03-08-2019, 04:25 PM
Hello all,
From what I have read the Romans had a set way of doing things and followed defined rules and regulations. This included the making of a marching camp each night. A unit the size of a legion would take time to travel anywhere, they could march at speed but this was usually along defined roads which would have regular supply depots manned by auxillaries of varying numbers depending on the size of the depot and hostile forces in the area. There would be forts/garrisons that the troops could rest up in on the way. If on campaign the legion would carry most things with them including food and entrenching tools and would lumber along at the pace of the mules etc. This would leave plenty of time for the surveyors to mark out a camp with pegs/coloured flags etc in a linear pattern. By the time the legionarries arrived at camp they would be able to dig the camp which had been marked out. I believe it was a ditch with the soil piled up behind, this offered some form of basic defence. The camp would then be destroyed in the morning, the ditch filled in and the walls levelled so it was not useable by the enemy.
Scouting and reconnaissance would be carried out by the cavalry attached to the legion, usually 120 in total which were split into smaller numbers for use in the field, between 30-40 men and their horses commanded by a decurion. Scouting was their main role but they could be used for escort duties or sending messages. The idea was to make a legion as independant as possible.
Hope this answers your question.
From what I have read the Romans had a set way of doing things and followed defined rules and regulations. This included the making of a marching camp each night. A unit the size of a legion would take time to travel anywhere, they could march at speed but this was usually along defined roads which would have regular supply depots manned by auxillaries of varying numbers depending on the size of the depot and hostile forces in the area. There would be forts/garrisons that the troops could rest up in on the way. If on campaign the legion would carry most things with them including food and entrenching tools and would lumber along at the pace of the mules etc. This would leave plenty of time for the surveyors to mark out a camp with pegs/coloured flags etc in a linear pattern. By the time the legionarries arrived at camp they would be able to dig the camp which had been marked out. I believe it was a ditch with the soil piled up behind, this offered some form of basic defence. The camp would then be destroyed in the morning, the ditch filled in and the walls levelled so it was not useable by the enemy.
Scouting and reconnaissance would be carried out by the cavalry attached to the legion, usually 120 in total which were split into smaller numbers for use in the field, between 30-40 men and their horses commanded by a decurion. Scouting was their main role but they could be used for escort duties or sending messages. The idea was to make a legion as independant as possible.
Hope this answers your question.
