Sudis (stake)
Encyclopedia
The sudis is a Latin
word meaning stake. It was the name given to stakes carried by Roman legionaries for employment as a field fortification
, sometimes also called valus. It is frequently, but incorrectly, called a pilum murale meaning 'wall spear'.
The stakes were carried by Roman legionaries, typically two were carried by each soldier.
Each stake was made of hardwood, usually oak
, about 150–180 cm (4.9–5.9 ft) long and about 50–100 mm (2–3.9 in) wide at the thickest point. Square in section, the shape tapers to a point at both ends. The central part is narrowed in a way that strongly suggests the function of a handle, although this may not be its actual purpose. Examples that have been found are rough hewn.
It seems clear that the stakes were used to form a temporary defence. However, the exact manner in which stakes were used is the subject of debate among experts.
It is possible that the stakes were incorporated into the ramparts of a Roman marching camp (castra
). Projecting from the ramparts at an angle, they would present a barrier to an attacker attempting to climb up. Alternatively, they could have been placed vertically at the top of the rampart as a fence. Experiments with reconstructions have been disappointing in that such barriers are not strong, as the symmetry of the stakes makes them easy to pull out of the ground.
It has been proposed that the stakes were lashed in pairs at intervals along a log or beam to form a Cheval de frise
. This could be used, for example, as a moveable barrier to bar a gateway. Alternatively, three stakes might be roped together into a defence resembling the Czech hedgehog
— a sort of giant caltrop
. Defences of this type, employed en masse, can be pushed aside only with difficulty and cannot be collapsed. The advantage of such suggested modes of use is that they are consistent with the symmetry of the stakes and account for the hand grip at the centre which is required to bind the stakes together.
In the Battle of Mons Algidus
(458 BC
), Cincinnatus
ordered his men to provide twelve valli each, and used them to build a fortification around the Aequi
, who were, at the same time surrounding another Roman army.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word meaning stake. It was the name given to stakes carried by Roman legionaries for employment as a field fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
, sometimes also called valus. It is frequently, but incorrectly, called a pilum murale meaning 'wall spear'.
The stakes were carried by Roman legionaries, typically two were carried by each soldier.
Each stake was made of hardwood, usually oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, about 150–180 cm (4.9–5.9 ft) long and about 50–100 mm (2–3.9 in) wide at the thickest point. Square in section, the shape tapers to a point at both ends. The central part is narrowed in a way that strongly suggests the function of a handle, although this may not be its actual purpose. Examples that have been found are rough hewn.
It seems clear that the stakes were used to form a temporary defence. However, the exact manner in which stakes were used is the subject of debate among experts.
It is possible that the stakes were incorporated into the ramparts of a Roman marching camp (castra
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
). Projecting from the ramparts at an angle, they would present a barrier to an attacker attempting to climb up. Alternatively, they could have been placed vertically at the top of the rampart as a fence. Experiments with reconstructions have been disappointing in that such barriers are not strong, as the symmetry of the stakes makes them easy to pull out of the ground.
It has been proposed that the stakes were lashed in pairs at intervals along a log or beam to form a Cheval de frise
Cheval de frise
The cheval de frise was a Medieval defensive obstacle consisting of a portable frame covered with many long iron or wooden spikes or even actual spears. They were principally intended as an anti-cavalry obstacle but could also be moved quickly to help block a breach in another barrier...
. This could be used, for example, as a moveable barrier to bar a gateway. Alternatively, three stakes might be roped together into a defence resembling the Czech hedgehog
Czech hedgehog
The Czech hedgehog or ježek, was a static anti-tank obstacle defence made of angled iron deployed during World War II by various combatants....
— a sort of giant caltrop
Caltrop
A caltrop is an antipersonnel weapon made up of two or more sharp nails or spines arranged in such a manner that one of them always points upward from a stable base...
. Defences of this type, employed en masse, can be pushed aside only with difficulty and cannot be collapsed. The advantage of such suggested modes of use is that they are consistent with the symmetry of the stakes and account for the hand grip at the centre which is required to bind the stakes together.
In the Battle of Mons Algidus
Battle of Mons Algidus
The Battle of Mons Algidus was fought in 458 BC between the Roman Republic and the Aequi near Algidus Mons, Latium. The Roman dictator Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus turned a Roman defeat into an important victory.-Background:...
(458 BC
458 BC
Year 458 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rutilus and Carvetus...
), Cincinnatus
Cincinnatus
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus was an aristocrat and political figure of the Roman Republic, serving as consul in 460 BC and Roman dictator in 458 BC and 439 BC....
ordered his men to provide twelve valli each, and used them to build a fortification around the Aequi
Aequi
thumb|300px|Location of the Aequi in central Italy.The Aequi were an ancient people of northeast Latium and the central Appennines of Italy who appear in the early history of ancient Rome. After a long struggle for independence from Rome they were defeated and substantial Roman colonies were...
, who were, at the same time surrounding another Roman army.
End notes
- Peterson, Daniel (1992). The Roman Legion Recreated in Colour Photographs. Windrow & Green. ISBN 1-872004-06-7