Research Framework

Feeding the Roman Army in Europe

It was a major logistical undertaking to supply Rome’s soldiers in the frontiers with foodstuffs and other materials, yet today we know very little about how the imperial administration was able to do this so effectively over such a large are and for such a long time.

FRAME will answer many of the questions this logistical problem poses by employing an international, multidisciplinary and, multi-scalar analytical program. The project will focus on 5 key frontier regions in Europe generating results that will reveal how the Roman army adapted its approach to provisioning in different environments.

Ancient mosaic of a cow drinking water

Our Main Objectives

  1. Reconstruct the Roman Military diet in different frontier regions

  2. Identify agricultural (animal and crop) production strategies, including landscape management regimes, that provided the frontiers with food

  3. Reveal the supply networks and catchments that delivered food to different frontiers

  4. Examine how strategies relating to diet, production and supply were adapted to meet the challenges of different frontier environments at different times

  5. Evaluate the impact of feeding the army on frontier landscapes and economies

  6. Provide legacy benefits: a blueprint method for studying food supply in the past, large comparative datasets and new mapping data to stimulate wider multi-disciplinary studies in Roman archaeology and beyond