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Julius Caesar refers to foraging in his "Gallic Wars". It wasn't easy because the Gauls would systematically destroy all food supplies in the vicinity of the Ro
by bloak 5y ago
Julius Caesar refers to foraging in his "Gallic Wars". It wasn't easy because the Gauls would systematically destroy all food supplies in the vicinity of the Roman army ("scorched-earth policy"). I wonder what the local peasants thought about that. Do you think the Gaulish soldiers punished peasants who tried to hide their grain supplies rather than let them be destroyed? Bad times for the working peasant!
- watwut 5y agoIsn't "foraging" just euphemism for "looting"? They were not picking wild berries. They were taking that food from peasants. So yes, peasants were in for bad times.
- hef19898 5y agoIt's looting if your enemy does it. And yes, passants, and generally civilians, are always in for bad times during war.
- bluGill 5y agoAn army that wants the peasants alive (which is by no means all) can only take so much of the food the area produces in a year, if a previous army had already been through that was probably zero. Of course for Peasants you need to come up with a way to hide most of your food, while having what looks like all your food in what looks like a poorly hidden place where the army can force you to give it up. (good luck)
- bloak 5y agoAlso: "Sorry, we've already been pillaged!" (It might work.)
- watwut 5y agoThe army that is passing through does not have reason to care about keeping peasants alive. Moreover, soldiers were brutalized enough not to care.
- bluGill 5y agoThat demands on the amry's goals. If they want land to settle down and farm then death to the locals. However if they want tribute dead peasants pay no taxes.