A Roman legion on Caesar’s campaigns usually had thousands of camp followers , not a fixed small number. A reasonable estimate is roughly 1,000 to 1,200 non-combatants per legion , though the total could swing higher or lower depending on the campaign and supply situation.

What they included

Camp followers were not just “extra people”; they were the support network of the army. They could include merchants, servants, slaves, craftsmen, doctors, bakers, and other specialists who kept the legion moving and supplied.

Why the number varied

Caesar tried to reduce baggage and dependence on followers by requisitioning supplies locally and setting up storage bases, but that was harder in Gaul because of scorched-earth warfare and supply disruption. That meant his army probably carried more followers than he would normally have wanted.

Practical estimate

If you want a simple answer for Caesar’s Gallic campaigns:

  • Per legion: about 1,000–1,200 camp followers.
  • For several legions together: the total could run into the many thousands.

For example, with 8 legions, that could mean around 8,000–10,000 camp followers in a large field army.

TL;DR: Caesar’s legions likely had around a thousand camp followers each , sometimes more, and a major campaign army could have several thousand overall.