Vesta Antonia Aurelia
Vestia Antonia Aurelia (called "Vesta") was a resident of Ephesus, 62 BCE. The daughter of a retired Roman soldier and a Greek mother, she stumbled into this place called "An Tir" where she can undertake gladitorial training without worrying about her father's disapproval. Over time, she has received notice from its various Praetors and Imperators, served as lanax to the Baronesses of Adiantum and has given her soldier's oath to Ambrose Mavrorothakis Cabellerios. As of Egils Tourney AS LIII, her arts patron was Julia Sempronia.
At Summits September Coronet AS LIII, she was put on vigil for the Order of the Laurel. Her elevation occurred at Egils Tourney AS LIV, in Adiantum.
 Vestia, called Vesta | |||
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| Argent, a sinister fist sable and on a chief gules a crescent Or. |
Personal History
Vesta's first event, technically, was the last Kriegstreiber, back when she was resident of Three Mountains, but not yet playing. She visited with a group of college friends. But Real Life(tm) intervened, and employment drew her to the Summits.
Her first camping event was Border War in Southmarch, during Skapti's first reign, when the Summits was a brand-new principality. It is all quite hazy, as she was still a mid-13th Century German persona (called Ilsa von Waldsee), then. However, the subsequent summer heat soon cured any ambitions of wearing A.D./C.E. clothing...
She fell in with Caversgate, and then with Adiantum. She was tapped for retinue by Ambrose_I_and_Marian_I, so she started traveling the Principality, then the Kingdom.
She's never stopped.
Laurel Elevation at Egils Tourney, AS LIV (being 2019 Gregorian)
Vigil
Vigil occurred in the Caer Lutris camp on Saturday evening, amid the torrential rain.
Coordination by Marian Staarveld and Julia Sempronia
Food by Marian Staarveld, Mauera Cethin, Trudchen von Bayern and Caer Lutris
Vigil space by Miklos filos Ambrosios
Decor by Yseult of Broceliande
Ceremony
Sunday morning Royal Court
Minoan dress, apron and wig by Vesta
Snakes by Ambrose Mavrorothakis, Taran mac Tarl'a and Vesta
Translation into Greek by Ambrose Mavrorothakis
Oath sworn on the Grail of the Summits
Belt Bearer: Shiak nicGeoch (called Deasal)
Populace Speaker: Lawrence of Damascus
Royal Peer Speaker: Marian Staarveld
Master of Defense Speaker: Piaras mac Toirdhealbhaigh
Image
Pelican Speaker: Jennet MacLachlan of Loch Fyne
Chivalry Speaker: Ambrose Mavrorothakis
Laurel Speaker: Julia Sempronia
Medallion A (legacy medallion) courtesy of Julia Sempronia
Medallion B (Minoan medallion) created by Fjorlief in Haga, beads by Phelan Tolusmiðr
Coronet (100% Shrinky Dinks(tm)) by Vesta
Scroll (wood replica of burial larnax) created by Drusa Saturnina, freedwoman of Tullia Saturnina
Text is in Linear B; transliteration of Lois McMaster Bujold quote: "Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself."
Area(s) of Focus
Martial
Heavy
Greate Booke Page: https://greatebookoffighters.blogspot.com/2017/07/588kingdom-of-tirbarony-of-myrtle.html
+ Sergeant Emerita of Adiantum
+ Squire to Viscount Sir Ambrosius Mavrorothakis
Cut-and-Thrust
Service
Event set up & break down
Feast steward or kitchen staff
Court and field heralding
Officer positions
Arts
Bronze Age clothing/garb
+ Vestal virgins
+ Sumerians
+ utter obsession for all things Minoan
Roman cooking (especially Apicius, Cato and Columella)
Bronze Age jewelry
Bardic performance
+ Elizabethan-age drama
+ Norse kennings
+ live and written storytelling
The triumph that is the Associated Press Style Guide
Competitions
Martial
2018 -- Adiantum C&T Champion -- won
2018 -- Captain of Tigers (Summits C&T Champion) -- finals
2017 -- March Summits Coronet -- finals
2016 -- C&T Champion (Premiere), Shire of Briaroak -- won
2008 July -- May Crown -- Squires' Tourney Chivalry prize, won
2006-2007 -- Defender (Heavy Champion) -- Summits, won
2006 July -- July Coronation -- Squires' Tourney Chivalry prize, won
Various branch heavy championships, won
1999-2000 -- Defender (Heavy Champion) -- Summits, won
Bardic
2017-2018 -- Briaroak Bardic Champion, won
2017 -- Tain Bo Bardic, won
2007-2008 -- Briaroak Bardic Champion, won
1997ish -- Amergin’s Revenge, won
An Tir Costumer’s Guild 12th Night Contest
2007 January -- Vestal Virgin robes and headdress
Winner of Advanced Level
2002 January -- Sumerian women’s robe and headdress, entered
1999 January -- Minoan women’s dress (Island Fever set)
Judges’ Choice
Other
2017 March -- Kingdom Arts and Sciences Championship, single entry
Entry: Minoan Women’s Dress
2001 or 2002 -- Egil’s Ithrotir, second place
Event Administration
Feast Steward
2015 April, St. Eggbert’s, Myrtle Holt (co. with Felicia of the True Layne)
2009 December, Winter Investiture, Summits (co. with Aelfric Thorfastson & Monique de Toulon)
2005 October, Samhain, Glyn Dwfn
1998 January, Hogamanay, Caversgate
Event Steward
2017 December, Winter Investiture, Summits
2001-2003 June, War College, Summits
various shire events
Event Staff
2018 May, Egil’s, Adiantum -- Site copy booklet, set up, break down
2008 May, Crown in the South, An Tir -- Site copy booklet, set up, break down
2002 May, Egil’s, Adiantum -- Site copy booklet
Leadership
Offices
2016-2018 -- Shire Exchequer -- Myrtle Holt
2016 -- Shire A&S night -- Myrtle Holt site host
2011 July -- Marshal-in-Charge -- An Tir/West War
2009-2011 -- Principality Earl Marshal -- Summits
2007-2008 -- Shire Seneschal -- Glyn Dwfn
1997ish -- Shire Chronicler -- Caversgate (branch folded)
Retinue
2021 to current -- Glyn Dwfn -- Milisandia and Piaras, Premier Coronets Court Herald
2019-2021 -- Kenric and Dagmar -- Summits, Court Herald
2018 -- Attila and Eleanor -- Summits, Cupbearer
2017-2018 -- Christian_and_Heléne -- An Tir, guard
2015 -- Tryggr and Temperance -- Summits, captain of the guard
2008-2009 -- Brian and Acacia -- Summits, guard
2008 -- Owain and Wren -- An Tir, guard
2006-2007 -- Gabriel and Avin -- Summits, guard
2001 -- Saer Bane and Meagan -- Summits, Cupbearer
1999-2000 -- Ambrose II and Marian II -- Summits, guard
1999 -- William Geoffrey and Melyssande -- Summits, guard
1998 -- Dublin and Katherine -- Summits, guard
1997 -- Ambrose I and Marian I -- Summits, guard/lady-in-waiting
Other
2019 to current -- collaborative writing Ceremonial(s) for Glyn Dwfn
Dec 2015-June 2016 -- Princess Summits with Prince Ziitos Turk
2004(ish) to current -- final TWiT of Roger the Redundant Roger of Belden Abbey
2011 to current -- “Russian Judge,” Egil’s Prize (aka "Pies") Bardic
Teaching
Women’s Fighting Discussion Panel -- (with Taran mac Tarl’a & Marcello Fornarius, Egils, Adiantum)
2015-present, freeform discussion/Q&A, no handouts
Minoan Dress for Women and Men(An Tir Collegium)
2019, 2020 (virtual)
Making Minoan Women’s Dress (An Tir Collegium, Wastekeep)
2017, 2018 Powerpoint PDFs on event thumb drive
Body Preparedness for Fighting (co-taught with Sir Ambrose, Egils, Adiantum)
2017 Handout: https://www.facebook.com/notes/vesta-of-the-summits/body-prepardness-for-fighting/1318891068224755/
Minoan Women’s Dress (Tain Bo, Glyn Dwfn)
2016 No handout online
Research
Minoan garb research
2016 Goin’ Minoan
https://www.facebook.com/VestaSummits/posts/1594300930683766
2015 A Xeste for Life
https://www.facebook.com/VestaSummits/posts/1594313797349146
1999 Island Fever
https://www.facebook.com/VestaSummits/posts/1594317574015435
Vestal virgin garb research
https://www.facebook.com/VestaSummits/posts/1594309797349546
Projects
Completed
Garb (see Research)
Summits Masque, co-authored with Jessica Denham, written for and performed at Known World A&S Symposium, 2001
Script: https://www.facebook.com/notes/577694808947888/
In-Progress
Dido of Carthage, play, Elizabethan English
Excerpt: https://vesta-aurelia.dreamwidth.org/5614.html
Personal Minoan garb, on-going
Publications
Leaflette (Shire of Myrtle Holt Newsletter)
Roman Garnet Drop Necklace 2017 April
http://myrtleholt.antir.sca.org/leaflettes/Leaflette%20Apr17.pdf
Bee-Hunter 2017 March
http://myrtleholt.antir.sca.org/leaflettes/Leaflette%20Mar17.pdf
Infula, Suffibulum and Faking the Seni Crines: The Ritual Clothing of the Vestal Virgins 2015 December
http://myrtleholt.antir.sca.org/leaflettes/Leaflette%20Dec15.pdf
A Xeste for Life: Minoan Women's Dress on Thera 2015 February
http://myrtleholt.antir.sca.org/leaflettes/Leaflette%20Feb15.pdf
Awards and Honors
Order_of_the_Laurel May 26, AS LIV / 2019
Silver Barberry (formerly called the Evergreen) (Summits) Dec 8, AS LIII / 2018
Gryphon's Paw (Summits) Dec 8, AS LIII / 2018
Silver Crucible (Summits) May 26, AS LIII / 2018
Carp Apr 28, AS LII / 2018 / 2017
Cut & Thrust Champion (Adiantum) Apr 21, AS LII / 2018
Throne's Favor of An Tir May 29, AS LII / 2017
Royal Scribal Favor May 28, AS LII / 2017
Gryphon and Spear (Summits) March 18, AS LI / 2017
Shield of the Summits (formerly called the Shield of Chivalry) (Summits) March 18, AS LI / 2017, co. with Ziitos Turk
Jambe de Lion February 25, AS LI / 2017
Gryphon's Paw (Summits) October 22, AS LI / 2016
Viscountess June 4, AS LI / 2016
Gryphon's Paw (Summits) June 4, AS LI / 2016
Order of Adiantum (Adiantum) May 29, AS LI / 2016
Princess of the Summits December 12, AS L / 2015 to June 4, AS LI / 2016
Silver Barberry (formerly called the Evergreen) (Summits) December 12, AS L / 2015
Throne's Favor of the Summits (Summits) December 12, AS L / 2015
Tanista of the Summits September 19, AS L / 2015 to December 12, AS L / 2015
Sable Gauntlet August 22, AS L / 2015
Band of Briars (Adiantum) May 24, AS L / 2015
Vanguard (Summits) May 24, AS XLVIX / 2014
Lion's Torse May 26, AS XLVIII / 2013
Silver Barberry (formerly called the Evergreen) (Summits) June 20, AS XLIV / 2009
Throne's Favor of An Tir December 13, AS XLIII / 2008
Aurei Ursi (Adiantum) May 24, AS XLIII / 2008
Vigilant Bear (Adiantum) October 6, AS XLII / 2007
Baronial Brownie (Adiantum) May 27, AS XLII / 2007
Defender (Heavy Champion) (Summits) September 17, AS XLI / 2006 to September 15, AS XLII / 2007
Shield of the Summits (formerly called the Shield of Chivalry) (Summits) March 23, AS XXXVI / 2002
Grail of the Summits - A&S (Summits) December 9, AS XXXVI/ 2001
Order of the Summits (Summits) June 23, AS XXXVI / 2001
Grail of the Summits - Martial (Summits) December 9, AS XXXV / 2000
Goutte de Sang January 1, AS XXXIV / 2000
Silver Barberry (formerly called the Evergreen) (Summits) December 11, AS XXXIV / 1999
Defender (Heavy Champion) (Summits) November 27, AS XXXIV / 1999 to June 17, AS XXXV / 2000
Grail of the Summits - Service (Summits) June 19, AS XXXIV / 1999
Sergeant (Adiantum) April 24, AS XXXIII / 1999
Silver Barberry (formerly called the Evergreen) (Summits) December 19, AS XXXIII / 1998
Award of Arms August 3, AS XXXII / 1997