In Roma Wargame 2017 I found this arena for gladiators made by Renato Pacotti. It was built appositely for Ferrum et Gloria. Here some photos about its realisation.

I started this blog to promote my gladiatorial rules. And my interest in gladiators is because I’m born in Roma. Everyday, on the way to work, I pass with the underground train only a few metres under the arch.

Winter suddenly followed an humid Summer. In a cold night of mid October we went to a free visit of the arena. Some light effects but nothing particularly thrilling. And a really quick visit. A different story when my father take me here at the age of 7.
I wished to visit more. Now you can access to subterraneans and terraces. There is a little exhibit too. But during the day there are too many tourists. Pity.

My friend seems the Charon god with these lights…

This isn’t a Lego Colosseum but only a ring of bricks. And it is characterised for Medieval times. In spite of all, I think that this could be a beautiful arena. Only the fact that Lego bricks are rectangular, and these ones create a ring, fascinates me. Well, it is something among a circular fortress, a fighting pit and an arena. It could become an amphitheatre with some little modifications. I found it here.

After the calendar and the Lisbon report, we return to miniatures. But this post is still related to Portugal, where this nice arena was made.

The only negative critic is that the shape is not elliptical. I like most the entrances at the terraces, but all the realisation is great. Spikes on walls too. Here we have a real Roman arena! If you speak Portuguese language, or if you use Google translator, you can know more on this arena on:
https://www.ajsportugal.org/ForumAJSP/index.php?PHPSESSID=ba695d30490c7bc6fffe48af10d42fa2&topic=169.msg686#msg686

Summer is time of holidays. And if you want a budget holiday you can go to Terni to visit your friend Andrea that needs some holidays too. So we travelled in a few days in a lot of towns, small towns and villages around Terni. This is the photographic report.

Perugia
In the first couple of days we went to Hydracon, a boardgame convention around Perugia held in a luxury hotel. No swimming pool use for games, pity. I played 5 games of Fortebraccio, and I lost all of them.

Bevagna
The last day of Mercato delle Gaite, when during a couple of weeks this town turns into a medieval town with various markets, celebrations, games, stages.

Labro
A gem all made of stones on top of the hill. A fairy village with a castle. Its calm is unreal, but all is real.

Piediluco
A lake, a small town, a past tourist vocation, the centre for agnostic rowing in Italy.

Castel Fiorentino
An Etruscan city, then a medieval city with its castle and a tower built over the ancient acropolis. And a view on the valley.

Cortona
Another Etruscan city, larger than the other one. In the local museum a great special exposition on Etruscan writing. A collection of all available Etruscan inscriptions around. Pieces that you can view on books were all concentrated here. A must see!

Castiglione del Lago
Along our road we arrived to Trasimeno Lake. Yes, that Trasimeno Lake. A hill on marshes with another Etruscan city, after a walled medieval city with its castle, after again no more marshes but only the lake. Now a pleasant tourist place. Dinner with lake view.
If you remember in a past post there was a pennant from here. If you can’t notice it, the photo is that with the girls…

Rocca Albornoz di Narni
This castle was built when on Papal coat of arms were put two keys. Over Narni. To control the city, the road, the State.

Poggio di Otricoli
Another castle, but this one is in ruins. Around a village where there is a medieval festival every year. Otherwise a bunch of small houses.

Calvi dell’Umbria
The name is something as “bald people from Umbria”. It was lunch time, it was hot, so none was around. Andrea was the only available balding person from Umbria. I’m from Lazio…

Otricoli
More hot, more hunger. No restaurants. We leave.

Otriculum
Along the road we find a bar to eat something. Surprisingly it was outside the archaeological city of Otriculum. Wrong weather (full Summer) and wrong time (two and half in the afternoon) to visit it without dying for the hot. So only a view from the bar. And this satellite photo of the local arena, with plantation inside.

Civita Castellana
It was late so we didn’t visit the castle built on a ravine. However there was this beautiful church with some marble pieces added.

Then the train for Rome, with a late in the travel almost equal to the time needed. And so these were my Summer holidays for the 2016. Maybe next year we will visit other towns in Terni surroundings.

How to build a very simple arena? If you have got some tools for woodworking, you can use them to cut some straight sections made of solid wood and plywood. The result is not pretty elliptical like an arena, but you have got 4 walls, and this could be enough to set your gladiatorial fight. The guy that made it think that these walls can be useful to recreate a fort or a fortified city. Add some paint and some external decoration made of cardboard and you can set various games inside it. It is how to build a cinematography set. To know more go here.

I found that Sergio Franchi, the miniature painter that works a lot on Andrea Sfiligoi miniature collection, realised a couple of arenas for Ferrum et Gloria. He sells them and accepts commissions to build other arenas. You can find him here: https://www.facebook.com/sergio.franchi.33

Back from the past! It was 2012 and we were in Switzerland at the Paolo’s marriage. During a visit at a castle we found, inside a large number of showcases, an exhibition of flat tin soldiers which were owned by the former landlord. While I was viewing old photos I found them, so now I show them to you. But remember, it is only part of the exhibition. When you speak about the number of soldiers that you have got, you are never sure…

Instead, for the days of that holiday, go to:
Lac Léman & Lac de Neuchatel: summer holidays
Lac Léman & Lac de Neuchatel: castles
Lac Léman & Lac de Neuchatel: weapons