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functions together, anathema to many modern sensibilities. Tradition decrees that sponges were used by the Roman soldier for his ablutions, but these were not always available, particularly in colder northerly climes, and a substitute had to be sought. Excavations of the sewage (which also contained parasites in the form of human whipworm and roundworm) in the ditch at the Bearsden fort might perhaps suggest an alternative: âthe presence of weft-forming mosses in the ditch strongly suggested that these had been gathered as a substituteâ (Dickson and Dickson, 2000: 120).
Some of the articles that soldiers would have taken on campaign have been excavated at the site of the encounter at Kalkriese, Germany. Here, the archaeologists have retrieved toilet articles (or at least fragments of some): âin particular a bronze carrying ring for strigiles (skin scrapers), a small pair of iron scissors ( forfex ) and the bronze handle of a razor ( novacula )â (Schlüter, 1999: 104). Further nail cleaners were recovered from a garrison context of Exeter fort (Holbrook and Bidwell, 1991: 257â9). Sebum (or tallow), which was probably used as soap by Roman soldiers, was one of the items on the list of purchases made by the troops at Vindolanda and recorded on the tablets, and there is also a reference to sudaria , napkins or towels which might also serve to illustrate the fastidiousness of the Roman soldier (Bowman, 2003: 35).
Bathing was indeed important to the infantryman â testament to this lying in the various bathing buildings at military establishments throughout the Roman Empire. In Britain, one only has to look at the forts of Exeter (Bidwell, 1979) and Caerleon (Zienkiewicz, 1986a) to confirm this. Furthermore, the great bathing establishment at Bath was frequented by the military, with soldiers also able to perform their religious duties in a visit to this health centre. There are five military tombstones at Bath; through these, we know of Marcus Valerius Latinus and Antigonus of the XX Legion. Neither of these has the title Valeria Victrix awarded to the legion after its crushing defeat of Boudica, thus they were perhaps sculpted before the revolt (Cunliffe, 1984: 183â4). An armourer of the XX Legion, Julius Vitalis, was also commemorated here, having died at the age of 29 after nine yearsâ service with the legion â he was recruited in Gallia Belgica and had belonged âto a craft guild, equivalent now to a friendly society. When he died his colleagues paid for his cremation and tombstone, carefully recording on it âwith funeral at the cost of the Guild of Armourersâ. Even a young soldier could be assured of a decent burial if he belonged to a guildâ ( ibid. : 185).
The II Legion was also represented in the tombstones at Bath â Gaius Murrius Modestus of the Second Adiutrix Legion, from Forum Julii in southern France, died at the age of 25 and had perhaps been visiting Bath in the forlorn hope of curing his wounds ( ibid. : 185). Bathing was not simply an activity connected to cleanliness â it was a social activity. As we have seen above it was a place where soldiers would meet off-duty, they could buy food, they could also gamble.
Gaming
As we know, fighting was a relatively small part of the life of a legionary. Martial practice was important, as were other physical activities â often constructional. However, pastimes were essential for those moments not taken up by the orders of the centurion, and the Roman legionary liked to gamble. This, as we shall see in succeeding chapters, is something that the âsquadieâ of all periods has enjoyed.
Glass and bone gaming counters have been found from several phases at the fort of the II Legion Augusta at Caerleon in Wales, some unstratified, but others in the barrack blocks themselves (Barrack Block B). In addition, a die to aid the progress of the game was found (Barrack Block B) (Evans and Metcalf,
Some of the articles that soldiers would have taken on campaign have been excavated at the site of the encounter at Kalkriese, Germany. Here, the archaeologists have retrieved toilet articles (or at least fragments of some): âin particular a bronze carrying ring for strigiles (skin scrapers), a small pair of iron scissors ( forfex ) and the bronze handle of a razor ( novacula )â (Schlüter, 1999: 104). Further nail cleaners were recovered from a garrison context of Exeter fort (Holbrook and Bidwell, 1991: 257â9). Sebum (or tallow), which was probably used as soap by Roman soldiers, was one of the items on the list of purchases made by the troops at Vindolanda and recorded on the tablets, and there is also a reference to sudaria , napkins or towels which might also serve to illustrate the fastidiousness of the Roman soldier (Bowman, 2003: 35).
Bathing was indeed important to the infantryman â testament to this lying in the various bathing buildings at military establishments throughout the Roman Empire. In Britain, one only has to look at the forts of Exeter (Bidwell, 1979) and Caerleon (Zienkiewicz, 1986a) to confirm this. Furthermore, the great bathing establishment at Bath was frequented by the military, with soldiers also able to perform their religious duties in a visit to this health centre. There are five military tombstones at Bath; through these, we know of Marcus Valerius Latinus and Antigonus of the XX Legion. Neither of these has the title Valeria Victrix awarded to the legion after its crushing defeat of Boudica, thus they were perhaps sculpted before the revolt (Cunliffe, 1984: 183â4). An armourer of the XX Legion, Julius Vitalis, was also commemorated here, having died at the age of 29 after nine yearsâ service with the legion â he was recruited in Gallia Belgica and had belonged âto a craft guild, equivalent now to a friendly society. When he died his colleagues paid for his cremation and tombstone, carefully recording on it âwith funeral at the cost of the Guild of Armourersâ. Even a young soldier could be assured of a decent burial if he belonged to a guildâ ( ibid. : 185).
The II Legion was also represented in the tombstones at Bath â Gaius Murrius Modestus of the Second Adiutrix Legion, from Forum Julii in southern France, died at the age of 25 and had perhaps been visiting Bath in the forlorn hope of curing his wounds ( ibid. : 185). Bathing was not simply an activity connected to cleanliness â it was a social activity. As we have seen above it was a place where soldiers would meet off-duty, they could buy food, they could also gamble.
Gaming
As we know, fighting was a relatively small part of the life of a legionary. Martial practice was important, as were other physical activities â often constructional. However, pastimes were essential for those moments not taken up by the orders of the centurion, and the Roman legionary liked to gamble. This, as we shall see in succeeding chapters, is something that the âsquadieâ of all periods has enjoyed.
Glass and bone gaming counters have been found from several phases at the fort of the II Legion Augusta at Caerleon in Wales, some unstratified, but others in the barrack blocks themselves (Barrack Block B). In addition, a die to aid the progress of the game was found (Barrack Block B) (Evans and Metcalf,
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