THE ROAR – Weekly Bulletin – June 16, 2017

Why is there a XIII on the back collar of the jersey?

On my ride last Sunday, I received a question from fellow rider, Coco, that was so simple and innocent as though it had come from a baby’s lips.  “Sandro, why is there a 13 on the back of our collars?”

I was struck by the question for it was the first time that it had been asked although he bore the very jersey with the 13 on his own back and so have we all for the last 4 years. When I grinned, Frank Mazzuca turned his head (it was his jersey that we were looking at) and said, “Oh no, and now for the rest of the story.”

The Short Answer:

The present jersey design of gold on burgundy was established in 2013.  Hence the 13 on the back collar.  This design is the second jersey in the club’s history.  The original Sunday Best from 2012 was white with gold and burgundy swooshes and a large lion on the back.

The Long Answer:

Coco, the long answer seldom has anything to do with the short answer.  The year 2013 is a mere coincidence (or better, a God-incidence).

The 13 or better yet, THE THIRTEEN, is in Roman numeral form.  It is not “13”, but it is “XIII”.  It refers to the 13th Legion of Rome.  If we had wanted to denote the year of the design, we would have done it with a simple “2013”.  Instead, we chose “XIII”.

The colours of the jersey – gold on burgundy – are the colours of the Republic of Venice as well as those of Rome.  Although Venice did not exist in Roman times, the Veneto people did and they were friends and allies of Rome.  As one person put it, Rome was invited to dinner one evening and she never left. 

 Legio Tertia Decima, the 13th Legion, was founded by Julius Caesar and its mascot or emblem was the lion.  The ensign was a burgundy standard with a gold lion.  So, Coco, is it coming together now?

The THIRTEEN in War

The 13^th Legion was one of the most famous in Roman history.  It was the Legion that Julius Caesar famously used to cross the Rubicon, a small stream that delineated the northern limit of the Republic.  Beyond the Rubicon were the provinces of Rome.  Anyone who marched an army on the this side of the Rubicon also marched his army onto Rome and by its very nature, this was an act of treason punishable by hanging on a cross.  To cross the Rubicon in modern lexicon means to go beyond a point of no return.  Dare to cross and you must finish the deed.  Caesar and Legio XIII rolled the dice and eventually conquered Rome.

 The THIRTEEN also distinguished itself during the Gallic wars (in modern day France) where she helped to defeat the Gauls at Alesia and finally establish Roman dominance.  The Romans were outnumbered 4 to 1.  However, with Caesar’s cunning and the THIRTEEN’s valour and perseverance, they prevailed.

The THIRTEEN In Peace

Now Coco, we don’t want to seem to be glorifying war all the time – not in today’s politically correct bubble wrap society.  So the here is some civic work performed by the Thirteen.  While Pro-Consul of northern Italy, Caesar had the Thirteen build a shopping centre in the northeast.  It was called Forum Julii or Julius Centre.  The people of the area bastardized the Forum Julii to For’ Julii or “Foriuli” and eventually this became Friuli.  All our friends from Friuli owe some sort of debt (or at least an acknowledgement) to the Thirteen.

As well, while in France, the soldiers of the Thirteen picked up a new trick from the Gauls.  Like most cultures, the Gauls mined salt – one of the most precious materials of the age, but they also had an abundance of game.  They began to not just preserve meat, but to do so on the bone by using the hind quarters of deer and boar.  A hind leg of boar is nothing more than a prosciutto.  When they built the Shops of Julius in Friuli, they left the locals the new technique of making prosciutto and so was born a new industry that today we know as Prosciutto San Daniele and for that we all owe a debt of gratitude to the THIRTEEN.

The THIRTEEN Leaves No One Behind

Coco, you know that at the VCC we pride ourselves in the fact that we take care of each other and we never leave anyone behind (unless they’re a real a–hole).  This is the code of many military institutions (which we do not celebrate because we are politically correct).  Now click on this link to a clip from the HBO series “Rome”.  Titus Pullo is about to be executed by 3 gladiators and he is willing to die until they piss on the THIRTEEN.  His former comrade Lucius Vorenus comes to his aid because they once belonged to the THIRTEEN.

Now if you can get beyond the impaling, maiming, beheading, amputations and gore, you can appreciate the valour, perseverance, comradery and solidarity of the unit. Know this Coco, that should you ever find yourself on your back and not wearing the Sunday Best, just cry out “Thirteen” and someone will be there. (I don’t know if they’ll help, but they’ll be there).
LINK:  Don’t Piss on the Thirteen
(Warning: This is graphic.  Avert your eyes if you are a PCer or faint of heart or weak of stomach)