Page 60 - History of War - Issue 10-14

THE ROMAN WAR MACHINE

FORMATION

&TACTICS

The Roman battle line was unlike
anything seen before and was ideal
to deal with nearly any scenario

A professional and conscripted force, the Roman military
introduced many new and innovative features of warfare. Prior
to the Empire, the phalanx was the dominant tactic on ancient
battlefi elds but the Romans successfully made this once great
formation obsolete in a matter of decades.

BATTLE OF MONS GRAUPIUS

Rise of the testudo
CALEDONIAN TRIBE
This battle was fought in
the Highlands and could
well be the testudo’s
fi nest hour. Faced with the
fi erce local Caledonian
tribes, the strict structure
of the Roman ranks
tactically outclassed the
men from the Highlands.
As the Caledonians hurled
their spears towards the
Romans, the legionaries SPEARMEN SPEARMEN
went into their tortoise SWORDSMEN
shape, nullifying the
impact of almost every
single spear. The chariot
and infantry charge
followed next but these
were dispatched with
ease by the close-knit CHARIOTS CHARIOTS
Roman ranks. With the TESTUDO TESTUDO TESTUDO TESTUDO
tortoise in full fl ow,
these unarmoured and
unprofessional militia
stood no chance.

RESERVE
LEGION
LEGION

ORB
When a group was split from the main force and had been encircled by
TESTUDO enemy troops, an orb formation would be deployed. This would only be used
in desperation and as a sort of ‘last stand’, but could hold off enemies in
The testudo (torto
order to gain valuable time for a retreat or escape.
could be useful in
Strengths: Useful for legionaries who had been detached from the main
open battlefi elds a body of the army.
in sieges. Using th Weaknesses: Left vulnerable isolated and easily surrounded
near-body-length s
shields, a division
legionaries could b
almost impenetrab
projectiles, as they
enemy forces or de
was developed fro
phalanx formation.
Strengths: Allowed advances into enemy territory while
protected from projectiles.
Weaknesses: Could not launch a quick attack very easily.

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