NEW ULM - Roman warriors shined their armor, sharpened their knives and readied their giant slingshots Friday at Harman Park.
Meanwhile, an alliance of Germanic tribal barbarians chopped tree branches with period axes or broke branches with their bare hands and made ornate barricades to be used in Saturday's re-enactment of the battle of Teutoburg Forest.
Wisconsinites Mike Trefz of Milwaukee and John Risch of Beloit wore little more than loin cloths under the hot sun as they built a barricade from tree branches taken from a heavily-wooded area just west of Harman Park.
"I'd like to thank the New Ulm Park and Recreation Department for letting us chop the tree branches," Risch said.
Members of the Blue Rose Tribes of the ancient Celts, the men re-enact the fall of the Roman Empire at the Highland Games in Waukesha, Wis. and the Cornish Fest in Mineral Point, Wis.
In 9 A.D., the 17th, 18th and 19th Roman Legions were ambushed by a coalition of Hermann's tribal forces in a series of running battles that ended Roman expansion between the Rhine and Elbe rivers, shaping the foundations of modern Europe.
Battlefield artifacts still unfold historical information on the 2,000th anniversary of Hermann's freedom fight.
"Local barbarians" are invited to tour the encampments Saturday afternoon and enlist in the re-enactment force of their choosing.
Face paint and some Cherusci Auxiliary uniforms will be supplied.
The Roseland Artisans invite interested parties to learn more about the martial and more gentle arts of the ancient Celts.
Visit www.roselandartisians.com for more information.
Rome Chicago is a volunteer group dedication to the education and preservation of ancient history.
For more information, visit www.romechicago.com.
Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.
