Chazzmak | 02 Sep 2014 10:27 a.m. PST |
I received some naked German fanatic figures recently as a gift. More cannon fodder for my EIRs'! Would they have been covered in woad tattoos. I remember seeing a paint job where entire limbs, faces and torsos were done in dark blue. Any info and source references would be greatly appreciated |
Glengarry5 | 02 Sep 2014 10:33 a.m. PST |
I think woad was used by the British celts, I don't recall it being used by Germans. |
Captain Cook | 02 Sep 2014 10:47 a.m. PST |
The Harii painted themselves black I believe, don't know if they went about naked though. |
BigRedBat | 02 Sep 2014 11:05 a.m. PST |
Woad isn't suitable a suitable dye for tattoos, and I've not read of Germans using tattoos. I have read of the black-painted Harii, though, so I'd say that's the way to go. |
Chazzmak | 02 Sep 2014 11:06 a.m. PST |
Thanks CC. Now that you mention it, the painted figures I saw looked more black than dark blue. I'll look into Harii or Hermanii I'd google naked German fanatics, but probably get nude busty serving wenches. "She who must be obeyed" would not be amused. |
Captain Cook | 02 Sep 2014 11:29 a.m. PST |
Here you go, some inspiration from Mr. Dallimore link |
morrigan | 02 Sep 2014 11:45 a.m. PST |
Thanks Captain, I'd been looking for those pictures for a while! |
Swampster | 02 Sep 2014 12:21 p.m. PST |
Incidentally, Tacitus doesn't mention nudity or the colour the skin was painted. They may have been white or grey or something else unearthly. |
TKindred | 02 Sep 2014 1:58 p.m. PST |
Tacitus may well have been mis-quoted. I, and others, believe that when the Romans said someone was fighting "naked" that it meant no armour, perhaps not even a shield. I truly cannot fathom anyone fighting naked, especially unshod, over the types of ground these armies fought over. It doesn't matter how long you've gone barefoot. Bleeding feet and bruised feet are anathema to good fighting skills. |
Chazzmak | 02 Sep 2014 1:58 p.m. PST |
Thank you gentlemen. I also read somewhere that "nude" or "naked" may have been a mistranslation for "shieldless" or "without armour". Can't remember where. Thanks for the link CC |
Black Cavalier | 02 Sep 2014 2:21 p.m. PST |
Haha, the post just before yours was about Flames of War. So reading "Naked German Fanatics" made me worried there was some new SS troop type I hadn't heard of yet. |
Sobieski | 02 Sep 2014 6:56 p.m. PST |
Be that as it may, there are also statues of naked Celtic warriors (though also of Greek ones, mind you, but that is a well-understood artistic convention based on well-enjoyed voyeurism). |
French Wargame Holidays | 03 Sep 2014 3:36 a.m. PST |
It could of been my black tree Germans link |
latto6plus2 | 03 Sep 2014 9:10 a.m. PST |
It makes sense in an ancient world view Id say. You dont wear protection because you trust your "medicine"; if you wear armour, presuming you can afford it, your medicine will fail through lack of faith. Fighting in the buff also makes you seem tougher and reduces the chance of wound infection or being grappled. So Im told…
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The Last Conformist | 03 Sep 2014 10:09 a.m. PST |
Livy's description of the naked Galatians at Mt Olympos strongly suggests actual nudity:
Their practice of always fighting naked makes their wounds more visible, and their bodies are white and fleshy as they never strip except in battle. |
Swampster | 03 Sep 2014 3:44 p.m. PST |
"Take a look at ötzi from 4000BC, the most complete body ever found… , cape, trousers, no tattoo." Apart from the 50 tattoos he has. iceman.it/en/tattoos (The same one you link to!) Not that the culture of 4000 BC is necessarily helpful for 1st century AD Germans. (This refers to Rudi's deleted comment) |
warhorse | 04 Sep 2014 6:07 p.m. PST |
Zulu Impis. Ran miles barefoot. Fought nearly naked. Their state of dress did not diminish their ferocity or hand to hand fighting ability. |
Peithetairos | 21 Oct 2014 3:47 p.m. PST |
Did the Galatians not suffer heavily because of them fighting naked? I think they thought it might be a good idea, but soon learnt that there is some point to armour. I remember a story of a Spartan that was reprimanded for fighting naked in the heroic style ;). |
TKindred | 21 Oct 2014 6:21 p.m. PST |
Regardless, I won't have naked warriors of any culture in my armies or on my gaming table. I try and recruit young adults into the hobby and I don't want nor need any miscommunications between them and their parents regarding playing games with naked soldiers, etc. |
Crazyivanov | 22 Oct 2014 6:41 p.m. PST |
I have a pet theory for naked or waist stripped Celts. The battle nudity typically seemed to happen when they fought in Italy or Greece, which are much hotter than France or Germany especially in summer. As they were from a colder climate, most of their clothes would be meant to keep them warm so, going in to battle an unarmoured Celt would probably just take it off. Later Celts, seeing the effect that fighting nude had on their enemies might have carried the concept to their brothers and so a racial stereotype was born. Of course I have no evidence to back this up, its just a theory. |
spontoon | 08 Nov 2014 5:47 p.m. PST |
@crazyivanov; I support your hypotheses! @BigRedBat; Celtic tattoos were more body painting than subcutaneous tattoos. So, woad was quite appropriate as a dye. |
mikeygees | 06 Feb 2015 8:53 p.m. PST |
Tattoos are a part of barbarism, no matter the time or place. :) |