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 is Julia Sempronia.

Vestia, called Vesta
Resides: Shire of Myrtle Holt (Summits) Date Started: AS XXX OP: https://op.antirheralds.org/index.php?who=901
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-16th 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 and Marian, so she started traveling the Principality, then the Kingdom.

She's never stopped.

Area(s) of Focus

Martial

Heavy
+ Sergeant to Baroness Ceridwen 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
2006-2007 -- Defender (Heavy Champion) -- Summits, 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 Intermediate 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

Event Staff
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
current -- 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
2017-2018 -- Christian and Helene -- 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 -- Bane and Meagan -- Summits, Cupbearer
1999-2000 -- Ambrose and Marian -- Summits, guard
1999 -- W. Geoffrey & Melyssande -- Summits, guard
1998 -- Dublin and Kate -- Summits, guard
1997 -- Ambrose and Marian -- Summits, guard/lady-in-waiting


Other
2011 to current, “Russian Judge,” Egil’s Prize Bardic

Teaching

Making Minoan Women’s Dress (Collegium, Wastekeep)
Powerpoint PDFs on event thumb drive

Body Preparedness for Fighting (co-taught with Sir Ambrose, Egils, Adiantum)
Handout: https://www.facebook.com/notes/vesta-of-the-summits/body-prepardness-for-fighting/1318891068224755/

Minoan Women’s Dress (Tain Bo, Glyn Dwfn)
No handout online

Women’s Fighting Discussion Panel -- (with Taran Destingr mac Tarl’a & Marcello Fornarius, Egils, Adiantum)
Two years, freeform discussion/Q&A, no handouts

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

Silver Crucible (Summits) May 26, AS LIII / 2017
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) March 18, AS LI / 2017
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 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 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 (Summits) September 17, AS XLI / 2006 to September 15, AS XLII / 2007
Shield of the Summits (formerly called the Shield of Chivalry) 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 (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