Caesar's Legions: The Roman Camp

The Castra A Place of Safety

The Castra

One of my favorites scenario games included a Roman marching camp or castra. The Romans built these camps at the end of each day's march. In the scenario I had a Roman legion facing a Gallic attack. The camp was a nice back drop for the scenario. The Romans relied on a camp at their back. Wisely, The Romans wanted a safe place to retire to in the event of a reversal on the battlefield. Roman camps were designed to be either square or rectangular in shape. Ironically American base camps in Vietnam resembled Roman camps.

In the model I attempted to include all the main parts of the castra. These include a ditch or (fossa), the rampart (agger), the walls (vallum) circuit towers (turris), and the four gates (porta). All these surrounded the tents and various headquaters and supply areas which filled the interior.

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