Use of Candles in Ancient Times

Since ancient times, candles have not only been used as a means of illumination, but have also played an important role in religious rituals, military strategies, and war tactics . In ancient Rome in particular, candles played a critical role in both daily life and on the battlefield. The Romans' "night light" tactic is one of the most impressive examples of candle use in warfare.

Use of Candle in Ancient Times

The history of candles dates back to civilizations such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, China and Rome . The first candles were made using animal fats or beeswax. However, the Ancient Romans made great progress in this area by producing candles that were more durable and could burn for a longer period of time.

The Romans used candles:

• In home and street lighting ,
• In religious ceremonies in temples ,
• In rituals commemorating the dead ,
• They used it in military operations .

The most notable of these uses is the use of candles as a war tool in military strategies .

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Night Tactics Developed by Romans Using Candles

Roman legionnaires cleverly used candles during night marches and battle operations to defeat their enemies. Night fighting was quite risky at that time, because using lanterns or torches would reveal the location of the soldiers . However, the Romans developed different battle tactics to minimize this risk thanks to the low and directed light provided by candles .

The "Silent Night Walk" Tactic

Roman legions would secretly light their way through enemy territory by using candles as they advanced through the darkness of night . However, these candles were not carried directly in the open but inside special shields or ceramic containers . In this way, the light would only reflect on the ground and the enemy could not detect the location of the legionnaires.

• Thanks to the low light , soldiers could move easily across unknown terrain.
• They could lie in ambush while maintaining their secrecy .
• They could stay warm without lighting a fire and not reveal their location.

"False Camp" and the Tactic of Fooling the Enemy

The Romans used candles as a war strategy to deceive the enemy , especially when laying siege to castles or when they were going to launch a surprise attack on the enemy by setting up fake camps .

• To deceive the enemy , candles were placed in certain areas to give the impression that soldiers were camped .
• During the night, enemy troops focused on these lights, mistaking them for the real camp , but the Romans were attacking from a completely different direction.
• This strategy was particularly effective in attacks against the Parthians and Germanic tribes .

This tactic has gone down in the history of warfare as an early example of manipulating visual perception .

Religious Rituals and Moral Strengthening

Before the war, Roman soldiers would light candles while praying to the gods in temples . Candles lit especially in the name of Mars (God of War) and Jupiter (King of the Gods) would boost the morale of the soldiers.

• Roman generals would light large candles as offerings to the gods to ensure victory .
• In the middle of a long battle, candles would be lit at night and prayers would be said to keep the morale of the troops high .
• These rituals helped soldiers feel psychologically stronger before battle.