Historical reenactments in Italy
Hi folks!
There are many historical reenactments in Italy. Some are celebrated in the form of “Palio” (race/challenge) others in the form of battles, generally speaking are a sort of show that people enjoy watching from a safe distance.
can you join a Palio? can you swing your sword in a battle? the short answer is No, this is something professional reenactors do for obvious safety reasons. However if you are looking to join an historical reenactment that is safe and family friendly you might be interested in our historical trekkings!
Our experience mix perfectly the historical reenactment with a fun and easy trekking. You will be part of a group of Gauls, walk with them, try their equipment and learn one thing or two of the ancient ways…
but first who are the Gauls?
The ancient Gauls in Le Marche
The Gauls were an ancient population that lived in my region along with the Piceni and other Italic tribes.
The old writings of Roman historians tell us that around 400 BC the tribes of barbarians from beyond the Alps came down to Italy and some settled in the north of le Marche.
These warlike people began their expansionist activity almost immediately, also founding their capital Sena Gallica (known today as Senigallia).
Challenging the Romans:
Rome initially underestimated this new population, and that was a big mistake.
The Senones defeated the Romans and humiliated them in many battles. They even succeeded in plundering Rome stopping only when the Romans agreed to pay a very heavy tribute of 1000 pounds of gold!
Legends say that when the Romans tried to complain about the amount of gold to be paid, Brenno, the leader of the Senones also added his heavy sword on to weight in gold and shouted << Vae Victis! >> (transl: Woe to the vanquished).
The end of the Gauls:
The Gallic triumph however didn’t last long and the Romans, as history tell us, never forget. Not even 100 years later Rome’s response was brutal. In the famous battle of the Nations the Romans used their military knowledge of the enemy and destroyed once and for all the belligerent Gauls.
It was a massacre so great that the Gauls never recovered, and paved the way for Roman domination in central Italy.
The Ancient Gauls legacy:
Today what remain of the presence of the Gauls in le Marche are mostly weapons, pottery and jewelry.
You can find a beautiful collection of those archaeological treasures in some museums like the Museo Archeologico Statale di Arcevia.
Unfortunately since the ancient Gaul’s culture was mainly oral we have lost many of their rites and customs. Only few of them remain thanks to the Roman historians.
Join this historical reenactment:
If you are interested in experiencing the way of ancient Gauls, if you love nature and history then The Historical Trekking might be for you!
You will follow a group of professional reenactors lead by a certified trekking guide, and explore the wild.
A great experience to enjoy the beautiful landscape of Northern Marche exactly like our ancestors did thousands of years ago!
Wanna see the ancient Gauls?
Here is an example of the historical trekking I organize!
Thatsmarche