eli5: How did old militaries (such as ancient Rome) manage to keep fed and hydrated thousands soldiers in long military campaigns over long distance and time?

Question

eli5: How did old militaries (such as ancient Rome) manage to keep fed and hydrated thousands soldiers in long military campaigns over long distance and time?

In: 8

Answer 1

they stole it usually, but as armies got bigger and traveled further they would create ‘logistical trains’ of supply wagons. the length of the passage for which was the primary limiting factor of speed and distance of an invading force. see basically every attempt to conquer Russia after the huns.