Rome had a standard template on what a fortification layout looked like.
A Roman soldier could go from any Roman fort to any other Roman fort and instantly know where everything in that fort was located.
Sorta important when you need to respond quickly to any attack, be it barbarians or diarrhea...
“Rome had a standard template on what a fortification layout looked like.
A Roman soldier could go from any Roman fort to any other Roman fort and instantly know where everything in that fort was located.”
All true. If a Roman Legion camped for even just a night and there was even a remote chance of attack the basic fort was built. A legion could do one in just a few hours. Standard size with a ditch with a roughly waist high wall of wooden stakes behind the ditch. Enemy in a ditch looking up at a gladius (sword) or pilum (spear or lance) stabbing down.
As already said layout inside the camp was standard so commander, doctor, etc. were always in the same place.
If there was a chance of attack while camp was built half the legion stood guard while the other half built camp.
If camp was used for some period of time it would of course be improved.
It is thought that some of Spartacus early victories were because the Roman’s regarded his army as nothing but slaves not to be worried about and did not build the camps.