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What was life like for the Romans in north Africa? - Printable Version

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What was life like for the Romans in north Africa? - Jingle_Bombs - 08-29-2008

Hello everyone.

I'm planning on writing a book (historical fiction) based in North Africa in the days of the late Roman empire. I'm busy gathering research for this project, and I thought I'd ask the historians on here.

My question is, what would life have been like for the Limitanae units garrisoned in north Africa?


Re: What was life like for the Romans in north Africa? - Jona Lendering - 08-29-2008

Ahem, modesty prescribes that I should not refer to my own website, but have you seen these pages?
[url:mhg0em8d]http://www.livius.org/li-ln/limes/tripolitanus.html[/url]
[url:mhg0em8d]http://www.livius.org/a/libya.html[/url]
Ghirza will be pivotal.


Re: What was life like for the Romans in north Africa? - Jingle_Bombs - 08-29-2008

Many thanks for this information. I guess it's time to warm up the old printer and add it all to my growing pile of paperwork :lol:


Re: What was life like for the Romans in north Africa? - M. Demetrius - 08-29-2008

It would be hot there, much of the year once you got far from the Mediterranean breeze. On a patrol, water would be as important as anything else. Logistics of how to get it from point to point? I'm not sure. Goatskin bags on a mule, I guess, but 300 men can drink a whole bunch of water on a day's march. And horses drink 5 or 6 times as much.

Don't forget to factor that in.


Re: What was life like for the Romans in north Africa? - Jingle_Bombs - 08-29-2008

It'd get pretty darn cold at night too, so I'd imagine they'd be carrying blankets and all sorts.