Ok the year is 2006 and you wake up like you normally do each and every day, the Month is June and its nice and sunny outside, its a saturday and around 10:30am. You flip on the tv to discover that your company whom you work for has discovered time travel about 15 mins goes by as you stare at the tv watching in awe, then your phone rings, you pick it up and you hear your boss saying get down here they need you to conduct the experiment, but before you go he says you are going to be time traveling to any place, you have the first choice, but we can't let you go unless you are properly attired for the travel, so you have a $1,000 budget to get all the necessary clothing, currency and weaponry..... So where do you go and what do you choose? **oh and one more thing this is important, you can not alter history of any kind by killing off any key historical figures, like going to before world war I and killing Hitler etc...**

Me... I choose to outfit myself in some nice clothing and take with me my darkwood armory rapier, i'll convert any of my left over currency into that years currency and bring it with me, i'm heading to France in the year 1630

My original post was way off-topic (dwelling on the relative value of salt :D ) so I'll retract that and simply note that the prospective Time Bandit should be aware that sumptuary laws and prohibitions against carrying certain weapons in certain places could create some unpleasantness. Arrive wearing the wrong colors, fabrics or weapons, and it could be a very short trip.

Any responses to this should try to keep this topic related to arms and armour.

Kind of interesting that the swords/armour that I like best fall into periods that I would not much care to visit.
I would want to avoid much of the medieval period, for instance (nasty plagues, among other unpleasant things). I might choose Rome under Vespasian, 1st (or 2nd?) century. Running water, law and order, all that good stuff. Unfortunately I have no gear for then...

My other comment would be that $1000 is WAY too small a budget if you want to "be" anything other than a common poor person. You really would want custom tailored, all hand stitched clothing, boots, etc, and that would eat up at least the $1000. If you were going to be even moderately rich, you need some nice jewelry ...

Really good reproduction stuff that could be actually passed off as "local goods" requires an amazing amount of research and labor.

We'd have to assume that the "time window" allows us to research local spatial-temporal conditions before we go back, otherwise (eg Timeline) we could be stepping into a mess.
And while I wouldn't try to assassinate A. Hitler, I wouldn't mind trying to rally the armies of the Khwarazm Shah in the 13th century. :-)

If I was going to choose, though, I'd probably pick one of the Eastern Hellenistic cities around 300-250 BC. They were used to a wide range of travellers from many different cultures, and wouldn't look to askance at any reasonable attire or equipment for the period.
I'd keep clothing simple: natural linen tunic, good Persian trousers with boots, and a sturdy wool cloak.
Simple leather belt, belt knife, and a quarterstaff/walking stick.

If my research department had more money, I'd go with a fine black gelding, silks, and akenakes and bow.
A short course in intensive ancient Greek or Koine wouldn't hurt, either. :-)

Maybe I would go to late Republican Rome. I could bring my Mainz Gladius, I suppose. As for clothing, I would simply not want to "stand out" in a crowd - not poor, but not rich either. I think my very rusty Latin would come back to me. I would want to bring along a first aid kit (antibiotics, aspirin, etc.), and a small, easily stashable pistol.

How long is the duration of the little assignment, anyway? Will this assignment be like the last one? Are you saying that I wasn't supposed to 'off' that Julius Caesar guy?

hmmm....

Choices choices...
kevlar body armour, 2 kgs of exotic spices... A well stocked medecine bag...
And back to the 18th century.
Plenty of opportunities for adventure. And a average height of 155 cm...

or, of course, the 13th cent, so I could bring all my reenactment equipment.

Or, the height of the roman empire... Mail armour AND a average height of 155cm...

:) Oyeah!
One real good kevlar body armour underwear and daily clothings for 8th century scandinavia,
whit just a Rangla on a stick :eek: and of to battle of Brávelli í eystra Gautlandi :cool:
and tell them that Odin sent me to witness the battle :p

Why would you want kevlar body armor? It blocks bullets (blunt impact), not blades. Don't think it would stop arrowheads either. As for me, I'd take 13th century Scandinavia. Live a quiet life at home, and go out raiding every so often to make a little cash...

As for time wise on how long you are there, we could say you are there for a entire, but you have a emergency tablet which will automatically transport you back to your own time if for some strange reason you need to go back in a hurry.

Kevlar is a NoGo against thrusting tools, but slashing it's not bad. A broadhead might stop if it struck at low angle, but I wouldnt put money on it. Stick to viking era, avoid spears, and you'll be ok. If the plague, famine, or the Huns don't get you.

I would probably go back to the time of the Sumerians. With....An armour plated battle rhino! :D

Actually I would probably try to live as an 11th century viking, try to snag a position as a blacksmith's apprentice. If that failed, then hey raids are always good too. :)