Tents and Encampments from the 2001 Australian Medieval Conference

Tents and Encampments
From the 2001 Australian Medieval Conference
Compiled by Stephen Francis Wyley

Click on the thumbnails to get to the larger version.

Roman Fort building

Information supplied by Craig Gascoigne.

The is Interpritation is based on a very scaled down version of the legionary building styles from forts around 1st to 2nd Century AD. The walls are based on walls found at Valkenburg in the Netherland. The original were plastered over as the building were permanet in nature. Mark Reynolds after discussion decided not to paster as because he wanted a movable
structure & thought he would constantly be replastering the faces. Though I tend to think you could and get away with it if you were prepared to do constant touch ups.

This Structure was a bit of a test peice has we wanted to se how durable this type of construction was. The text were the original reference itimated that they may have actualy prefabed the building then transported them to the site.

The roof was desided to be make of canvas as someone suggeted there is a reference to Caesar building soild structure and roofing them with the tent canvas to winter his troops in Gaul. It could equally be made of wood, it was suggested ply painted with Tar to represent roof single.

The scale is smaller than Roman building find yet. Over all size is also smaller than the average legionary tent. As Mark only wanted a two person structure or one person and gear.

Mark is currently looking at doing either Celtic round house to 1/2 scale or Roman building to 1/3 scale.

Roman woman, getald in background. Copyright © Jenny Baker.

Roman encampment. Copyright © Jenny Baker.

More of the Ancients encampment Copyright © Glenda Robinson.

Wall Tent - Centurion's Tent (information supplied by Wayne Robinson).

Based on Trajan's Column (scene CXXVIII) and an interpretation of Hyginus'
statment that the Centurion's tent was double the size of the soldier's
tents. Originally the tent would have been made from goat leather. The walls
are removable and the roof is supported by an internal frame. The ropes are
the width of a goat hide apart.
_______________________

Wedge Tent - Soldier's tent (information supplied by Wayne Robinson).

Based on Trajan's Column (scene CIII) with dimensions calculated from
Polybius and Hyginus, tents of this size would normally sleep eight men.
Normally made from goat leather, 10 Roman feet long x 10 Roman feet wide
(2.96m x 2.96m).
_______________________
Tents of Trajans Column

Talisem's hand painted Middle Eastern tent. Copyright © Jenny Baker.

Detail of the method of wall attachment. Copyright © Jenny Baker.

Detail of the hand painted interior. Copyright © Jenny Baker.

Part of the encampment looking across the lilly covered lake. Copyright © Jenny Baker.

Levantia Meros Gallery - with more pictures of tents and other activities from the conference.

Other Conference Pictures

Thanyou to the following people for their contributions:
Jenny Baker (Hodegon, New Varangian Guard Inc.)
Craig Gascoigne (Sydney Ancients)
Glenda Robinson (Legio VIIII (Hispana))
Wayne Robinson (Legio VIIII (Hispana))

Links.
The History of Tents
Extant Tents at the Istanbul Military Museum

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This page was last update on the 9th March 2004

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