I is for I Just Couldn't Come-up With a Good Title!

Following on the heels of the Britains Trojans and Cherilea Roman 'returns' and the other day's box ticker on Toyway, comes the next obvious one in the queue, Crescent's Romans, although going with an RG prefix and some of the sculpts the accurate title is probably Romans and Gladiators!

For some reason (not thinking, that's the reason!) I didn't shoot the overview shot in numerical order, although the next six collages are in the right order which is;

RG1 - Kneeling with small round shield (Gladiator)

RG2 - Spearman (Legionary)

RG3 - Standard Bearer (Legionary)

RG4 - Wounded with Arrow (Legionary)

RG5 - Advancing with small round shield (Gladiator)

RG6 - Full-on Gladiator (Gladiator!)

Basically; a rather odd assortment, let's look at them closely . . .

People consider him a roman soldier, but the small round shield says Gladiator to me, I know they each have a name for their role/uniform & equipment, and one or two were dressed as 'regular' Romans, but the shield is designed to be a weakness, while the short stabbing dagger is a gladiatorial weapon, designed to wound and prolong the 'entertainment'.

I think the base on the left-hand figure is a re-paint and I'm not sure about the bright silver on the other (comments that apply to a lot of these), which came from a collection with a lot of re-painting, the final one is unpainted and I have no Hong Kong or other copies of this pose . . . yet!

This is a nice rendition of a Roman legionary, he is armed with a straight-shaft spear or lance rather than the more expensive (to produce) pillum, I don't think that's particularly anachronistic, but would bow to more knowledgeable members of Slingshot!

Also he carries a proper Roman gladius short-sword with broad blade, sheathed at his belt, suggesting that the 'dagger' of the above Gladiator was a deliberate act by the sculptor. Happy with the painting on these two, early on the left, later reduced-paint; centre, and a Hong Kong dwarf on the right!

Standard Bearer, I can't remember which is which or what one this is called . . . signifier? I should have waited 'till the books were out, or stuck to non-Latin 'toy soldier' stuff! Another legionary, and paint looks good on both Crescent examples, while there's a slight colour variation on the HK's wolf's head headdress.

The third legionary is not much use, being hors du combatt! Re-painting to the earlier scheme I fear, but following the original and a very nice sword stuck in the ground/base.

I'm sure this is a gladiator, he's got a Greek bell-cuirass and an attic (?) helmet with fancy plumed-crest, there was a gladiator called a 'Greek' (or Illyrian?) I think, but seem to remember he only had one greave? Again the small round shield says 'slightly hamstrung'.

I don't have one of the HK dwarves for this pose, but a much nicer full-size blue chap, who must come from a bigger pose-set? I think the paint's right on the two Crescent's but I'm not sure?

Definitely a gladiator (retarius?) and having two equally colourful paint-schemes and a heavy sword, he is handicapped by the ridiculous helmet restricting vision - as it boils his brains! The Hong Kong copies are the best of a bad-bunch and some have a red belt!

So that's that box-ticked, an odd set as you've got one obvious gladiator, two probable's, a wounded man and a standard bearer, which leaves the fate of all Rome and it's mighty Empire in the hands of a man with a sharp stick! But, if the idea was to pull on the draw of the Spartacus movies, I'd say the gladiator's have this one in the bag!

Funnily enough there was a small lot on feebleBay the other day with the missing 'aitchkay' copy of RG5, but it was more than I would pay for what was two duplicates and a piece of shite, even if it was a piece of shite I'm still looking for!!