Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

246 CASTRA. CASTRA.
march by a regular consular army consisting of two On B0 B1 make A B,; A B3 each-100 feet.
Roman legions with the full contingent of Socii. Through B, and B3 draw straight lines parallel to
Each legion is calculated at 4200 infantry and 300 Ao Al cutting Co C1 in C, and C, and cutting
cavalry, the Socii furnished an equal number of DO D1 in Do and D3; in this manner a square
infantry and twice as many cavalry, so that the area C2 C3 D3 D2 is determined, each side of
whole force would amount to 16,800 foot and 1800 which = 200 feet.
horse. Along As Fo set off As P = 25 feet; P Q =
Clioice of -tile round. - Although, as stated 100 feet; Q R = 50 feet; R S = 50 feet; S T
above, the general outline, the defences, and the = 100 feet; T V = 100 feet; V W = 50 feet;
internal economy of a camp were altogether inde- W X = 133- feet; X Y= 200 feet; Y Z = 200
pendenIt of the nature of the ground, yet great feet.
importance was attached to the choice of a fitting Along A1 F5 set off A5 PI; P' Q; Q' R'....
situation which should admit of being readily laid Y' Z', equal respectively to A5 P; P Q; Q R;
out in the required form, which should afford no.... Y Z.
tacilities for attack or annoyance, which should be Through Z Z' draw straight lines parallel to
convenient for procuring wood, water, and forage, Ao A,, cutting Go G1 in z and z', and cutting Lo
and which the army might enter and quit without L1 in 0 and 0'. The square area 0 0' zI z thus
danger of surprise. Skill in the selection of such determined was the camp.
a spot (capere locum castiss) was ever considered as Again, through P; Q; B... Y, and through
a high quality in a general, and we find it recorded PI; Q'; R'.... Y' draw straight lines parallel to
among the praises of the most renowned com- Ao A, cutting the parallels to Bo B1 in the points
manders that they were wont in person to perform marked in the figure.
this duty (e.g. Liv. ix. 17, xxxv. 14, 28; Tacit. Finally, on Ho H1 lay off Al s Ha and A,, IT4
-ist. ii. 5, Agric. 20; comp. Quintil. I. 0. xii. 3. each = 25 feet, and through Hs; I-I4; draw
~ 5). Under ordinary circumstances, however, the straight lines parallel to Ao Al, cutting Ko K1 in
task was devolved upon one of themilitary tribunes, K, and K4.
and a certain number of centuriolis appointed from This construction being completed we now pro.
time to time for the purpose. These having gone ceed to explain the arrangement of the different
forward in advance of the army lsitil they reached parts referring to figure 2, in which the lines no
the place near which it was intended to halt, and longer necessary are obliterated, the spaces occuhaving taken a general survey of the ground, se- pied by the troops or officers enclosed by dark
lected a spot from whence a good view of the whole lines, and the streets (viae) distinctly laid down.
proposed area might be obtained, that spot being In practice the most important points were marked
considerably within the limits of the contemplated by white poles, some of which bore flags of various
enclosure. colours, so that the different battalions on reachinlg
Constrmuction.- The spot answering these con- the ground could at once discover the place asditions and which we shall call A (fig. 1.) was signed to them.
marked by a small white flag. The next object The white flag A, which served as the starting
was to ascertain in what direction water and fodder point of the whole construction, marked the position
might be most easily and securely provided - of the consul's tent, or praetoriumz, so called because
this direction we indicate by the arrow in the sub- praetor- was the ancient term for any one invested
joined figure. Upon the position of A and the with supreme command. The square area Ca D3
direction of the arrow depended the disposition of was left open extending, as we have seen, a hunall the other parts of the work; for these two pre- dred feet each way from the praetorium. That
liminary points being decided, the business of mea- portion of the camp which lay in the direction of
suring out the ground (metari Castra) commenced, the arrow (irpbs T-' icrbs Elr,~la'Evtla) from the
and was executed, as we learn from various sources, line Eo E (fig. 1) was termed the front or forewith graduated rods (decempedae) by persons de- part of the camp (eoi 7Vravrbs XrmaTeos iearT
nominated metalores. The different steps of the rp0oossrov).
process may be most briefly and distinctly set The number of legions being two and the numdown in the ordinary language of a geometrical her of tribunes in each being six, their tents were
construction. arranged six and six at equal distances along the
Through A draw a straight line Ao AI, parallel line Eo E1 (fig. 1) exactly opposite to and looking
to the direction of the arrow, a straight line Bo B 1 towards the legions to which they belonged. Hence,
at right angles to Ao Al. These two straight as will be seen from what follows, they did not
lines Ao A1, and B3 BI, served as the bases by extend beyond the points E3 and E4, but whether
which the position of all the different divisions of they were distributed at equal distances along the
the camp were determined. whole of the line E3 E4, or whether the space in
Along A Aoset off A A, -100 feet; A, A, front of the praetorium was left vacant, as in our
= 50 feet; A4 A5; A5 A6; A6 A3; A7 Ao; figure, as seems most probable, may admit of doubt.
As A; A A A each=100 feet;A 0 AlA 50 The space of fifty feet included between the pafeet; l A1 Ala; A12 Al3; A13 A14; A 14 Al; rallels CO Cl and Eo E1 (fig. 1), immediately beA5 Al 6 each —=100 feet; A A1 7=200 feet. hind the tents of the tribunes, was appropriated
Along A A1 set off A A3; A3 A s, each= 100 to their horses, beasts of burden and baggage.
feet; Al:8 Al 9=167 feet; Al 9 A2o=200 feet. The ten areas marked 1 were set apart for the
Through A2; AA; A4; Al; A1 1;A1 s; cavalry of one legion, and the corresponding tenll
A20 draw CO Cl; DoD1; Eo El; F0 F1; GoG; areas marked 1' for the cavalry of the other legion.
IIto HI; Ko0 K1; Lo L1 straight lines parallel to These all faced towards the street P P', and each
Bo B1, and in like manner draw through A6; A7; area, containing a space of 10,000 squara feet,.... A straight lines parallel to Bo B1, as was allotted to one turma or troop of 30 dragoons,
maked in the figure. vwith their horses and baggage.