Cut-out-sheet roman fort
The cut-out-sheet roman fort is the vivid model of a roman camp. While moving into the countries north of the Alps, between the 1st and 6th century AD, the romans built the limes alongside their newly drawn borderlines.
Watchtowers allowed a fast transfer of messages among the groups. They were situated along these borders which consisted mostly of wooden palisades and were connected with each other by supply roads. Later on at many of these places military forts have been built which some day turned into towns. This huge building project had an economical background apart from the aim to demonstrate size. From now on, Germanic farmer and merchants could not pass the borders easily anymore to sell their goods, instead they had to pass the roman custom office and pay duty.
- 6,5 x DIN A4 pages of fun with handicraft work
- Model size 51 x 44 x 9 cm
- Scale: 1:87
Almost as fast as a cut-out-sheet roman fort, the legionnaires could set up their camps.
The romans knew how to set up a military camp professionally and fast at the end of an exhausting marching day (and how to remove it the day after). Each soldier knew his task and his place. After this standard they built their forts later on. They had a rectangular form and mostly four exits. Two streets, which crossed in the middle, went through it. The most important street was Via praetoria which exited by the main gate and was situated opposite the enemy. At the crossing point of streets, at the Locus gromae, the Principia was situated, the staff building or administrative center, left or right of it was the house of the commander and the silo, Horreum.
Furthermore, there were the Armamentaria, the armory and the Scamnum Tribanorum, the quarter of the military tribune. 8 to 10 men were living in the Contubernium and 200 in the barracks which were the bedrooms of the simple legionnaires. Most probably these rooms were quite uncomfortable. How reassuring – there was as well the Valetudinarium, the hospital of the fort.
The cut-out-sheet roman fort – the replica of a small fort
The cut-out-sheet roman fort shows a small fort with two exits, four gatehouses, a big building in the middle and a long one alongside – accommodation for legionnaires and storage. For kids who like to do handicrafts and who are interested in the Roman times, the cut-out-sheet roman fort is a good opportunity to deal intensively with roman history. Often especially boys are interested in military topics. The cut-out-sheet roman fort extends the knowledge of kids about roman campaigns and housing for the troops. Furthermore, it stimulates their interest in ancient history.
From several cut-out-sheets a bigger site can be constructed to scale very easily.
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