Page 59 - History of War - Issue 10-14

THE ROMAN WAR MACHINE

1Contubernium=8men 6centuries=1cohort=480men

DISCIPLINE
Ifasoldierdidn’t
perform his tasks
well and failed his 10Contubernia=1Century=80men 10 cohorts + 120 horsemen =
1legion=4,920men
assignments, there
wouldbestrict
punishments. These
could range from a
decrease in rations, to
corporal punishment.

(Plus additional auxiliary troops)

HIERARCHY&STRUCTURE

organisationwasoftheutmostimportancetothe
world’sfirst-everprofessionalfightingforce
The first division of the Roman army was the swelledconsiderably.Thiswasthebirthofthe
Manipular Legion, which was formed shortly Roman war machine.
after the city of Rome was founded in 753 Withthenewstructurecameanewtypeof
BCE. Containing major influences from the hierarchy. At the very top were the generals,
phalanx tactics of the era, this initial army known as legates, who would command a
helped the Romans defeat rival settlements legionofthousandsofmen.Theunitswould
on the peninsula, such as the Etruscans, the then be divided up further into cohorts of
Samnites,aswellasGreekandMacedonian several hundred men and finally 80-man
forcesthathadcomeacrosstheAdriatic divisions known as centuries that would be
andIonianSeastotheeast.Atthistime, controlled by a centurion who received around
thesoldiersformedmoreofamilitiathan 18 times more pay than the standard legionary.
an army per se but this was all to change in The Roman Republic became an empire
107BCEwiththeMarianReforms.Instigated in27BCEwhenAugustusassumedcomplete
by general and statesman Gaius Marius, controlofthesenate.WithinthenewEmpire,
the reorganisation turned the army into a fresh tactics and formations began to appear.
structured, professional force. There was now Armoured cavalry units became popular and
a standard pay for the new full-time legionary provided a whole new type of warfare on the
andunlikebeforethearmydidn’tdisband ancient battlefield. Shortly after cavalry, siege
after every campaign. Men were now hired weaponssuchastheonagerandballistawere
from all across Italy and the number of troops used in some of the world’s first-ever sieges.

AUXILIARY THE LEGIONARY

STRUCTURE Coming face-to-face with a Roman
soldier would make any barbarian shake
inhisboots,andhere’swhy
Theinfluxofmercenaryfighters
As the Empire expanded, the make-up of the army. An PILUM HELMET
it required more and more example would be the archers This long spear TheRomanshadavarietyofhelmettypes
manpower to defend its borders, recruited from occupied lands in wasthrownfroma including the coolus and montefortino. The
sothearmywasforcedtohire Asia Minor who used their bows distance at the start one shown here is a cassis helmet.
ofabattletounsettle
fighters from the occupied lands to deadly effect. Auxiliaries also TUNIC
the enemy ranks.
knownasauxiliariesorauxilia. helped usher in a new era of To march long distances and
Theseformerbarbarianswere chain mail and rounded shields ARMOUR still fight effectively, the Roman
trainedinthewaysofthelegion rather than lorica segmentata Madefromstripsofiron, soldier’s tunic was light, warm
and would be rewarded with and scutum. The auxiliaries’ role a legionary’s armour was and comfortable.
Roman citizenship if they served was to support the main legion in toughenoughtowithstand SCUTUM
for25years.Theinfluxofsoldiers their own specialised cohort. They barbarian blades. The iconic rectangular shield
from far-away lands did change were roughly paid a third of what protected the whole body
a standard legionary received and GLADIUS and enabled the testudo
“THIS NON-CITIZEN were stationed away from their The Roman soldier would use
thisshortswordforfightingat
native lands to ensure they did not
CORPS AIDED THE switch sides. This non-citizen corps close quarters. Therectangularscutumwastheiconic
ROUNDORRECTANGULARSHIELDS?
SANDALS
aided the army greatly by making
ARMY GREATLY” its tactics more diverse with new Knownas‘caligae’,these Roman shield, but legionaries throughout
cavalry and archer units.
sandalswerestandardissue
the Empire also carried circular shields,
for the army. whichcopiedGreekhoplitedesigns.
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