How many Mules does it take…?

Knowing my grasp of maths and arithmetic this will probably go pear shaped. But here’s some thoughts on Roman legionary supply trains from around the 1st Century AD.

There were 9 contubernium in each Century.
And that means 9 tents per century and one Centurion’s tent so 10, there’s no evidence where the Signifer or Optio slept, Goldsworthy say’s that The cramped leather (waterproof goatskin) tents used by the Contubernium’s where carried by Mule’s, which where tethered to the rear of the tent when in camp, assuming that “Marius’ Mules” carried all their personal equipment on their back’s They would probably have needed two real mule’s to carry the tent and poles for them and the centurion and heavy equipment such as axes, pickaxes, mallets, spades, turf cutters and quern stones for grinding grain, and possibly the large caltrops (tribuli), and Cowan say’s that the mule’s was taken care of by muleteer’s (military slaves called Calones). I gather then that each century would have a considerable baggage train.

So let’s have a go at breaking it down here.
1 Century has 10 tents, carried by 18 Mules based on two Mules for each contibernum in the care of either 9 or 18 muleteer’s (calones) who where probably assigned by the, prefect Castrorum.
Providing that enough animals where available, a nightmare of a job no doubt, this means that on paper one cohort of six centuries would have a baggage train of 108 Mules and a similar or double number of calones.
A legion of 10 cohort’s thought to number over 5,000 men, would have some 1,080 Mules and similar number of Calones coming after it. That is some supply train when you consider an army could consist of over three legions, plus double that number of auxiliaries. This also bearing in mind that Marius reformed the army so that each soldier carried more equipment on his back to cut down the amount of mules required, hence the soldiers were nicknamed with customary Latin wit, “Marius’ Mules”

Josh

The Delafield Commission.

The Crimean War was one of the first to be widely photographed. The first as far as anybody with a degree knows was the Mexican American War. An anonymous artist took several daguerreotypes of US soldiers on campaign. Then a Hungarian with the per usual unpronounceable name of Carol Pop de Szathmari took over 200 images, now mostly lost, of the Russian Turkish conflict that lead up to the Crimean War. While searching around to see if I’d missed anything I found an interesting one called the American Commission, so here’s a brief adventure in Historyland about it. Continue reading “The Delafield Commission.”

Resembling Jackson

While I was looking for a suitable picture of Thomas Stonewall Jackson to tweet, I came across one of him when he a young officer in the United States Army. Looking at it I was struck by the resemblance he shared with the Actor David Hedison who starred in, among other things, the popular TV series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Judge for yourself but if I had been a producer back in the day I would have instantly grabbed him to play Young Jackson in a movie, or later in a mini series if he grew a beard. I think they look quite alike. Continue reading “Resembling Jackson”

Versatile Blogger Award 2013.

I am proud to announce that fellow blogger’s think so highly of Historyland that they have nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. It is an honour to be included in a very fun way of promoting the blogs you enjoy. So according to the rules I want to thank Viking Lady Aine (already nominated) for her kind Nomination, and post a link to her excellent blog.
http://vikingladyaine.wordpress.com/

I also cannot thank Gemma Bagshaw enough for nominating me a second time, her fun and informative site is in my list below, “GemmaHist” and I’m sure you all will like it.

Like a good boy I have done what the VBA’s website say’s to do and nominated some of my favourite blogs, (I would have put the suggested 15 but I really don’t know that many people who have blogs, there is one guy out there who put his top 3). In this list you will find the cream of the Historyland Blogroll, for in essence this is a wider extension of it.

http://cavalrytales.wordpress.com/
https://gemmahistory.wordpress.com/
http://hehasawifeyouknow.tumblr.com/
http://pompei79.wordpress.com/
http://readinggivesmewings.wordpress.com/
http://thisiswarblog.wordpress.com/
http://marksimner.me.uk/

As the website say’s http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com/ if you get nominated then you have been awarded the VBA end of story.

To finish I hereby list 7 inane and yet penetrating things about myself.
1: I am fascinated by History.
2: I love to read.
3: I like to experiment with ways to present History.
4: I like to paint, sketch and draw, mostly historical subjects.
5: I write, sometimes fiction sometimes history.
6: I know a guy who has the key to Atlantis.
7: I have Long Joh Silver’s Treasure Map under my bed,

Or you could just read the About page.

Josh.

In A Roman Country Garden.

Garden Fresco from the Villa of Oplontis

 “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” Marcus Tullius Cicero.  

It’s almost beginning to look like Spring outside. And with any luck we will soon have Daffodils on the verge’s and Poppy’s in the hedgerow’s, and since Daffodils are thought to be one of our most famous Roman imports, and this thought happened to coincide with my reading Pliny the Younger’s Garden Letters, I thought; “Why not do a post about Pliny’s Garden.” but let him tell you in his own words. Continue reading “In A Roman Country Garden.”