sometimes, video and photos would do the job — however, permission to share them with...