Roman Britain has remains of over 400 camps, but some of these were either temporary or practice operations for engineers and soldiers to hone their fort-building skills. In such hostile territories, forts were linked in a network for mutual support, but there were also isolated forts, especially at naval and supply bases. Britain and Dacia are examples of provinces which required a permanent military presence to maintain Roman control. The majority of forts, though, were built in the interior of provinces in order to deter rebellions and better control the conquered peoples therein. Forts were also built during long sieges such as at Numantia in Spain and Masada in Judaea. These prevented incursions from hostile neighbouring groups. Locationįorts were constructed in particular along the frontiers of the Roman empire such as along sections of the River Danube and River Rhine. Over the centuries Roman forts took on a remarkably standardised layout, and the impressive gates and ruins of some of the larger ones can still be seen across Europe today. Although given basic defensive features, forts were never designed to withstand a sustained enemy attack but rather to provide a protected place for accommodation and storage facilities for food, weapons, horses, and administrative records. The Roman army constructed both temporary and permanent forts and fortified military camps (castrum) across the frontiers of the empire’s borders and within territories which required a permanent military presence to prevent indigenous uprisings.
Although given basic defensive features, forts were never designed to withstand a sustained enemy attack.
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