First off, I'm somewhat aware of the history of the backpack, and that the term "backpack" itself wasn't coined until last century. That said, backpacks or something similar have been used for millennia, although there are few actual samples due to the nature of materials used and decomposition. In my historical fiction account of a Goth woman who belongs to a fictional Goth tribe that more resembles the Romans in terms of technology, I've been cautioned about calling the "sack thingy with straps for carrying on the back" a "backpack."
Any historical backpack experts out there? What would and what wouldn't be out of bounds as far as the design of such an item in a relatively enlightened 4th century culture, and what would you call it?
Any historical backpack experts out there? What would and what wouldn't be out of bounds as far as the design of such an item in a relatively enlightened 4th century culture, and what would you call it?