Exploring the Notoriety of the Roman Army

The Roman army was known for its discipline, organization, and innovation, which allowed Rome to build an empire that would dominate the Mediterranean world. Also known for its longevity of survival, the Roman army was one of the most effective fighting forces in military history. Greek biographer Plutarch credits the founder of Rome, Romulus, with creating legionary forces that fought in a form of a militia, with recruitment dependent on a citizen’s social standing. Rome had six classes of wealth upon Rome’s citizens; the lowest group had no land and were excluded from the military, while the highest group, the equites, formed the cavalry. The earliest account of Roman legion is by Polybius and it dates to around 150-120 BC called the Manipular

Legions had various levels of command and the foremost commander was the Legatus legionis, often an ex-praetor. Beneath him were six military tribunes comprised of one tribunus laticlavius who aided the legate and came second in command. Then came the praefectus castorum who handled the camp logistics. There were sixty centurions who had their own rankings, and titles were based on the organization of the Manipular Army. Roman military equipment were similar to those used in the Republic, using the pilum, which was a heavy spear thrown in hand-to-hand combat. It was thrown in order to kill the enemy but if stuck in the enemies shield, it would become a significant nuisance. There was a gladius hispaniensis which was a Spanish sword worn on the right hip designed for stabbing and thrusting. This sword had very sharp edges and Livy describes the terror of the Macedonian army after seeing its potential damage. The scutum shield was a circular shield that each soldier would engrave their name, cohort, and century on the back, much like the present day “dog tag” that soldiers have today. The Imperial scutum was different than the Republican one, which was rectangular with a boss in the center, made of iron or a bronze alloy. Polybius speaks of different types of breast plates the soldiers would wear, and the three main types

The lorica segmenta consisted of strips of iron joined together by metal straps. The major part of the legionary’s equipment was the helmet, which were bowl shaped and had a neck guard at the back, a pronounced brow and hinged cheek to deflect blows to the face and minimize damage. Roman siege weapons were variations of Hellenistic weapons, coming in all shapes, sizes, and functions. Catapults and ballistae were used to throw large stones at enemy lines creating significant damage. While the army wasn’t in battle, it is important to remember what they were doing in their off time. It consisted of mostly training, and they would have formations practice, along with route marches taking place three times a month. The soldiers had civilian duties as well, which consisted of repairing roads for transportation, hospitals needed aid, bread needed to be baked, and many other day to day duties needed to be taken care