what about the tents for the folks in the baggage train?

[richsc]

While we accept that the army all had leather tents, does this hold for everyone in the baggage train? I've never heard of what those folks slept in -- surely not out in the open, so they had to have tents. Cast off army surplus?

[tlclark]

Sorry, no answers, but that's the problem with so many camp followers. There were literally armies of camp followers and support people, but we know next to nothing about them.

Travis

[richsc]

True, the depictions of common people is pretty scarce and undocumented, but, as an alternative to leather, the graffitti from Pompeii about the riot at the amphitheater shows what must be large sheets of non-leather used for awnings. Those are very large, and if big and strong enough to serve as an awning over the seats, probably good enough for tenting material.

[Caius Fabius]

We know that there were goat hair tents used in this period, and tents made from other woven wool fiber that shed most water.... Saul of Tarsus was a tent 'maker', and had weavers as friends. The tents of the Persians are described as from rich cloth. The Hebrews had tents from 'cloth'. I am not sure all Roman Army tents were made from leather, especially the ones used by the higher ranks.

I also notice that modern civilized men raised their whole lives indoors put a great deal of emphasis on being warm and dry. I think you can accept that ancient tents leaked in the rain, leather or fiber. I suspect that Roman cloaks also were not 100% weather proof. It is better to ward off the cold, even if you are going to be a little wet (ask any soldier or outdoorsman).

Civilians could have used leather tents, but they could use animal hair tents like those found in parts of the world even today.