What do we know about roman tent frames?

[Hibernicus]

$3000USD? Egadius!

Right now we're buying everything they can get us! Comes from North Africa via Mexico. We only buy about 25% of each bundle. Has to be the correct size for papilio, scutum covers, loculus etc. I have templates I bring to the wholesaler.

[PhilusEstilius]

I have for many years considered the question of what was the roman tent pole structure. If we think of roman tents they were used by soldiers on the march. If we take the contabernia tent, this would hold 8 men, so when the soldiers stop for the night. They may well have had 3 long poles, two with a forked end and one long straight one. These three would support the ridge, then the 8 men of the contabernia would put inside their tinker poles, or better their equipment shoulder poles. This way we have a 6 feet ridge with side walls of 4 feet supported by the soldiers kit poles. This of course makes for less gear to be carried, when they break camp in the morning, the soldiers take out their kit poles. The 3 long poles are rolled inside the canvas, put on a mule and off they all go another 10 miles to the next marching camp......Having been in the military for 22 years one found it better to travel light. Brian Stobbs.

[Neuraleanus]

The ridge poles used to support my tent are 9 feet long. As a single piece I think that this would present a problem for a mule. I would have to think that the romans must of devised some scheme to break these poles down into something that could be more easily carried and then reassembled. Either that or they would have to cut new support timbers each time they setup camp.

[Magnus]

What about a metal tube that joined two 4 1/2' poles at the center?