imperi nuntivs The newsletter of Legion Ireland --- The Roman Military Society of Ireland In This Issue • Food Hygiene • Roman Battles • Saturnalia 2011 • Budget 2011 • The Battle of Philippi • New Products December MMXI Imperi Nuntius - December 2011 Food Hygiene... Imperi Nuntivs... Food preparation and cooking is part and parcel of camp life. But whether it’s a modern kitchen or a Publisher: Legion Ireland - The Roman Military Roman camp the basic rules of safe food prepara- Society of Ireland. tion and cooking are the same. Good food hygiene helps reduce the risk of food poisoning (field food is Editor: Martin McAree bad enough without getting an infection). The four main things to remember for good hygiene are: email: [email protected] • Cross-contamination Contributions in the form of articles, letters and • Cleaning queries from readers are welcomed. Please send • Chilling to the above address or use the contact form on • Cooking our website. These are known as the 4 Cs. They will help you Copyright prevent the most common food safety problems. Copyright Legion Ireland, all rights reserved. Every effort has been made by the publisher to trace Cross-contamination copyright holders but in a few cases this may Cross-contamination is when bacteria are spread prove impossible. Legion Ireland would like to between food, surfaces or equipment. It is most apologise for any unwitting cases of copyright likely to happen when raw food touches (or drips transgression and would like to hear from any onto) ready-to-eat food, equipment or surfaces. copyright holders not acknowledged. Any individu- Cross-contamination is one of the most common als providing articles or material for publication causes of food poisoning. Do the following things to must ensure they have obtained the correct per- avoid it: missions before submitting to us. • Clean work surfaces, chopping boards and Content equipment thoroughly before you start preparing Publication of any article does not imply endorse- food and after you have used them to prepare ment by the publisher. raw food. • Ideally, use different chopping boards and Advertising knives for raw and ready-to-eat food. Advertising in Historical Times does not imply en- • Wash your hands before preparing food. dorsement. • Wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw food. Cover • Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods apart at all Festive Legion Ireland Logo times. • Store raw food below ready-to-eat food in the fridge. If possible, use separate fridges for raw and ready-to-eat food. • Make sure that your staff know how to avoid cross-contamination. Cleaning Effective cleaning gets rid of bacteria on hands, equipment and surfaces. So it helps to stop harmful bacteria from spreading onto food. You should do the following things: • Make sure that you wash and dry your hands thoroughly before handling food. • Clean food areas and equipment between differ- www.romanarmy.ie ent tasks, especially after handling raw food. • Clear and clean as you go. Clear away used [email protected] equipment, spilt food etc. as you work and clean work surfaces thoroughly www.romanarmy.ie [email protected] Page 2 Imperi Nuntius - December 2011 Chilling Roman Battles - 6th to 3rd Centuries Chilling food properly helps to stop harmful bacte- BC... ria from growing. Some foods need to be kept chilled to keep them safe, for example food with a ‘use by’ date, cooked dishes and other ready-to- eat food such as prepared salads and desserts. It is very important not to leave these types of food standing around at room temperature. So, make sure you do the following things: • Check chilled food on purchase to make sure it is cold enough. • Put food that needs to be kept chilled in the fridge straight away. • Cool cooked food as quickly as possible and then put it in the fridge. So then, how many Roman battles do you know of, • Keep chilled food out of the fridge for the short- and I don’t mean the ones we in the pub at re- est time possible during preparation. enactment events? Well here’s a list of those from • Check regularly that your fridge and display the 6th to 3rd centuries BC... units are cold enough. 6th century BC Cooking 509 BC Battle of Silva Arsia - the Romans defeated Thorough cooking kills harmful bacteria in food. So the forces of Tarquinii and Veii led by the deposed it is extremely important to make sure that food is king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. One of the Ro- cooked properly. When cooking or reheating food, man consuls, Lucius Junius Brutus, is killed in bat- always check that it is piping hot all the way tle. 502 BC Battle of Pometia - the Latins won over the through. Romans, one of the consuls badly wounded by a spear that penetrated through his groin. It is especially important to make sure that you thoroughly cook poultry, rolled joints and products 5th century BC made from minced meat, such as burgers and sau- BC496 BC Battle of Lake Regillus - Aulus Pos- sages. This is because there could be bacteria in tumius Albus Regillensis defeats the Latins, led by the middle of these types of products. They should Tarquinius Superbus. not be served pink or rare and should be piping hot 495 BC Battle of Aricia - consul Publius Servilius all the way through. Whole cuts of meat (such as Priscus defeats the Aurunci. steaks) and whole joints of beef and lamb can be 482 BC Battle of Antium - the Volscians defeat served pink/rare as long as they are fully sealed on consul Lucius Aemilius Mamercus. the outside. 482 BC Battle of Longula - consul Lucius Aemilius Mamercus defeats the Volscians the day after his Following these simple guidelines should help defeat in the Battle of Antium. avoid and unfortunate experiences on campaign. 480 BC Battle of Veii (480 BC) - consuls Marcus Fabius Vibulanus and Gnaeus Manlius Cincinnatus win heavy battle against Veians and their Etruscan allies. Consul Gnaeus Manlius Cincinnatus and former consul Quintus Fabius are slain. 477 BC Battle of the Cremera - All the Fabii except Quintus Fabius Vibulanus are killed in battle with the Veians 477 BC ? Battle of Temple of Hope - consul Gaius Horatius Pulvillus fights indecisive battle with the Etruscans. 477 BC Battle of Colline Gate (477 BC) - consul Gaius Horatius Pulvillus has indecisive victory over the Etruscans soon after the Battle of Temple of Hope The satisfying results of following good Roman camp 458 BC Battle of Mons Algidus - Cincinnatus de- food hygiene! feats the Aequi www.romanarmy.ie [email protected] Page 3 Imperi Nuntius - December 2011 446 BC Battle of Corbione - Titus Quinctius Capi- 216 BC - tolinus Barbatus leads Roman troops to defeat the • 2 August - Battle of Cannae - Hannibal destroys Aequi and the Volsci. the main Roman army of Lucius Aemilius Paulus and Publius Terentius Varro in what is consid- 4th century BC ered one of the great masterpieces of the tacti- 396 BC - Battle of Veii - Romans complete con- cal art. quest of Etruscans • First Battle of Nola - Roman general Marcus 390 BC - Battle of Allia River - Gauls defeat the Claudius Marcellus holds off an attack by Hanni- Romans, then sack Rome. bal. 342 BC - Battle of Mount Gaurus - Roman general 215 BC - Second Battle of Nola - Marcellus again Marcus Valerius Corvus defeats the Samnites. repulses an attack by Hannibal. 341 BC - Battle of Suessola - Roman consul Mar- 214 BC - Third Battle of Nola - Marcellus fights an cus Valerius Corvus defeats the Samnites once inconclusive battle with Hannibal. more. 212 BC - 339 BC - Battle of Vesuvius - Romans under P. • First Battle of Capua - Hannibal defeats the con- Decius Mus and T. Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus suls Q. Fulvius Flaccus and Appius Claudius, defeat the rebellious Latins. but the Roman army escapes 338 BC - Battle of Trifanum - Roman general T. • Battle of the Silarus - Hannibal destroys the Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus decisively defeats army of the Roman praetor M. Centenius Pe- the Latins. nula. 321 BC - Battle of the Caudine Forks - Romans • Battle of Herdonia - Hannibal destroys the Ro- under Spurius Postumius Albinus and T. Verturius man army of the praetor Gnaeus Fulvius. Calvinus are defeated by the Samnites under 211 BC - Gaius Pontius. • Battle of the Upper Baetis - Publius and Gnaeus 316 BC - Battle of Lautulae - Romans are defeated Cornelius Scipio are killed in battle with the Car- by the Samnites. thaginians under Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal 310 BC - Battle of Lake Vadimo - Romans, led by Barca dictator Lucius Papirius Cursor, defeat the Etrus- • Second Battle of Capua - Hannibal is not able to cans. break the Roman siege of the city. 305 BC - Battle of Bovianum - Roman consuls M. 210 BC - Fulvius and L. Postumius decisively defeat the • Second Battle of Herdonia - Hannibal destroys Samnites to end the Second Samnite War. the Roman army of Fulvius Centumalus, who is killed 3rd century BC • Battle of Numistro - Hannibal defeats Marcellus 298 BC - Battle of Camerinum - Samnites defeat once more the Romans under Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barba- 209 BC - tus in the first battle of the Third Samnite War. • Battle of Asculum - Hannibal once again defeats 297 BC - Battle of Tifernum - Romans under Quin- Marcellus, in an indecisive battle tus Fabius Maximus and Lucius Cornelius Scipio • First Battle of Lamia - Romans defeated by Barbatus defeat the Samnite army led by Gellius Philip V of Macedon Statius • Second Battle of Lamia - Romans defeated by 295 BC - Battle of Sentinum - Romans under Philip V once more Fabius Rullianus and Publius Decimus Mus defeat 208 BC - Battle of Baecula - Romans in Hispania the Samnites and their Etruscan and Gallic allies, (Iberia) under P. Cornelius Scipio the Younger de- forcing the Etruscans, Gauls, and Umbrians to feat Hasdrubal Barca make peace 207 BC - 293 BC - Battle of Aquilonia - Romans decisively • Battle of Grumentum - Roman general Gaius defeat the Samnites.