The speed of the Roman Army at Caesar time

The Roman army at Caesar time was known for its speed of movements. But how much was this speed? Average speed of rapid military march was 60 km/a day with a weight of about 30 kg on the shoulders.
But let's make some exemples to understand better what it means:

From Milano to Pavia (92 kms) it took about 1 day and half (nowadays you will take about 19 hours by feet, without any package and with no stops!)


From Boulogne-sur-Mer to Paris (248 kms) it took about 4 days (nowadays you will take about 2 days by feet, without any package and with no stops!)


From London to St. Albans (35 kms): it took about 0,5 days (nowadays you will take about 7 hours by feet, without any package and with no stops!)


Source: Stanford University web site Orbis: http://orbis.stanford.edu/

The defensive wall of Maediolanum

The walls, made of brick, were placed on a massive base protruding, in large pebbles inward and in large fragments of stone to the outside  to form a water-filled ditch. The Republican walls was 3500 meters long with 6 gates: Jovia, Vercellina, Ticinese, Romana, Eastern and Comasina. 
The door was constituted by a dual arc flanked by two towers.It was the custom that every door was consecrated to a pagan deity.

IOVIA GATE: The Republican name of this gate is unknown; later called "Iovia" in honor of Diocletian who so liked to be called;

VERCELLINA GATE: So called because oriented Vercelli. It was dedicated to the goddess Venus, of which there was a statue above the gate.

TICINESE GATE: so called because oriented "Ticinum" today Pavia. It was dedicated to Mercury, the god of commerce.

ROMANA GATE: so called because oriented Rome. It was dedicated, according to some, to Mars, according to others to Apollo. On its arch there was this inscription: "Tell, traveler who are going to pass this gate:'Hail second Rome, imperial decorum of the Kingdom; very venerable and full of riches city. People fear you; powerfull people bend their neck to you. In the use of the army Thebes, in the wisdom Athens you win.'" It is sure that Caesar passes this cage when he was directed towards Gaul.

ARGENTEA CAGE: It was dedicated to the Sun and to Apollo. The name derives  from the town where it was directed towards "Argentiolum" today Gorgonzola

COMASINA CAGE (OR CUMANA): It was dedicated to the Moon

La cinta muraria di Maediolanum

Le mura, fatte di mattoni, erano poste su un massiccio basamento sporgente, in grossi frammenti di pietra verso l'esterno e in ciottoloni verso l'interno riempiti d'acqua a formare un fossato.  La cinta muraria repubblicana di Milano (Maediolanum) era lunga 3500 metri con 6 porte: Jovia, Vercellina, Ticinese, Romana, Orientale e Comasina. La porta era costituita da un duplice arco fiancheggiato da due torri.
Era usanza che ogni porta fosse consacrata ad una divinità pagana.

PORTA GIOVIA: Non si conosce il nome che aveva questa porta in tempi repubblicani, successivamente denominata "Giovia" in onore di Diocleziano che così amava farsi chiamare;

PORTA VERCELLINA: Così chiamata perchè orientata verso Vercelli, era dedicata alla dea Venere, di cui c'era una statua sopra la porta stessa.

PORTA TICINESE: così chiamata perchè orientata verso "Ticinum" l'odierna Pavia. Era dedicata a Mercurio, il dio del commercio.

PORTA ROMANA: Così chiamata perchè rivolta verso Roma. Era dedicata, secondo alcuni, a Marte, secondo altri ad Apollo. Recava sull'arco questa incisione: "Dì, o viandante che t'appresti a varcare la porta:'Salve, seconda Roma, decoro imperiale del Regno;città molto veneranda e di dovizie onusta.Te le genti temono;a te piegano il collo i potenti.Tu nelle armi Tebe, tu nella saggezza vinci Atene'"
Di certo ci passò Cesare diretto verso la Gallia.

PORTA ARGENTEA: Intitolata al dio Sole e ad Apollo, Il suo nome deriva dalla cittadina verso cui era rivolta "Argentiolum" l'odierna Gorgonzola

PORTA COMASINA (O CUMANA): Era dedicata alla Luna