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<blockquote data-quote="mmadsen" data-source="post: 1486275" data-attributes="member: 1645">Several hundred thousand soldiers?&nbsp; For much of its history, the republic/empire of Rome had ~30 legions of ~6,000 soldiers, plus auxiliaries -- but they weren't all in one fortress!&nbsp; Several hundred thousand soldiers with their families would represent an entire metropolis (e.g., the city of Rome).A fortress is never self-sufficient -- it produces nothing.&nbsp; A city needs to import food from the surrounding countryside.&nbsp; A metropolis like ancient Rome needs to import food from overseas; it needs to be a port.I can't imagine a fortress withstanding decades of siege without access to the sea and a navy to protect that supply line.&nbsp; I also can't imagine storing victuals for a large force for years.&nbsp; (The crusader castles had tiny garrisons that they could feed for years.)&nbsp; A soldier eats ~3 lbs of food per day -- ~5 tons per decade.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="mmadsen, post: 1486275, member: 1645"] Several [i]hundred thousand[/i] soldiers? For much of its history, the republic/empire of Rome had ~30 legions of ~6,000 soldiers, plus auxiliaries -- but they weren't all in one fortress! Several hundred thousand soldiers with their families would represent an entire metropolis (e.g., the city of Rome). A fortress is never self-sufficient -- it produces nothing. A city needs to import food from the surrounding countryside. A metropolis like ancient Rome needs to import food from overseas; it needs to be a port. I can't imagine a fortress withstanding decades of siege without access to the sea and a navy to protect that supply line. I also can't imagine storing victuals for a [i]large[/i] force for years. (The crusader castles had tiny garrisons that they [i]could[/i] feed for years.) A soldier eats ~3 lbs of food per day -- ~5 tons per decade. [/QUOTE]

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