Romerfest

Romerfest is an annual event that takes place at August Raurica, a well preserved Roman city on the outskirts of Basel.  For a modest entrance fee, you can ride the chariot, create ancient Roman games, make your own swords and shields, as well as sample Roman delicacies such as hot wine and food staples from that era.  The children can attend Legionnaire school, observe military drills, and be spectators to a live performance of gladiador fights.  And the whole experience would be greatly enhanced for all of us if we understood Swiss German.

We met up with friends at the site, but it was difficult to move in a pack.  So, we split up and did our own things.  We met up later at the coliseum to watch the gladiator fights.  Some of the boys' friends rented tunics and all children purchased shields and weapons in preparation for the fights.  They really got into it.  Next year, we'll arrive already in costumes.  After the show, the children took over the stage and began sparring each other.  So impressed by the children's dramatic re-inactments, the site photographer took ample photos of the little Romans in various poses.  On a perchance the photos make it into the local Newspaper, the boys will have unwittingly found fame in, of all places, Switzerland.  

We spent all day at this event and yet participated in a only portion of the activities.  The inclement weather gave the event a Medieval aura.  Being in Switzerland has transformed our family and we have become impervious to rain.  Wind, cold, and rain doesn't stop us from venturing out anymore.  In the U.S., we would have recoiled to our hole-in-the-house and waited it out.  Not here...time is precious!

Here are some interesting web sites:

Military commands in Latin

http://www.legionsix.org/roman_drill.htm

All about gladiators

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/games/circus.htm