Tents, to be linen or not to be linen.

[Caballo]

"On this thread, it was observed that the main quoted direct evidence that Romans used leather tents is a reference to “sub –pellibus”, However it was also observed that while pellibus may mean leather, the closer word for leather, and especially tanned leather, is corium. a better translation for pellibus might be pelt or hide.

This led to a discussion that perhaps the meaning was that legionaries carried a hide ‘blanket’ (think along the line of buffalo robes or a lightweight lambskin rug, rather than dense heavy cowhide) that might be used alone or combined to form field shelters"

I've finally been reading Ammianus in full. Heres a possibly relevant quote from XX!X, 4, 3-5, AD 372

"No one else had a pack animal or a tent, except the emperor for whom a rug and a rough blanket sufficed for such a shelter"

"quia nex sarcinale iumentum quisquam nec tabernaculam habuit, praeter principem, cui tapete et sisyra suffecerant pro tentorio."

Also- note- not "sub pellibus", which wouldn't make sense in the context of draping a rug / blanket over a ridge pole, but tabernaculam and tentorium.

Also, here is Ammianus praising Julian.

"5. Iulianus vero absque instrumento quotiens volvit evigilavit et nocte dimidiata semper exsurgens non e plumis vel stragulis sericis ambiguo fulgore nitentibus, sed ex tapete et sisyra, quam vulgaris simplicitas susurnam appellat, occulte Mercurio supplicabat, quem mundi velociorem sensum esse, motum mentium suscitantem theologicae prodidere doctrinae: atque in tanto rerum defectu explorate rei publicae munera curabat. "

"And when the night was half over, he always got up, not from a downy couch or silken coverlets glittering with varied hues, but from a rough blanket and rug, which the simple common folk call susurna."

Now "susurna" is translated as "A coarse blanket made from the fur or hide of an animal."

So.....we have simple tents made up of blankets. These blankets may even be made of a hide- perhaps sleeping under a cow hide, as some Viking reenactors do?