Caesar's Legions: The Roman Camp

The Castra A Place of Safety

The Castra's Gates and Towers

Before proceeding to the interior we should discuss the camp gates. You will notice that each gate has a pair of towers. The main gate has three towers the others just two. The towers have simple wicker guard rails all round each level. Each level might have ballista whose fields of fire cover the entire entry area. Similar towers are mounted at each corner of the castra. These too have fields of fire which cover the ditch and walls in circuit.

The corner towers shown below also give us a view of the rampart defenses. Notice that here we have used wicker works which provide cover for the defenders. The rampart is created of dirt with a turf facing. The dirt came from the ditch, which the men threw up back toward the inside of the camp as they dug. The ground turf was carefully cut into blocksand set aside. When the wall was high enough these blocks of turf were laid as a retaining surface for the earthen rampart.

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