Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Castra

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

CASTRA. Plural of CASTRUM. An encampment, or fortified camp. The arrangement of a Roman camp was one of remarkable system and skill. Its general form was square, and the entire position was surrounded by a ditch (fossa), and an embankment (agger) on the inside of it, the top of which was defended by a strong fencing of palisades (vallum). Each of the four sides was furnished with a wide gate for ingress and egress; the one furthest removed from the enemy's position (A) was styled porta decumana; that immediately in front of it (B) porta praetoria; the one on the right hand (C), porta principalis dextra; the other on the left (D), porta principalis sinistra. The whole of the interior was divided into seven streets or gangways, of which the broadest one, running in a direct line between the two side gates, and immediately in front of the general's tent (praetorium), was 100 feet wide, and called Via Principalis. In advance of this, but parallel to it, was another street, called Via Quintana, 50 feet wide, which divided the whole of the upper part of the camp into two equal divisions; and these were again subdivided by five other streets of the same width, intersecting the Via Quintana at right angles. The tents and quarters of the troops were then arranged as follows: — 1. The praetorium, or general's tent. 2. The quaestorium, a space allotted to the quaestor, and the commissariat stores under his charge. 3. The forum, a sort of market place. 4. 4. The tents of the select horse and volunteers. 5. 5. The tents of the select foot and volunteers. 6. 6. The Equites Extraordinarii, or extraordinary cavalry furnished by the allies. 7. 7. The Pedites Extraordinarii, or extraordinary infantry furnished by the allies. 8. 8. Places reserved for occasional auxiliaries. 9. 9. The tents of the tribunes, and of the praefecti sociorum, or generals who commanded the allies. This completes the upper portion of the camp. The centre of the lower portion was allotted to the two Roman legions which constituted a consular army, flanked on each side by the right and left wings, composed of allied troops. The manner in which these were respectively quartered will be at once understood by the names of each, which are written in the engraving (Castra/1.1) over their respective positions. Finally, the whole of the interior was surrounded by an open space, 200 feet wide, between the agger and the tents, which protected them from fire or missiles, and facilitated the movements of the troops within. The plan, drawn out after the description of Polybius, when the Roman armies were divided by maniples, is inserted in order to illustrate the general method upon which a Roman camp was constructed, and not as an authentic design from any ancient monument. Some of the minor details were necessarily altered after the custom of dividing the legions into cohorts, instead of maniples, had obtained; but the general plan and principal features of the interior distribution, remained the same.

2. Castra Praetoriana. The permanent camp on the skirts of the city of Rome, in which the Praetorian guards were stationed. (Suet. Claud. 21. Tac. Ann. iv. 2.) A portion of the high brick wall which enclosed it, with one of the gates, is still to be seen standing near the Porta Pia, where it forms a part of the present city walls, into the general circuit of which it was taken when they were extended by Aurelian.

3. Castra navalia or nautica. A naval encampment; i. e. a line of fortification formed round the ships of a fleet, to protect them from the enemy, when they were drawn up ashore. Caes. B. G. v. 22. Nepos, Alcib. 8.

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  Castra/1.1