Tristan Hughes

Can we imagine that the... I almost said the forbidden R word, the rations word again.

But can we imagine that the food is similar to at the beginning of the day, kind of making bread from flour?

Or do we have any ideas that there was more substantial food available that they ate in, you know, not mess halls, as you said there were mess halls, but maybe a more communal meal in the evening?

Any idea around that?

This is the infantry compared to the cavalry.

Yeah.

And so how would the supplies, whether it is just, you know, the wheat or supplies for the wall and maintaining the wall and so on, how would supplies reach a fort on Hadrian's Wall?

Do we know much about that logistic system that was behind it all?

What would you see?

Would you see pack animals coming into and from the fort and so on?

An army garrison's on its stomach at the same time.

Yeah, exactly.

It's just one of those other amazing things of imagining a day in the life of Hadrian's Wall is, you know, you'd see the soldiers, you see their wives and children and so on.

But you would also see lots of donkeys, mules, horse and carts coming to and from the granary or wherever, or as you say, barges as well.

The river right next to Chester's as an example, does that ultimately connect to the River Tyne?

Very interesting.

Okay, leisure time.

We've talked about shifts and food and it's not just the soldiers and getting a sense of that.

But of course, once you've done all of that and you need to kill time, what sorts of activities were available for someone who was based at a place like Chester's?

Gaming boards.