R is for Roma in Resin

Another purchase, a while ago now, was these resin Romans also going un-bid, on a low start price which I snapped up, as I've so much resin now I've stopped resisting its inexorable advance into the tubs of polymer loveliness! I am resisting 3D prints instead; 10,000 sculpts in any scale you want? That way madness lies!

A Centurion, three Legionaries, a pair of Gladiators (two Murmillo/Thraex types I think), and three members of the Vatican Guard, who may be modern or historical, I'm not sure if they've worn the same uniform for ever or if it was re-introduced at some point for ceremonials? As a lot they reminded me of some of the stuff we saw courtesy of Brian B in this post, and clearly are of that ilk - tourist souvenirs.

The Centurion; nothing special and at around 45/50mm they won't fit that closely with many of the others in the Roman tub, although the thick bases will help lift them into the ranks. All manufactured in a rather pallid flesh-tone resin, and being not well made (like a lot of this tourist stuff), they have the look of the undead about them!

The Troops; and indeed a repaint would improve the lot of them considerably, the throwing-weapon shafts are steel wire, so the odd lengths (see first image) make no sense beyond a lack of duty of care in the manufacture, and the four ancient soldiers are marked on the front-edge of the base 'Roma', Italian for Rome, so obviously tourist keepsakes.

The Gladiators;, improved by A) apparently having a better/different sculptor who fed them properly, B) having all-over paint including the flesh and C), being irregulars! I like these two, and not having Rome on the base may have come from somewhere else, there are lots of visitable circus arenas', beyond the Coliseum? But one suspects they were all bought together!

The Vatican 'Swiss; or Papal Guard; they have a flag-stone pattern on their bases, no title (not enough room for 'Guardia Vaticana'!) and some odd-looking pole-arms which should be beefeater-type halberds, but are all three different, in two cases due to short-shotting; they are resin, not the metal of the Roman Infantry, and again, poor quality control is to blame.

Having picked them all to pieces (it's the nature of this rough resin), I still like them, the Vatican Guard are unusual, they all add to the whole, and they were cheap!