Tesserarivs (EN)

Role description

Tesserarivs is one of the most important functional positions in the Century. He is responsible not only for the security of the military camp, but also for personal belongings, property, and the people staying there during both day and night.

Tasks and responsibilities

Contrary to appearances, this role is not limited merely to assigning night watches. Below is the full range of duties that this functional soldier must undertake:

Excvbia Nocta - Night Watch

Tesserarivs appoints two contubernium tents (in special cases fewer or more) that will perform night watches. Considering the nature of these duties, it is recommended that such tents have at least 4 members. He passes this information to the appropriate decani in the middle of the day, at the same time giving them the password for that day - the tessera. Helpful in devising the password may be the soldier serving in the camp as the Latin teacher - magister latinae.

Guard's attire

At the evening assembly, Tesserarivs informs the soldiers of the required minimum equipment they must have while on watch. Customarily this is full gear (including helmet and armor), although night watchmen are exempt from carrying pilvm and scvtvm; however, these must remain within the guard's "arm's reach" in case of an unexpected attack on the camp (see below).

Guard's duties

Tesserarivs reminds the guards each time of the tasks incumbent upon them and personally ensures that they are carried out properly.

Guard:

He walks around the camp more often than he sits in one place, patrolling the area.
By order of the command, he patrols the designated area near the castrvm.
He looks after the safety of the people in the camp and their equipment.
He guards the entrance to the camp and does not admit outsiders who do not know the password. If special guests appear, he asks Tesserarivs or other higher-ranking officers to make a decision in the matter.
If he detects a sudden threat or one approaching the camp from outside, he immediately notifies Tesserarivs or another higher-ranking officer.
He watches over the camp lighting - campfires, oil lamps, and tallow lamps.

Additional duties:

The guard of the first shift must ensure that the camp lighting is prepared sufficiently early (about 2 hours before the night watch begins) and that the camp lighting is maintained at full strength.
The guard of the second and third shifts maintains the level of camp lighting at his own discretion so that the most important points of the camp remain visible.
The guard of the last shift must make sure the camp is cleaned up, especially around the kitchen. He must also chop wood and light the fire in the kitchen. When his service ends, he wakes the Centurion or another officer according to Tesserarivs's prior instructions.

Attention!!! A guard is strictly forbidden to consume alcoholic beverages both during his service and before service on the assigned day

Division of watches:

Within each contvbernivm selected for night duty, the highest-ranking soldier, namely the decanvs, assigns the individual watches at his own discretion, assigning one soldier from his tent to each watch.
The watches are divided into 4 shifts, starting at approximately 23:00 and ending at approximately 7:00. Time during the watches is measured "by eye" until water clocks are brought from Rome to make this procedure easier for us.
In particular:
o Excvbia Prima - from 23:00 to 1:00
o Excvbia Secvnda - from 1:00 to 3:00
o Excvbia Tertia - from 3:00 to 5:00
o Excvbia Qvarta - from 5:00 to 7:00

Attention!!! 15 minutes before the end of the watch shift, the relief guards must be woken so that they have time to put on their armor and prepare for duty. No pairing of guards other than that assigned by Tesserarivs is allowed.

Excvbia Qvotidiana - Day Watch

Tesserarivs is also responsible for guarding the camp from dawn to dusk.
- The camp remains closed except for designated short periods during the day when it is open to visitors.
- To maintain this state of affairs, Tesserarivs assigns watches at his own discretion.
Watches are especially important when the unit leaves the camp for a longer period of time, for example for: battle, a march, drill displays, etc.
- Tesserarivs ensures that the soldiers and/or civilians left in the camp are capable of providing proper protection and discusses with them the places where they are to stay during the absence of the main vexilatio.
It is important that Tesserarivs make a good assessment of the camp in advance so that he does not have to look for suitable people at the last moment, nor assign people who have other important duties that may conflict with the above. Full cooperation with the staff officers in this regard is recommended.

Defense of the camp against threats

The legion camp must be protected by the military 24 hours a day. For this reason as well, the role of Tesserarivs is invaluable. He identifies possible threats (also using information obtained from specvlatores) and meticulously develops, in consultation with the Optio or Centvrion, a plan for defending the camp against an unexpected attack, which is highly probable especially at night.

For this purpose:

He discusses the action plan with the guards. Whom are they to call? When should the entire camp be roused? Which places are they to defend and under no circumstances abandon? etc.
At the evening roll call he announces the preliminary camp defense plan, so that in the middle of the night every soldier knows where he is to run first after leaving his tent and wait for orders.
In the event of a direct threat, he is the first to run to the designated place in the middle of the camp. He gathers the soldiers and sends them to various defensive sectors of the camp, until command is handed over to higher-ranking officers, e.g. the optio or centvrio.

Attention!!! It is important that everyone understand the gravity of the situation and report as quickly as possible to the designated sectors with full commitment, carrying at least a sword (gladivs) and shield (scvtvm) in their hands.

Attention!!! In the event of a sudden attack, if no equipment is at hand, instead of wasting time looking for weapons, a soldier should grab anything that can be used for fighting, whether a shovel, dolabra, stick, or even a helmet/pot/pan to beat off the aggressor!

Assigning kitchen duties - cvlina

Tesserarivs, having full knowledge of which soldiers have day or night watches, also assigns individual soldiers to all-day duty in the kitchen (if possible, preferably an entire contvbernivm or contvbernivm/-nia)

For this purpose he works directly with the Medicvs, who knows the condition of sick legionaries and which of them, being unfit for training / displays / marches / battles, will be assigned permanently to the kitchen, perhaps even for the entire duration of the camp.
He informs the Frvmentarivs of his decision, responding to the quantity requirements reported by the latter.
In exceptional situations, e.g. a large evening feast in the camp, he may assign additional soldiers just for that occasion (or even an entirely new shift for that evening to serve during the feast).

Reporting

Tesserarivs meets with the staff officers at least twice a day (first and foremost with the centvrion) in order to present a report on the duties assigned to him and to consult on the following issues:
- which day and night watches will be assigned? According to what criteria will the night watches be assigned on a given day (e.g. as punishment or as a reward)?
- the watch roster should be available on a separate wax tablet (tabvla cerata) and left at headquarters.
- what tessera has been assigned? The Centvrio should receive a copy of the tessera on a scrap of papyrus.
- what is the plan for the night defense of the camp?
- how have the assigned soldiers fulfilled their duties so far?
- when will the unannounced inspection of the night guards be carried out? At least once per event.
- is cooperation with the Frvmentarivs proceeding without disruption?
Tesserarivs takes part in staff meetings and briefings in the morning and/or evening, which customarily take place in the centvrion's tent.

Attention!!! Tesserarivs may not leave the camp without first making sure that all duties assigned to him have been delegated to the proper soldiers and that the centvrio is fully informed in this regard.

For discussion and development

Prepare graphic guidelines concerning the defense of the camp during night attacks