Essentional equipment of the Legions: Rope

[jkaler48]

There are many obvious uses of rope within the Legion (and Reenactment)
Tent Ropes
Tying gear and tying up the mules
Construction / logging
Captives

And no doubt many other uses!

How many of you carry rope as part of your pack equipment?

What other reenactment uses of rope can you relate?

How about chains as an alternative or supplemental item?
(I can find few examples ancient Roman chain photos)

[M. Demetrius]

I do, but not really much. Usually just about 20 ft or so of 3/8". Just enough to be able to say, "And each soldier probably carried a length of rope".

If they stayed long anywhere, I'd imagine they twisted up some more from the local grasses/reeds. I'm learning to do that. Still pretty slow, but gradually getting more proficient at cords. And twisting two cords together makes a light rope, and two light ropes a heavy rope.

Different versions, but here's one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxKVTpdB_yI


Another use for cord: to string a batch of caltrops together.

[Caballo]

And also used between two spears to create the ridge of a dog tent and the guy ropes?

[agrimensor]

or with cord a mkeshift belt. or if your thong is broken use as a replacement. to atach things on a furca. to help cross a river. to stabelise a groma. and so on,and so on.

[brennivs - tony drake]

I carry both chain and rope but have found thinner cord is what I tend to use most so it just sits on my pack.

Both chain and rope tied to top of bag
Reagrds Brennivs

[Paul Elliott]

I read (somewhere???) that chain maybe a mis translation. Uses for chain are limited and you can't carry much of it. Rope, on the other hand, lots of uses, lighter to carry...

[agrimensor]

I also carry only (in my furca) some cord (20 meters or so)as some leather thongs. a rope is very heavy. but it must have been on the mule. it can come on handy very often.
btw Tony nice kit.
Vale

[brennivs - tony drake]

Paul chain has excellent uses for heavy work timber and stone plus it does not stretch under load, I only carry what has been mentioned in books as 3ft X 4000 or so men that is a lot of chain for a small amount of weight. Plus I carry 10ft of rope again X 4000 men again is a lot of rope I will see if I can dig out the references to this.
Regards Brennivs

[brennivs - tony drake]

I have found a reference, both chain and rope (called strap) are mentioned in Josephus the Jewish War. He describes what the soldiers are carring on the march which must be what he could see on the outside of the pack, as to the lengths I am still looking for that reference.
Regards Brennivs

[Paul Elliott]

I am very familiar with Josephus' reference Tony

I found my source questioning chain; it is Fuentes' article 'The Mule of a Soldier'. He argues against any possible use for a bit of chain, and looks at a text corruption for an entrenching tool, the pala. He notes that chain is never mentioned anywhere else, and that Josephus list is very complete, except for any kind of digging implement.

[brennivs - tony drake]

I can see what he is refering to, but the point of carrying this equipment is not for yourself, a soldier is there to help engineers to do the work needed, and for that, you need tools and unfortunatly poor miles like miself will be doing the donkey work. I have left my copy of Josephus at work and I believe he mentions carrying an axe, and may be this soldier was carring this, and not a Dolabra. As for the uses of chain and rope, chain has a lot of uses for enginering tasks. In the shipyards all the lifting or dragging of heavy material was done with chain. If you read the accounts of the engineering works the Romans did, too man handle any of the timber ect without the use of dependable haulage equipment seams a bit unbeleiveable. When doing research I have found that a lot of things that you would like to be mentioned are not due to the audience at the time are normaly well aware of the sundries, hence some of the most crucial info is left out as in our case, which is very frustrating.
Regards Brennivs