Historical reenactment is a risky hobby. If done correctly, you look insanely cool and you get to feel like one of your ancestors, fighting against barbarians or Hitler, but without any of the actual horrors of war. If reenactment is done poorly, you’re just… a guy in a costume standing out in a field.

Either way, failure or victory, we have respect for these simulators of valor. The best pics are of Roman soldiers since those have to be pretty elaborate no matter how regular the guy wearing it is. There are also some niche military positions you wouldn’t expect, like a radio operator with genuine equipment, a German navy man, and a Viking lord decked out in gold scales, like some sort of royal Scandinavian salmon.

It’s cool, fascinating, and occasionally very silly. Here are some photos of history – taken on an iPhone by bored girlfriends who respect a passion for the past.