marching kit for auxilia

[Hatzi]

salve

i want to use the winter to get my stuff ready for some marching

so its required that i have a well equiped furca, thats why i am asking you guys what i still have to get

what i have so far:

furca (well duuuuh....)
ampulla
patera
cloak
linen bag (allways seen leather ones but i believe linen would also be an option)
reticulum
small leather purse

what else do i need? dolabra? turf cutter? sling?

thanks in advance

[Paul Elliott]

Hi Tom,

Could you tell me what the English is for ampulla and reticulum please, I'm not sure what they are.

I'm in a similar position to you, but creating a Tungrian impression for 130 AD. I have most of the kit already, this is what I plan to 'go into the field' with:

furca
leather bag/roll for cloak and spare tunic, spare socks
satchel _- I think rations should go in here, with a few other small items
water skin
patera

shield
spear
couple of javelins
sling
small knife
dagger

Inside the loculus/satchel:

[Paul Elliott]

Some of the stuff on show isn't relevant and wouldnt be carried: the papyrus, the lead curses (defixiones), the sponge and the wax tablet (perhaps). There is a whetstone near the papyrus scroll, and the bit of stone near the amber is a chunk of lapis luzuli. I'd definately include an iron cooking skewer, I think it is mentioned as a soldiers item in Livy.

[Hatzi]

the reticulum is the net bag for provisions
and the ampulla is the bottle


this is the state of things so far (yeah, not really impressive at the moment)

is the satchel a must have? (budget reasons you know)
the cooking pot is on my to buy list
whetstone, i think i have one to spare
the sling shouldnt be that much of a problem (stones an option, or lead bullets also a must have?)
small bags made from leather and cloth, i have got in abundance
does the bag have to be leather? (also budget reason)

spoon and wooden plates and bowls (already here, assuming from your picture, they didnt change much from the 2nd century up to the viking age )

[Paul Elliott]

I don't think lead sling bullets are essential, because the sling was a back up weapon. But I love slinging and have lots of lead bullets as well as original Roman bullets.

Many re-enactors use linen bags, there is no definitve material evidence I think for the classic leather loculus, except a slim line leather envelope pouch. Most of the evidence is based on the Trajan's Column relief. Even then there are some people who believe what looks like a satchel is actually a waterskin.

The net bag: I have one but can't see a use for it. I'm putting rations, mainly dried hardtack in my satchel to keep away damp. What could the net bag be used for I wonder?

[Paul Elliott]

My hand sickle doesn't appear on the photograph, but it should be an essential foraging tool. It stick it in my satchel.

[Hatzi]

The net bag: I have one but can't see a use for it. I'm putting rations, mainly dried hardtack in my satchel to keep away damp. What could the net bag be used for I wonder?

it was a pain in the a** to make, so i'll be dammed if i dont show it :mrgreen:

actually i have no idea either, maybe to keep the grain ration?

then i'll be going to improve the linen bag i allready have to resemble the ones on trajan's collumn

thanks so far

[Hatzi]

maybe a bit off topic, but i dont thik its worth a new thread

should i get some greaves?

btw: your photos seem familiar, is this here your page? http://romanrecruit.weebly.com/

[Paul Elliott]

Yes thats my 3rd century website.

[Hatzi]

you sir, have some epic impressions!

[Hatzi]

i am almost done with making such a bag for my cloak

i really forgot how calming sewing is :mrgreen:

[jkaler48]

I am of the opinion that Legionaries and auxillia carried more the one entrenching/construction item with the dolabra being one of them or the most common tool carried from the below list:
Pick/hoe
Rope
Shovel
Axe
Turf cutter or maybe the were de barkers or multipurpose tools
Chain
Sickle
Hook (perhaps these were like modern brush hooks)
Shovel

I think other essential items like baskets hammers and nails etc may have been carried in the unit trains

[agrimensor]

This is mine (The Furca)
picture by :
http://www.pixures.be/fr/reconsfr.htm

[agrimensor]

http://www.pixures.be/fr/reconsfr.htm
foto By :
The stick (furca) came as a forked stich from a tree.

[agrimensor]

This my reconstruction,
http://www.pixures.be/web2013simplefeld/...130353.htm
There are more pics.
situla patere net
perabag
flask
cloak
extra shoes
leather thongs