Why Ancient Civilizations Get Shortchanged by Modern Reenactment

I was standing in a muddy field in Catalonia, watching a medieval knight clank by in chainmail. You're one of thousands at a reenactment event. Having a great time. Now try to find a similar event dedicated to ancient Rome, or to the Iberians who lived on that same land before the Romans arrived. Much harder. That's not a random observation—it's a pattern I see across the reenactment world, and it bothers me. Why do ancient civilizations get so little attention in historical reenactment, and should we care?

The medieval stranglehold on reenactment

A study of 115 annual reenactment events in Catalonia found that half of them—50%—are set in the medieval era. Staggering concentration. Contemporary events come next at 23%, then modern at 12%, and ancient Rome at just 11%. All of antiquity—Rome included—accounts for barely a tenth of the reenactment calendar. Prehistory, Ancient Greece, and Iberian culture together make up fewer than 4% of the total (EXARC Journal 2019/1). So if you're a fan of the Bronze Age or the Iron Age, you're essentially out of luck. That narrows our collective imagination about the past. Reenactment isn't just entertainment; it's how a lot of people first encounter history in a visceral way. If the menu is 50% medieval, we're telling a very partial story.

Some might argue that medieval reenactment is simply more popular because it's more accessible—easier to costume, more familiar from fantasy films, more family-friendly. I get that. But accessibility shouldn't be an excuse for neglect. The same Catalonia study found that experimental archaeology activities—perfect for ancient technologies like flint knapping or bronze casting—are virtually non-existent, appearing in under 5% of event proposals. Missed opportunity to connect people with the deep past through hands-on craft. I'd love to see a town council in Catalonia fund a weekend of Neolithic tool-making instead of yet another medieval market. The infrastructure is already there: 70% of reenactment events are instigated directly by town councils, and the total annual budget across all events is around 3 million euros (EXARC Journal 2019/1). Redirecting even a sliver of that money toward ancient themes could diversify the offering without breaking the bank.

What we lose when we skip antiquity

When ancient civilizations are sidelined, we lose more than just variety. We lose the chance to understand the foundations of later societies. The Romans, for instance, built the roads, aqueducts, and legal systems that medieval Europe inherited. The Iberians, Celts, and Greeks who populated the Mediterranean left behind art, language, and trade networks that shaped everything after. If reenactment focuses almost exclusively on the medieval period, it presents history as a sudden flowering of knights and castles, disconnected from the millennia that preceded it. That's not just inaccurate—it's intellectually lazy. I'd go further: it's a failure of curation. Reenactors and event organizers have a responsibility to represent the past in all its breadth, not just the parts that sell the most tickets.

And let's not pretend that ancient reenactment can't draw a crowd. The Battle of Evesham Medieval Festival in the UK attracted an estimated 60,000 visitors and more than 1,000 reenactors from across Europe (British Library oral history). That's a medieval event, yes, but it proves that people will travel for immersive history. There's no reason a well-publicized Roman legionary camp or a Greek hoplite muster couldn't do the same. The appetite is there; the supply isn't. In the UK, reenactment as a leisure activity emerged in the 1970s and has grown from around 15,000 volunteers in the mid-1990s to over 18,000 today (British Library oral history). That growth shows the hobby is healthy—but it's also an opportunity to steer new recruits toward underrepresented periods. If I were running a reenactment society, I'd actively recruit for ancient impressions, because that's where the biggest gaps are.

The ancient world is not a niche

Some readers might think ancient civilizations are inherently niche—that only diehard classicists care about them. I disagree. Look at the global fascination with ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome in museums, films, and video games. The public appetite for antiquity is enormous. The problem is that reenactment hasn't caught up. Part of that is logistical: ancient kit can be expensive and hard to source, and there are fewer established groups to join. But part of it is also inertia. The medieval template is well-worn, with established supply chains for costumes, weapons, and camping gear. Ancient reenactment requires more DIY effort. That's a barrier, but not an insurmountable one. In fact, the DIY aspect could be a draw for the maker movement—people who enjoy crafting their own gear. I'd argue that the reenactment community should embrace experimental archaeology as a bridge to ancient periods. The Catalonia study shows that such activities are almost absent from events; changing that would require a cultural shift, but it's one worth making.

Another factor is funding. Town councils, which instigate most events, tend to favor medieval fairs because they have a proven economic model—they attract tourists and fill hotels. Ancient events don't have the same track record, so they're seen as riskier. But that's a chicken-and-egg problem. If no one tries, no one will know. I'd like to see a pilot program in a region like Catalonia, where the infrastructure is already in place, to test the waters with a series of ancient-themed events. The total budget for all reenactment events in Catalonia is around 3 million euros per year (EXARC Journal 2019/1); carving out even 10% for ancient themes would be a meaningful experiment. If it works, it could be replicated elsewhere.

My recommendation: diversify or stagnate

So what's my recommendation? It's simple: reenactment organizers, funders, and participants should make a conscious effort to broaden the chronological scope of events. That means actively commissioning ancient-themed reenactments, supporting experimental archaeology, and marketing them to the same audiences that flock to medieval fairs. I'm not saying we should abandon medieval events—they're popular for good reasons. But a healthy ecosystem needs diversity. The current imbalance—50% medieval, under 4% for Prehistory, Ancient Greece, and Iberian culture combined—is not healthy. It's a monoculture. And monocultures are vulnerable. If audience tastes shift, or if funding priorities change, the whole scene could suffer. A more balanced portfolio would be more resilient and more intellectually honest.

I also think reenactors themselves should take some initiative. If you're a medieval reenactor, consider branching out into an ancient impression. The skills are transferable—camp craft, combat, cooking—and the research can be deeply rewarding. You might find that the ancient world offers richer material for storytelling, from the politics of the Roman Republic to the daily life of a Celtic village. And if you're a newcomer to reenactment, don't assume you have to start with medieval. Look for ancient groups, or start one. The barrier to entry might be higher, but the payoff is a more complete engagement with the past.

Ultimately, this isn't just about hobby preferences. It's about how we remember and represent human history. Ancient civilizations are not a prelude to the "real" history of the Middle Ages; they are fascinating, complex societies in their own right. By neglecting them, we impoverish our understanding of the past and deprive audiences of experiences that could be just as thrilling as any knightly tournament. I'd like to see a future where a family can spend a summer weekend visiting a Roman fort one month and a medieval castle the next—and where both are equally easy to find. That's a future worth working toward.

So here's my takeaway: the reenactment world has a medieval blind spot, and it's time to correct it. Start by supporting ancient-themed events in your area, or better yet, help organize one. The tools and knowledge are available; what's missing is the will. Let's not let another generation grow up thinking history began with the Battle of Hastings.

Sources

• EXARC Journal 2019/1 (Catalonia study PDF) - https://www.exarc.net/sites/default/files/2026-02/Current%20Trends%20in%20Annual%20Historical%20Re-Enactments%20Events%20in%20Catalonia.%20Uses%20of%20Cultural%20Heritage%20_%20The%20EXARC%20Journal.pdf
• British Library oral history - https://www.bl.uk/stories/blogs/posts/re-enactments-authentic-history-or-just-dressing-up
• EXARC / Catalonia reenactment study - https://dev.exarc.net/issue-2019-1/int/current-trends-annual-historical-re-enactments-events-catalonia