This work examines military medical practice on the Roman frontiers of the Rhine, the Danube and Britain, challenging the supposition that a universal system of health care was provided to the legionary and auxiliary units in the Roman army. It also considers whether the available information can illustrate differences in care provided to legionary and auxiliary units; if the data suggests that treatment was offered by military doctors to civilians living in the area of the fortifications, or vice versa; and if the location of the soldiers’ treatment can be determined. The author examines the remaining material evidence (including literary sources) and considers how medical care might have been influenced by other factors such as military events, provincial policy and the cultural background of the soldiers. By looking at the questions raised from a critical and anthropological angle, the complex cultural matrix of the Roman army is brought to the foreground.