The Carnuntum Archeology Park hosts reenactment festivals with shows about Roman military routines and civic customs several times yearly. Numerous friend societies of Roman history provide visitors with broad information and even Roman food.
Testudo Formation
Probably the most iconic Roman military tactic is the tortoise (testudo) formation. At least, if you are a fan of the Asterix comic album series. In this part of a show at a Carnuntum festival, a reenactment group presents how such a formation develops.
Ancient Ballista (reconstruction)
Such a ballista looks dangerous. Reenactment shooters present how powerful this weapon was. Personally, I was disappointed about the effective reach. To learn about the physics of a torsion engine was interesting, anyway.
Ancient Groma (reconstruction)
But then I saw a groma for the first time. This tool fascinated me even more. Reenactment surveyors presented how to stake out lines, squares and rectangles in the landscape. They even showed how the ancient Romans calculated the width of a river without crossing the waters.
Roman Fashion Show
Fashion shows are another appreciated event during Carnuntum festivals. During such presentations, people hear about different dresses in Roman history. That way, the audience also learns how many steps are needed to put on a traditional toga.
Roman Wedding Show
A presentation of a Roman wedding told me that the bride has to be veiled. While watching the ceremony, two other thoughts came to my mind: The bridegroom looks very confident, whereas the lady in the blue dress seems to have a dark presentiment.