Moving the Roman Legions

The Roman Legions moved by marching in a protective formation, mostly carrying their own equipment.
With the Frontiers being just a few days march along a Roman Road, the Legions were able to defend and hold the Roman Empire for centuries.

To facilitate marching from one Roman Province to another, the Legions built all weather Roman Roads.
These were designed to take the weight of the Roman Cavalry, the Legionaries, the Baggage Train with the supplies, the Artillery Pieces and any Siege Machines.
This way, at any time of year, despite torrential rains, snow or sandstorms, a Roman Legion could be moved around the Roman Empire to deal with a crisis.

The cavalry and ten Cohorts of a Roman Legion marched in a column, one in front of the other.

Vanguard
- First the Scouts went up ahead, followed by the Vanguard consisting of the main force of the Roman Cavalry.
Centre
- Then followed the nine Cohorts in a column, flanked by Scouts.
- The Baggage train came next.
Rearguard
- The last Cohort defended the rear, protected by the remaining Cavalry units and flanked by Scouts.

From the 3rd century BCE onwards, the Roman Army built Marching Camps.
The construction and defense of the Roman Marching camp was so successful, that none were ever overrun.
The Roman Legions could march 20 miles (32km) in a day, whereas their Barbarian enemies could only manage half that distance. This meant the Roman Army could quickly arrive to assist beleaguered units or quickly depart if overwhelmed by the enemy, buying time to fight later on ground of their own choosing.

Julius Caesar recorded that he required 80 transport ships to move two Legions in Caesar's First Invasion of Britannia. This did not include a Baggage Train and Siege Engines.
This indicates that each vessel must have carried c.120 men or about one and a half Centuries.

In 70 CE, the Legio XIV Gemina, based in Wroxeter, is recorded as marching along the Via Belgica when they left Britannia to reach Germania Inferior during the Batavian Revolt.
Wroxeter is on Watling Street, which runs via London to the port of Richborough.
From here they would have taken the sea crossing to Boulogne, the channel port terminus for the Via Belgica.
From Boulogne they marched along the Via Belgica through Tongeren to Cologne on the Rhine, where they assisted Quintus Petilius Cerialis in successfully suppressing the Revolt.