by Jeff Woodward

Created on: December 08, 2008

Roman military dominance was secured by strategy, discipline, adaptation, and equipment.

During the Republican era, the Roman army consisted of landowners, wealthy enough to supply their own weapons and equipment. The hastati(spearmen) would form the front line; the principes(expreienced) formed the second, and the triarii(veterans) formed the third. Every soldier had to be a landowner, and a member of the fifth census, or higher. They were formed in maniples(handfuls), and led indvidually by the equites(knights). During the Marian reforms of 107BCE, the Roman army was overhauled. Marius set forth the precedence of allowing landless men to to enlist within the legions. A service time of twenty years was required, with an extra five years as a evocati(veteran-prior service) in addition.

The Roman Legions were reformed from maniples, to centuries. A legion consisted of roughly 6000 soldiers, with 5200 being the core legionaries. The legionaries were divided into 10 cohorts, and 60 centuries. A cohort consisted of around 400 men, with the first cohort being double strength. A century consisted of 100 men, which was again divided into 10 contubernia, or squads. Marius introduced the eagle standards to the legions, and also identifying markers to each cohort. This sense of identity gave the soldiers a common loyalty to their units.

Drilling was performed daily by the legionaries. Soldiers would practice with wooden swords, either in matched fights, or against wooden posts. The wooden swords were double the weight of the gladius, the standard short sword of issue to a legionaire, the idea that swinging a double weighted sword would increase the soldiers strength.

Daily marches were undertaken by the soldiers. After marching a full day, the soldiers would have to set up camp for the night. A Roman camp was laid out like a small city, with earthen works surrounding the camp, a blacksmith, and a hospital. After a long days march and setting up camp, a soldier would retire for the evening with his squad, to cook dinner and to rest. These daily practices resulted in a strict form a discipline among the soldiers.

The legionaires equipment consisted of a pilum(javelin), a gladius(short sword), segmented armor(segmenta), a helmet(galea), and a shield(scutum). Heavily armored as such, the legion would march into battle, after a hail of missiles from the ballista and archers to soften the enemy's front ranks. The Romans would then march within 30 to forty feet of the enemy, and throw their pilae(javelins). The pilae were tipped with a long iron prod, that would bend when it stuck in an enemy's shield. The enemy would cast his shield aside, leaving him exposed. The legion would advance, scutum covering their bodies as they thrusted with their short swords. These tactice gave the Romans tactical advantages over a myriad of enemies, though against some peoples, like the Germans or Parthians, such tactics would prove useless.

The Roman's battle tactics were rather complicated. They would form up only with the sun to their backs, with the impression that the light would inconvenience the enemy. They would not battle from a low position, and would secure hilltops if possible. Roman military officers would issue commancs to their units within the legion, and the standard bearers were guarded to the death. The legion would march to meet an enemy, three ranks deep. The weakest units and levies were bound in the middle, to prevent them from fleeing. The veteran units made up the flanks and reserve units. Most battles were fought and ended before dusk, as visiblity became a problem. The Romans performed every task necessary to ensure victory.

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