impedimenta

Impedimenta is a Latin plural noun meaning burdens or hindrances, and in military Latin it denotes the baggage, equipment, and non-combat supplies accompanying a marching army. The singular impedimentum means a hindrance or encumbrance, derived from impedire, to hinder.

In classical Roman warfare, impedimenta encompassed the logistical and support matériel necessary for campaigning away from permanent bases. This included wagons and pack animals, tents and camp equipment, cooking and repair gear, tools and materials for carpentry and construction, medical supplies, and other items needed to sustain an army in the field. The impedimenta were typically organized as a separate baggage train and could be moved with the commanders’ headquarters or kept in escort camps. When rapid movement was required, armies might disperse or delay transporting impedimenta to gain speed, reflecting a trade-off between mobility and provisioning.

In historical writing, impedimenta is used to distinguish non-combat resources from armamenta (weapons and arms). The term has also entered modern usage to describe obstacles, encumbrances, or nonessential items that hinder progress, as well as in archaeology and military history to refer to material remains from camp life and provisioning during campaigns.

See also: baggage train, impediment, impedire.