Roman Camp.

[Gaius Octavius]

When I look at the layout of a Roman camp, it seems to be strictly for the soldiery. Where did traders, slavers, 'camp followers', armorers, farriers, etc., stay? Inside or outside of the camp? Where were engineers, surveyors, doctors, field hospital, ambulances, wagon train, artillery, etc., located? Since the cavalry generally consisted of men from the 'higher' orders, be they Latin, allied, or mercenary, where were they located?

[Klingan]

The engineers, surveyors, doctors, field hospital, ambulances, wagon train, artillery, etc were parts of the normal legionnaires, they had secondary duties.

 

The camp followers would live outside the camp, there are lots written about females who were attached but not married to men and that lived outside the camp.

 

I believe the cavalry had it's place inside the camp, I'm not sure thou. That's the impression Bellum Gallicum has given me so far.

[Melvadius]

Klingon the book you need to read is Miller and DeVito's 1994 translation of Polybius and Pseudo-Hyginus "Fortification of the Roman Camp, ,Chicago, Ares.

 

In this book Pseudo-Hyginus uses the example of a mixed force including the Emperor his bodyguard and a mixed force of allied tribes to describe how a marching camp would be layed out:

 

There is too much information to really break it down here and there is only limited indexing but a few items may be relevant including in he opening paragaph stating:

 

'...One tent takes up 10 feet, an increase of tent size takes up 2 feet [and] shelters 8 men. A full century has 80 men; there will be 10 tents, which run 120 feet in length. Indeed in regard to the half-lane's width of 30 feet, 10 feet are allowed for the tent 15 feet for the weapons [and] 8 feet for the pack animals, [hence] there are 24 feet...'

 

Paragraph 16 mentions horsemen being allocated 3 feet of space while paragraph 29 along with descriptions of mixed allied tribal units disposition in the camp mentions camels being allocated 5 feet along with their riders.

 

Polybius obviously trying to describe a Republican period force isn't as exact in his measurements as Pseudo-Hyyginus but in describing the tribunes tents in para 27 states that:

 

"The tribunes tents are ranged in a right line, which is parallel to the chosen side of the square, and fifty feet away from this side. The intervening area is occupied by their horses, their pack animals and other baggage."

 

Para 31 is fairly extensive and somewhat confusing but states [in my view possibly hopefully or unrealistically] that the "rampart is 200 feet away from tents on every side" it goes on to mention that in this open area used to sort out troops before leaving the camp "all the spoils and animals that are captured from the enemy are kept safe at night".

 

BTW most mentions of camp followers relate to vici that became established around permanent forts although I believe that one of the issues with the loss of the three legions with Varus was the fact that as the legions had been based in the same location for several years they did have camp followers moving along with them.

Edited January 7, 2008 by Melvadius

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

Here's a pretty good layout of a Roman camp.

 

http://www.roman-empire.net/army/camp2.html

 

Wikipedia also gives a pretty good description ins and outs of a Roman camp.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castra

[Klingan]

BTW most mentions of camp followers relate to vici that became established around permanent forts although I believe that one of the issues with the loss of the three legions with Varus was the fact that as the legions had been based in the same location for several years they did have camp followers moving along with them.

 

Very good point I should have mentioned the longterm side of the phenomena.

 

Klingon the book you need to read is Miller and DeVito's 1994 translation of Polybius and Pseudo-Hyginus "Fortification of the Roman Camp, ,Chicago, Ares.

 

GO! You have spread my evil nickname to yet another innocent user!

[Melvadius]

Klingon the book you need to read is Miller and DeVito's 1994 translation of Polybius and Pseudo-Hyginus "Fortification of the Roman Camp, ,Chicago, Ares.

 

GO! You have spread my evil nickname to yet another innocent user!

 

Sorry KlingAn a slight mistype I blame the spell 'chequer' that I should have been using.

[Klingan]

Sorry KlingAn a slight mistype I blame the spell 'chequer' that I should have been using.

 

No worries I'm just raging my personal war against the great Pater Arcanae (I liked him more as consul somehow, actually Servi wasn't bad either ).

 

Anyway no further off topic for me here. If a moderator finds this inappropriate please remove it.

[Kosmo]

When legion camps became fixed the outside settlements -canabae- grew in real cities. They often received city rights like municipia and became fortified.

[Melvadius]

Here's a pretty good layout of a Roman camp.

 

http://www.roman-empire.net/army/camp2.html

 

Wikipedia also gives a pretty good description ins and outs of a Roman camp.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castra

 

 

I agree that both provide good information although froma glance through the Wikipedia site I think it is more aimed at permanent camps rather than the temporary marching camps.

 

I did find another site of interest which provides illustrations as well as the calculations and related information showing how a marching camp may have been laid out (which refers at least in part to Pseudo-hyginus):

 

http://www.garyb.0catch.com/camp3_dimensio...dimensions.html

[Gaius Octavius]

http://www.garyb.0catch.com/camp3_dimensio...dimensions.html

 

That is quite a site!