Fortifying a Roman Camp: The Liber de munitionibus castrorum of Hyginus

[Renatus]

Duncan Campbell has published a new edition of Hyginus' Liber de munitionibus castrorum  in a Kindle version obtainable on Amazon. This comprises a new reading of the Latin text and a translation into English. After introductory chapters reviewing earlier scholarship, he sets out the Latin text paragraph by paragraph and translates each as he goes along. This format provides an excellent approach for anyone wishing to compare the Latin and English texts, rather than the alternatives of setting them out entirely separately or in parallel on alternating pages, which would probably be impractical in a Kindle edition anyway. He then provides the text of the only surviving original copy, known as 'Arcerianus', and an apparatus criticus setting out the various amendments suggested by previous scholars. Although I have not yet studied it in detail, it is bound to be superior to De Voto's translation, which Campbell diplomatically describes as 'idiosyncratic', and easier to find than Catherine Gilliver's version. which is only available to those have access to JRMES 4 (1993). It will be a significant advance in the study of Hyginus' work and, I would suggest, required reading all those interested in the layout of the Roman camp. My only criticism would be that it is not available in print form and that there is no indication that it is intended to make it so, which will be a disappointment to those, like me, who prefer to have their books in that form.