The Fundazzjoni Wirt Artna (FWA) will be holding ROMANUS – Roman festival, a special event at Fort Rinella in Kalkara, for families and friends.

This annual Roman festival will be held this week-end, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22^nd March 2015, between 10.00 and 17.00hrs on each day, and will utilise the display arena at Fort Rinella.

The festival will include a combination of talks, hands-on displays, static exhibitions of weapons and equipment, food and wine tasting and large-scale re-enactments depicting different forms of Roman warfare in the field. The latter will include foot and mounted troops and for the first-time ever these will be assisted by live-firing catapult. A museum-quality period chariot will also be shown.

The entrance fee for non-FWA members will be €10 and free for children. FWA members will enter for free.

Event Programme

·         10.00am opening – Roman life lecture

·         11.00am – Swords through the ages display

·         12.00pm  – Roman food and wine tasting

·         14.00pm – Roman large formation tactics

·         15.00pm – Artillery (firing of a roman catapult) and soldier camp  training

·         16.00pm – Cavalry display

This event is being organized  together with Legio X Fretensis, a Maltese re-enactment group dedicated to the study and portrayal of the Roman Army in the 1^st Century A.D.

The army of ancient Rome was a formidable fighting force – well disciplined, organized and supplied with an array of effective and battle-proven weapons. The sword and spear were the infantryman’s main weapon, and the spectacular military successes of the Roman legions throughout Europe and the Near East lay in disciplined battlefield application and relentless training in use of these weapons.

On this occasion talks and lectures will be taking visitors in better understanding of the courage and determination Rome had to extend the Empire. The aim is to show the soldiers life in ancient history, and prowess in the use of arms and disciplined drill with different formations on foot and horses. FWA’s initiative is meant to support Legio X and promote more awareness in all aspects of Maltese history.