Carrying equipment for auxiliaries?

[Appius Solanius Pertinax]

I hope that some of you will be able to help me. Right now I'm putting together kit for a semi-romanized auxiliary. He's a light/medium infantry guy, whose main job is to guard the flanks of his 2nd century legion, serving in provinces such as Raetia, and putting together his combat gear is not that difficult. Auxiliary chainmail, helmet, gladius, spear, shield... But while enough sources describe the wargear of auxiliary troops, the rest of their equipmnet is often ignored. And the one thing I have troubles with is his carrying equipment. So when I began researching it it I got me thinking not just about my equipment but about auxiliaries' in general...

The question is pretty simple: how did the auxiliaries carry their equipment on marches? Is there a book out there that describes such non-combat equipment of various auxiliary units?

The answer would be easy if it were aimed at legionaries - they used a furca with a leather bag, a net bag, some simple linen bags with a drawstring etc and it is quite easy to find descriptions of all this in many books.

But what did all the auxiliaries use? The same equipment as legionaries? Rolled-up blankets? Duffel bags with shoulder straps?

What would a 2nd century AD archer use? How about skirmishers from Caesar's times? Where could one find such information?

I'll be thankful for some pointers...

[Magnus]

Many of the experts, including a number of members here think (and I agree to a point) that legionary and auxilliary gear was interchangeable. So it wouldn't be hard to imagine an auxilliary with a furca and loculus. Or, if you could find some type of other marching pack that was used by the natives, that would be fine as well.

[derek forrest]

Yes I agree and the guard has experimented with auxilliary shields and these can be carried on the back and used to support a Furca

[Peroni]

Indeed, a simple strap attached to the rear of the oval shield is a very comfortable way to carry it. Just sling it across the back like a sports bag!

There is a photo here of the strap...Scroll down a bit..
http://www.romanarmy.net/auxilia.htm

Here's my pack (photo was taken about five years ago! :wink: )