The Roman Army
The Roman army was perhaps the greatest symbol of power
and total control seen during the Classical Period of history. The Roman legionary
The average legionary was a dedicated and professional soldier. It is mainly due to the Romans that the idea of a professional soldier came into being. The weaponry and armour was “state of the art”. Flexible metal armour (Lorrica Segmentata) was ideal for fighting in. Curved metal strips that fitted snugly around the body that allowed freedom to move in and gave excellent protection to most weapons of the time. Sometimes the armour did not cover the back of the legionary- the legionary was never to turn his back on the enemy. Retreat was something that the legions did not know much about!
The helmet (cassis or galea) was also carefully designed.
Made usually out of iron, the helmet gave the wearer excellent protection in battle. It protected the skull, and with the protrusion at the back protected the neck from sword blows. Quite often there would be cheek guards that shielded the face whilst at the same time not getting in the way of the eyes. It is very important that a legionary’s sight not be obstructed in battle.
The curved shield (scutum), gave excellent individual protection in battle. It stood at waist height and curved to fit around the body. It was made of plywood, coated in leather and rimmed with metal to give extra strength. On the front was a metal plate that could be used for punching or fending off an enemy. The shield could also be linked with others to form defensive formations like the shield wall or the moving tortoise (testudo).
Each legionary was armed with two spears (pilum or javelin). The
pilum was an ingenious weapon. Once thrown it could not be used again.
This was because when the pilum struck something hard, the heavy wooden
shaft would bend the thin metal point. This made the weapon useless.
The legionary also carried the famous Roman short sword (gladius). At fifty centimeters it was ideal for close-quarter fighting. Double-edged and very sharp so it could kill or injure with the point or edge.
The legions were very well trained which gave them an advantage over most of their enemies who were often undisciplined. The Romans would practise fighting with heavier wooden weapons, take route marches with full equipment and enforce strict discipline on the soldiers.
The purpose of this constant training was very important. Firstly it kept the Roman army in a constant state of readiness- ready to fight a battle at a moment’s notice. Secondly, because the training of the legionaries was so hard, the average legionary was very fit and warfare was often seen as being easier than the training!
Because of the road infrastructure built throughout the Roman empire
the legions could cover a lot of ground in their marches. It was not unknown for Roman legions to march forty miles and still
be able to fight a battle at the end of it!
The success of the legions inspired many future armies and commanders.