View this page "HISTORICAL REENACTMENT"

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Historical reenactment is a type of roleplay in which participants
attempt to recreate some aspects of a historical event or period.



Activities related to "reenactment" are not new. Tournaments in the
Middle Ages had Roman or other earlier Greek themes (while the Romans
themselves staged recreations of famous battles within their
amphitheaters as a form of public spectacle), and the Victorians
recreated medieval jousts. However, historical reenactment in pursuit
of practical historical interest, beyond merely re-inventing history
as an entertainment to suit contemporary convenience or sensibilities,
seems to be an invention of the 20th century



The term living history describes attempts to bring history to life
for the general public. Historical reenactment includes a continuum
from well researched attempts to recreate a known historical event for
educational purposes, through representations with theatrical
elements, to competitive events for purposes of entertainment, which
might be considered a form of live-action role-playing within a
historical context. The line between amateur reenactment and
presentations at living history museums can be blurred as, while the
latter routinely utilize museum professionals and trained interpreters
to help convey the story of history to the public, some museums and
historic sites employ reenactment groups with high standards of
authenticity for the same role at special events.



Most reenactors are amateurs who pursue reenactment as a hobby.
Participants within this hobby are extremely diverse. The ages of
participants range from young children whose parents bring them along
to events, to the elderly. Among adult participants, people from all
different walks of life can be found - college students, firemen,
lawyers, members of the armed forces, doctors, and even professional
historians



Reasons given for participating vary. Some participants are interested
in getting a historical perspective on a particular period or war,
particularly if they can trace their ancestry back to an individual or
individuals who were involved. Others participate for the escapism
that such events offer





Greek reenacting groups concentrate mostly on classic era hoplites
though archaic, hellenistic and earlier eras are becoming popular as
well.

Most reenactors focus on Greek hoplites and tend to depict the
classical ages around the Peloponnesian wars, but accurate depictions
of Greeks in earlier Mycenaean and other times are beginning to show
up such as the Persian wars and that of the Macedonian
phalanx .Besides groups there are also individuals that sometimes
excel in their efforts to reenact the heroes of ancient Greece.
International conventions are being held with the first being in
Watford, Britain in the summer of 2006.



Some groups stage mock battles such as the Spartan warband that equips
its members with durable aspis and equipment and reenact the Phalanx
formation tactics to their fullest extent by making two hoplite squads
of reenactors to clash with each other.The Spartan Army is very
popular as a theme as can be evidenced by the Warriors of Thermopylae.

The biggest hype in groups seems to be shield devices as they
differentiate each reenactor in a similar way as that of the medieval
knights.

Greek reenacting is popular in the United States, Europe and
Australia.



HOPLITIKON OF MELBOURNE Ancient Greek Hoplite Reenactment Group based
in Australia Melbourne
The Hoplite Association A hoplite reenactment group based in Britain
Hoplite Association Ancient Greek Reenactment society based in the UK
The Spartans Re-enactment and live Spartan combat based in USA
Warriors of Thermopylae Ancient Greek Hoplite Reenactment Group based
in the U.S.A.
The Spartan Society Spartan re-enactment society based in the UK
.





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