Roman Forts Had A Woman's Touch

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Women lived and worked in Roman military forts, according to a telltale trail of lost hairpins and beads. This dispels the notion the forts were male-only domains, says archaeologist Dr Penelope Allison of the Australian National University. She presents her analysis of the archaeological record at the Australasian Archaeometry Conference in Canberra this week.

 

full Article at here.

[Sextus Roscius]

well, there is no doubt that they lived outside the forts and followed the armies. Perhaps the camp prefect would get bored and decide to let the soldiers enjoy themselves or simply they had slaves around. Who knows, I don't.

[Lacertus]

It's not so latest news. It's a just another confirmation of known facts. Many different "only for women" things were found in the similar places (spindles, combs, hair-pins and women jewelry). Besides them there were children's toys carved from wood. Well, Roman soldiers were simply men and life inside fort was like life in an usual settlement.

Edited December 14, 2005 by Lacertus

[Princeps]

I'd have to agree, there's no myth to be dispelled here. Just type "vindolanda" into google for starters. In fact-

 

http://vindolanda.csad.ox.ac.uk/exhibition/index.shtml

[Germanicus]

The Vindolanda tablets are the best source for anyone wanting to know about daily life and interaction in a Imperial period fort, in the soldiers, their wives and slaves own words. From the commanding officers and their wives (who lived with them), down to a grunts slave, I find it hard to believe there aren't more threads about them....now thats something.. mmmm.

[Pertinax]

Perhaps Australian female academics dont get out much.