The fort as a prison???

[Amethyst_ice]

Hello,

Been a while, in quick update I recieved a 2.1 for the essay I submitted with help from everyone and am now in my 3rd year, have decided to look at fort distribution and lack of Roman archaeology in Herefordshire for my dissertation (very simplified summary) so anyone with any help message me

I have taken on a roman army as a community seminar and am due to lead a presentation on Monday, however what I have been asked to present is a totally different view to what I am used to so thought I would put these questions to you to try "broaden" my thinking"

I have been asked-

First: how are the gradations of Roman society reflected and perpetuated in the provision of accommodation for officers and men. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is take the plan of a fortress such as Inchtuthil and work out the square area (in metres or feet) allowed to: a contubernium of 8 men; their centurion; the centurions of the 1st cohort; the tribunes; the legionary legate. This exercise can also be done for an auxiliary fort such as Elginhaugh.

Second: From Simon James 'a military base - in my view commonly designed more with surveillance and control of the soldiers in mind than with external functions or defence against perceived external threats.' what was the threat from the soldiers and can the layout of an Inchtuthil or an Elginhaugh be read in this way?

[Renatus]

Time is a bit short, if you have to deliver your presentation on Monday, but taking the area allocated to each rank is an excellent way of demonstrating the gradations of Roman society within the army. Even better, if you have time to research it, is to apply those areas to modern types of housing. This was done several years ago by a friend of mine at the Durham Roman Army course (this thread may interest you). I am relying upon someone else's review of the lecture but, so far as I have it, he calculated that an eight-man contubernium would occupy the equivalent of one floor of a modern semi-detached house, a centurion would have the equivalent of three semi-detached houses and a legionary legate's praetorium would be roughly the size of an eighteenth century gentleman's country house.

Regarding Simon James' comment, I suspect that it is not so much that the soldiery were any sort of threat but more a matter of discipline and making sure that they were where they ought to be and not swanning off to the local taverns and brothels or, worse, engaging in any private business enterprises. I am not sure that layout would help but, if there were eight men in a contubernium, it would pretty soon be noticed if anyone were missing.

[D B Campbell]

Second: From Simon James 'a military base - in my view commonly designed more with surveillance and control of the soldiers in mind than with external functions or defence against perceived external threats.' what was the threat from the soldiers and can the layout of an Inchtuthil or an Elginhaugh be read in this way?

Probably too late now -- sorry! -- but this post might be relevant here.

[Amethyst_ice]

Thanks all, i missed the lecture due to a family emergency but it is helpful for my dissertation, actually quite interested in it now! cheers guys