At the farthest reaches of the empire, where the Roman army had conquered new territory, it needed to keep it under control. The army built frontier forts housing up to 800 men. From these the army was able to supervise a large area. The fort, protected by a surrounding ditch and wall, included a hospital, bathhouse, granary (for storing grain), barracks (where the soldiers slept) and stables. An area outside the fort was levelled to make a parade ground.

Construction

First, ditches were dug and turf stripped from the site. The rubble and earth were used to build the ramparts (defensive walls). The walls of the buildings were built in sections. Each had a wooden “skeleton” filled in with wattle (interwoven sticks) and daub (rough plaster). The walls were fixed to posts and given a coating of smooth plaster. They were painted to weatherproof them and to make them look like stone blocks. Later, many wooden forts were replaced with stone.

Daily life

Each day would start with a morning report. All commanding officers (centurions) would give the camp commander a written account listing how many men were available for work and what tasks had been given out. Then the duties for the day would be allocated between the army units.

Discipline

Soldiers were expected to obey orders instantly. A centurion would beat any soldier who stepped out of line. If a century (unit of 100 men) deserted, then one out of every ten men would be executed as punishment. This is where we get the word "decimate" (meaning to kill a large portion of), from the Latin for "removal of a tenth".

Medical care

Medical aid in the camp hospital was basic. Wounds were cauterized (burnt to seal them) or sewn up, and broken bones put in a splint. If necessary, the surgeon would amputate badly injured limbs. The medical staff would use wine to dull the pain and herbal remedies to aid healing.