Editing Castra (section)

==Etymology==
''Castrum'' appears in [[Oscan language|Oscan]] and [[Umbrian language|Umbrian]], two other [[Italic languages]], suggesting an origin at least as old as [[Proto-Italic language]]. [[Julius Pokorny]]<ref>{{cite book |last= Pokorny |first= Julius |title= Indogermanisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch |trans-title= Indo-European Etymological Dictionary |lang= de |year= 1959 |location= Bern |publisher= Francke |page= 586 |volume= 2 |url= https://archive.org/stream/indogermanisches02pokouoft#page/585/mode/1up}}</ref> traces a probable derivation from *k̂es-, 'cut', in *k̂es-tro-m, 'cutting tool'. These Italic reflexes based on *kastrom include Oscan {{lang|osc|castrous}} ([[genitive case]]) and Umbrian {{lang|xum|castruo}}, {{lang|xum|kastruvuf}} ([[accusative case]]). They have the same meaning, says Pokorny, as Latin {{lang|la|fundus}}, an estate, or tract of land. This is not any land but is a prepared or cultivated tract, such as a farm enclosed by a fence or a wooden or stone wall of some kind. [[Cornelius Nepos]] uses Latin {{lang|la|castrum}} in that sense: when [[Alcibiades]] deserts to the Persians, [[Pharnabazus II|Pharnabazus]] gives him an estate ({{lang|la|castrum}}) worth 500 [[Talent (measurement)|talents]] in tax revenues.<ref>{{cite web |last= Nepos |first= Cornelius |title= Alcibiades 9.3 |publisher= Latin Library |url=http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/nepos/nepos.alc.shtml}}</ref> This is a change of meaning from the reflexes in other languages, which still mean some sort of knife, axe, or spear. Pokorny explains it as "a camp, as a cut-off piece of land".

If this is the civilian interpretation, the military version must be "military reservation", a piece of land cut off from the common land around it and modified for military use. All castra must be defended by works, often no more than a [[stockade]], for which the soldiers carried stakes, and a ditch. The {{lang|la|castra}} could be prepared under attack within a [[hollow square]] or behind a [[battle line]]. Considering that the earliest military shelters were [[tent]]s made of hide or cloth, and all but the most permanent bases housed the men in tents placed in quadrangles and separated by numbered streets, one {{lang|la|castrum}} may well have acquired the connotation of tent.<ref>Lewis & Short under External links, General, as well as many uncited Latin dictionaries, make this suggestion.</ref>

=== Linguistic development ===
The commonest Latin [[Syntagma (linguistics)|syntagmata]] (here phrases) for the term {{lang|la|castra}} are:
; {{lang|la|castra stativa}}: Permanent camp/fortresses
; {{lang|la|castra aestiva}}: Summer camp/fortresses
; {{lang|la|castra hiberna}}: Winter camp/fortresses
; {{lang|la|castra navalia}} / {{lang|la|castra nautica}}: Navy camp/fortresses

In Latin the term {{lang|la|castrum}} is much more frequently used as a proper name for geographical locations: e.g., {{lang|la|italics=no|Castrum Album}}, {{lang|la|italics=no|Castrum [[Inuus|Inui]]}}, {{lang|la|italics=no|Castrum Novum}}, {{lang|la|italics=no|Castrum Truentinum}}, {{lang|la|italics=no|Castrum Vergium}}. The plural was also used as a place name, as {{lang|la|italics=no|Castra Cornelia}}, and from this comes the [[Welsh toponymy|Welsh place name]] prefix {{lang|cy|[[caer|caer-]]}} (e.g. [[Caerleon]] and [[Caerwent]]) and English suffixes ''[[Chester (placename element)|-caster'' and ''-chester]]'' (e.g. [[Winchester]] and [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]]). {{lang|la|Castrorum Filius}}, "son of the camps", was one of the names used by the emperor [[Caligula]] and then also by other emperors.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

{{lang|es|[[Castro (surname)|Castro]]}}, also derived from {{lang|la|Castrum}}, is a common [[Spanish naming customs|Spanish family name]] as well as [[toponym]] in [[Spain]] and other [[Hispanophone]] countries, [[Italy]], and the [[Balkans]], either by itself or in various compounds such as the [[World Heritage Site]] of {{lang|sq|italics=no|[[Gjirokastër]]}} (earlier {{lang|sq|italics=no|Argurokastro}}). The terms '''''{{lang|grc|[[Towns of ancient Greece#Military settlements|stratopedon]]}}''''' ("army camp") and '''''{{lang|grc|[[towns of ancient Greece#Military settlements|phrourion]]}}''''' ("[[fortification]]") were used by [[Greek language]] authors to translate {{lang|la|italics=no|castrum}} and {{lang|la|italics=no|castellum}}, respectively.{{cn|date=April 2025}}