Adapting to Distance: Roman Army's Methods for Mending Military Equipment Away from Base
What if, while stationed on the Roman Empire's northern border, you found yourself in need of fixing your armor? A team of scholars now believes that soldiers might have sought help from local artisans in such situations.
Researchers from Czechia and Germany propose that a decayed heap of Roman armor discovered in Germany was meant for repairing other military gear. If this is accurate, their findings, published in a December 10 study in the journal Antiquity, offer insights into the Roman military's repair and recycling methods on its northern border, as well as its reliance on local artisans.
"As the Roman Empire expanded into new territories, often distant from the regions where military equipment was originally manufactured, the Roman army faced a growing need for self-sufficiency," the scholars wrote in the study. "This need was particularly significant along the German border, where it was necessary for military units to engage in the production of their own equipment. This self-sufficiency in military gear production was closely linked to the supply of raw materials and recycling practices."
The limited archaeological evidence of this recycling practice provides little information about how soldiers communicated with nearby settlements in this context, the researchers note. However, in 2012, archaeologists found a 30.86-pound (14-kilogram) stockpile of armor in an ancient civilian settlement outside a Roman legionary fortress in Bonn, Germany.
The interconnected rings in armor made it challenging to melt down, so it was instead utilized for repairs, similar to textile patches. According to the recent study's results, the 2012 artifact—a solidified pile of two almost-complete armor sets and sections of two others—was virtually a scrap pile.
"This is the first clear evidence that armor was being repaired outside a Roman military installation," Martijn A. Wijnhoven of the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, who contributed to the study, said in an Antiquity statement emailed to Gizmodo.
The team, which also included researchers from the LVR-Amt für Bodendenkmalpflege im Rheinland and the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, examined the artifact using visual inspection and high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans (an x-ray imaging technique).
"The armor seems likely to have been intended for use in repairing and patching other garments for the Roman army," the researchers wrote in the study. They pointed out that due to armor's unique design, "it is likely that the Bonn hoard represents a stockpile of armor intended for repairing other armor garments by craftworkers" in the settlement.
This evidence suggests that when the Roman army was distant from military installations, it relied on local workers for maintenance.
"The hoard highlights some key aspects of the Roman military economy, particularly aspects of repair and recycling," the researchers wrote. "Moreover, it provides a compelling insight into the interactions between the Roman army and the local population dwelling along the frontier."
In essence, follow the Roman example, even when you're far from Rome.
In the expansive Roman Empire, self-sufficiency in military equipment production became increasingly important, especially along the German border. This necessitated the engagement in production and the reliance on local artisans for raw materials and repairs.
As advanced technology and scientific knowledge evolve, future militaries might also need to adapt, leveraging local resources and innovations to maintain operational readiness in remote locations.
