Roman Army Discipline

  • Penalties and Punishments were more severe during the Roman Republic, probably because the soldiers were part-time and less disciplined.
  • Under the Roman Empire, the legionaries were professional full-time soldiers.

Minor Penalties

  • Castigatio
    • Corporal Punishment, inflicted by the Centurion’s staff, the ‘Animadversion fustium’.
  • Flogging
    • usually Flogged in front of either the Legionary’s Century, Cohort or Legion.
  • Whipping
    • by the use of the ‘Flagrum’. This was more extreme than flogging.
  • Pecunaria Multa
    • Monetary Fine deducted from the Legionary Pay.
  • Military Oath
    • Ordered to retake the Sacramentum Militare, the Military Oath, to verify the Legionary’s Loyalty.
  • Munerum indictio
    • Extra Duties.
  • Gradus deiectio
    • Downgrade in Rank.
  • Downgrade of Privileges
    • gained during the Legionary’s years of Service.
  • Militiae mutatio
    • Demotion to a less prestigious unit or Duties.
  • Missio ignominiosa
    • Dishonorable Discharge (Cashiered)

Severe Penalties

  • Fustuarium or Bastinado
    • Execution: If a soldier was found to be guilty by a Court Martial, he would be stoned or beaten to death in front of the assembled Legion.
    • This would be the penalty for Desertion, Mutiny, Insubordination, Stealing, or Lying.
    • Mitigating factors: Age of the recruits, length of service, rank, previous behaviour.
  • Decimation
    • Decimatio: 1 in 10 Legionaries would be executed by the others. This was very rarely used.
  • Disbandment

 

Posted in .