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Dinner Time
#16
Marcus Mummius, unfortunately I buy the cheese apple-smoked...

Volker, I know it sounds nice - and it is! After a full day in the arena, its great to eat well and drink well. But during the day, just some dried or smoked foods to nibble. Its the same on our long marches (another Hadrians Wall march coming up soon) we eat basic rations on the march, but cook something nice, but authentic and filling in the evening.

I suppose I could really do the authentic rations for this walk, including hardtack, bacon/lard, smoked cheese. I took posca on one of the 12 mile marches.
~ Paul Elliott

The Last Legionary
This book details the lives of Late Roman legionaries garrisoned in Britain in 400AD. It covers everything from battle to rations, camp duties to clothing.
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#17
How was posca as a beverage on a long march? It's nice enough to sample, but I wondered how it would feel to drink vinegared water after a few hours of exertion. Never done that.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
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#18
It was good stuff, almost like drinking dilute fruit juice. It was mostly water, with a healthy dash of red wine, and a small dash of red wine vineager. When hanging on to my spear, panting for breath, feet aching, that posca tasted delicious - zingy, zesty, that cut through the exhaustion - I liked it. As a camp drink, I'd have to get used to it, but it would be OK, I'm sure. Something else to try this weekend. My son isn't staying with me on this event, so I will go 'as on the march', sleeping on deerskin, marching rations for supper.

Damn you all :roll: I was looking forward to my Pullum Frontinianum and spicy mince burgers with juniper berries Big Grin
~ Paul Elliott

The Last Legionary
This book details the lives of Late Roman legionaries garrisoned in Britain in 400AD. It covers everything from battle to rations, camp duties to clothing.
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#19
:?: Hmm... what's the best way to store drinks? I mean, there weren't canteens then, were there? What about back at camp -- is there a store of amphoras filled with water, etc? As I'm assuming there aren't any huge bottles of Gatorade lying around. :wink:

:oops: Sorry if my question sound stupid, I'm just curious.
Sara T.
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Courage is found in unlikely places. [size=75:2xx5no0x] ~J.R.R Tolkien[/size]
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#20
Quote::?: Hmm... what's the best way to store drinks? I mean, there weren't canteens then, were there? What about back at camp -- is there a store of amphoras filled with water, etc? As I'm assuming there aren't any huge bottles of Gatorade lying around. :wink:

Ain't no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid answers, and I do those on this forum.

The thing is, we don't know how the Romans would have solved the problem. There were, of course, containers they could have used. Buckets (metal and wood, and probably also straw, fabric and leather), pottery amphorae and dolia as well as canteens, wooden casks, waterskins and, of course, the (in)fampous metal canteen. On the march I'd choose a waterskin, gourd or wooden container if I didn't have a metal canteen. I have a gourd that works just fine and a lathe-turned wooden bottle that I think I destroyed last winter by storing it badly. Carried the gourd with me everywhere I went at a very hot event this summer to uphold the Romans' bad reputation, too.

For larger quantities, every permanent camp would have had a cistern, well or aqueduct. Since we can't make those portable, we need to guesstimate our own solution with what is available. I have a seven-litre coarseware pottery container with rope loops (it looks more medieval than ancient but it does the job), and if the well is too far away, I hide a 20l plastic canister in the tent. A bucket, original-size amphora or small cask would do just as well. Of course a waterskion is most likely given it's what depictions of pack animals frequently show, but I haven't found any way to get or make those.
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!

Volker Bach
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#21
I've read that when camp was to be pitched, particularly if for more than overnight, a watersource was one of the criteria. A stream of running water, a lake, whatever, would be near enough that water could be available for the troops. I'm sure that on the march, there would be opportunities to refill one's personal water jug, too. It just makes too much sense not to be so.

A horse, for example, might drink 4 or 5 gallons at a time. There would have to be a place to water them, if they were to be expected to do any work. An ala of 120 horsemen would likely be augmented by extra mounts, so figure 1000 gallons of water per day. Hard to carry that much water; it would have to be available in situ.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
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#22
I have two waterskins (one pint and a four pint) both wth modern liners. These are used on the arena or around the camp, and on marches. Usually, when arriving at a site, we all fill buckets or amphora with water and put them outside our tents, topping up our cups or waterskins.
~ Paul Elliott

The Last Legionary
This book details the lives of Late Roman legionaries garrisoned in Britain in 400AD. It covers everything from battle to rations, camp duties to clothing.
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#23
Ah, that makes sense ... waterskins, amphora, buckets, etc, but with modern sensibities. Smile

Thanks for the insight Carlton, David, Paul!

Also, i just realized there was an article about Soldiers' Food in the latest issue of Ancient Warfare. I think there's a couple of bread and porridge recipes in it, so check it out.
Sara T.
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Courage is found in unlikely places. [size=75:2xx5no0x] ~J.R.R Tolkien[/size]
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#24
speaking of which, what is cilantro?
gr,
Jeroen Pelgrom
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I would rather have fire storms of atmospheres than this cruel descent from a thousand years of dreams.
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#25
It's coriander, a spice/herb. The leaves are called Cilantro in some languages, or Chinese parsley, the seeds are called coriander.

Tasty stuff.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
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#26
Cilantro is a type of herb. It is sometimes called Coriander. Smile
It is in many Thai and Mexican dishes. Yummy.
Sara T.
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Courage is found in unlikely places. [size=75:2xx5no0x] ~J.R.R Tolkien[/size]
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#27
oh, Coriander - i have that in my kitchen!
gr,
Jeroen Pelgrom
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I would rather have fire storms of atmospheres than this cruel descent from a thousand years of dreams.
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#28
Wes,

Have you read Christian Koepfer's article about Roman foods in the latest issue of Ancient Warfare magazine. It has a few ideas on foodstuffs and how to make a few simple items.

Myself...I usually have simple items such a cheese (homemade..not yellow), unlevened wheat breads, olives, apples, dried fruits, and for meat, salted pork (not the stuff you buy at the store, real brine soaked pork) and for a special meal, beef or oxen steaks.

If you really want to try an interesting meal, try hedgehog (I havn't tried this one though...):

http://www.independent.co.uk/living/foo ... 961286.ece

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... to=newsnow

Yummy!
Roman Name: Gaius Marcius Gracilis

AKA: Mark Headlee
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#29
I just finished making 2 loaves of bread based on the Pompeii type round loaf. I was out of Spelt flour, so I used Whole Wheat flour for one, and a half wheat, half white flour mix for the other. Looks tasty! My youngest got a kick out of helping. That will be served tonight with some grilled fish, olives, and probably a salad. Made a nice batch of beef pull-apart too. I am going to get fat with all of this research!!

I read the article in Ancient Warfare too. Looks like more cooking!! I am now looking for a local source of goat. I wonder if the city would freak out if I used one in the yard for summer, and for my belly in the winter???
Titvs Calidivs Agricola
Wes Olson

Twas a woman that drove me to drink, and I never thanked her. W.C. Fields
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#30
i have heard of a chick peas and lentils porridge recipe being a campaign style meal. has anyone else?


caius matinius mattius
chris mattingly
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