Ancient Roman Transportation

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Thinking about Roman merchant caravan.

how did Roman (wealthy ones) travel? I've found that Roman carriage reconstruction. Something like that? Or was it more for less moneyed people?



Or rather using litter?

[white knight]

No help with your question, but if you want some more mundane carts in your caravan, 1st corps do a decent enough roman driver and cart:



http://www.1stcorps.co.uk/online_shop/product_info.php?cPath=201_205&products_id=2477

[Prof.Witchheimer]

yup, this is rather nice and quite useful, thanks!

[Westfalia Chris]

For freight carts, the one posted by White Knight looks splendid, and has the added bonus that it doesn't look too Roman in style, so could reasonably be used as well for Celts or "Celtised" Germans (i.e. those settled on the West bank of the Rhine that had regular contact with the highly-civilised Celtic peoples of Gaul, Southern Germany and the Alpine region).

As for the wagon you posted, this would indeed be a luxury vehicle, and presumably used predominantly on good Roman roads in pacified provinces (so, Germania Superior, or the agri decumati from the early second century AD, which obviously is too late for your project). Those vehicles were robust, but not as rugged as simpler vehicles.

Also, Wargames Foundry sell an excellently-sculpted four-weel cart, which is sold with Celt and Roman wagon crews:

Celt Version "Roman" Version

This is a very good model, and quite large - as with most Foundry stuff, it is a bit on the pricey side, but I have one which I bought for my EIR army back in ye olden dayes, and I would say it is worth the price. It looks very clean and "orderly", and so might fit the concept of a Roman trade caravan better than the equally nice, but more frugal cart from 1st Corps.

Overall, you might look into getting one of those coaches for the merchant and maybe his secretary freedman to travel in, and some different carts for the freight. That said, I don't know if any company makes a Roman travel coach, so you might have to get a custom body scratchbuilt (*wink*) to use with some oxen. However, depending on how historically-accurate you want your project to be, you might take a look at the "armoured coach" Commodus and Lucilla travel in at the beginning of "Gladiator". That one takes some Hollywood Liberties(TM), but looks quite reasonable given that we don't have that many sources except engravings and some archaeological finds.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

This is a very good model, and quite large - as with most Foundry stuff, it is a bit on the pricey side, but I have one which I bought for my EIR army back in ye olden dayes, and I would say it is worth the price. It looks very clean and "orderly", and so might fit the concept of a Roman trade caravan better than the equally nice, but more frugal cart from 1st Corps.

like this one? 

[Westfalia Chris]

like this one? 

Duh and . 

Should have assumed you had that one known and sorted, but dang my hankering for completeness.

[majorsmith]

That roman wagons from the museum in köln ?

[Prof.Witchheimer]

That roman wagons from the museum in köln ?

Yes.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Well, after some research I think I'm going for the litter for my travelling merchant. Something like this:



or this (54 mm from El Viejo Dragón):




Any ideas for 28mm slaves and a lying roman?

[Steve F]

Any ideas for 28mm slaves and a lying roman?

Warlord has someone reclining for dinner, but now that I check, it's a woman.  Still tis page of "Roman accessories" has a rich merchant, househld slaves, a cart and a pack mule, so it may be of use:
http://store.warlordgames.com/roman-accessories-69-c.asp

[Poiter50]

Ral Partha have a litter but it is for a Sorceress and has female litter bearers.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Ral Partha have a litter but it is for a Sorceress and has female litter bearers.

Yes, I've got that one since ages. Actually a really cool set but way too small.

[killshot]

like this one? 

Is that still available from Foundry?  I was looking through their website and couldn't find it.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Is that still available from Foundry?  I was looking through their website and couldn't find it.

just click on the links in Chris' post

Celt Version "Roman" Version.

[Patrice]

1st corps cart is very nice but it is 25mm not 28mm?