THE ROMAN ARMY Why was it so important? MarshLatin.wordpress.com.
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Transcript of THE ROMAN ARMY Why was it so important? MarshLatin.wordpress.com.
THE ROMAN ARMY
Why was it so important?
MarshLatin.wordpress.com
How was the Roman Army organised?
• Main part of the army was the LEGION
• This was made up of 5000 men under the command of the LEGATUS
How the Roman Army was organized
• The legion was divided into ten cohorts
• Each cohort was made up of six centuries
• The centuries were commanded by a centurion
• Centuries originally had 100 men
How the Roman Army was organised
• The centurions were very important men
• They were responsible for training the soldiers under their command and making sure everyone obeyed orders.
• Some were very cruel
Standard Bearers• Each century had its
own emblem or standard.
• This was carried by the standard bearer, a very experienced and trusted soldier
• To lose your standard was a great disgrace
How to become a Legionaire!
• You had to be a Roman citizen
• You had to be physically fit and 1.6m tall
• You were expected to stay in the army for 25 years
What was he paid?• They earn 225
denarii/year (up to 300 under Domitian)
• Food, clothing and equipment were subtracted from the salary
• Some money was placed in a bank for his retirement
• Probably received 20-25% of his pay
Retirement and Promotion• Soldiers could be
promoted to optio or centurion
• Promotion meant more pay and duty exemptions
• Upon retirement a soldier could expect a lump-sum payment of 3000 denarii or land!
Training• Most soldiers joined
between 18-20 years old
• There were three 22 mile marches each month
• On each march the legionaire would carry 90 lbs of equipment
Training• Legionaries would
also learn drill, or marching
• This was important for learning manoeuvres in battle
• New recruits were given shields and swords twice as heavy as the real thing!
Weapons
• Gladius (short sword)
• Pilus (spear)
• Pugio (dagger)
• Scutum (shield)
Equipment
• Lorica segmentata (armor made from metal strips)
• Cingulum (military belt)• Caligae (military sandals)• Helmet• Short leggings (Late
Empire)
Who else was in the Army?• Auxiliaries- These
were soldiers from lands conquered by the Romans who volunteered to fight for the Romans
• Many of these had special skills- like cavalry soldiers and archers
Auxiliaries• Archers• Most fought with a sword and short
spear• Thought of by Romans as second
class soldiers , paid less and not trained as rigorously
• After 25 years- they became Citizens (and their children too!)