Roman Legion

  • The Roman Legion was the largest unit of the Roman Army and by the 1st century BCE consisted of over 5,000 men and 120 Cavalry.
  • At first, the Roman Army raised temporary Legions based on the Greek Phalanx System (550-315 BCE), later using the Samnite Maniple System (315-107 BCE). Finally, the Romans created a Professional Standing Army with the Legions organised on the Cohort System (107 BCE-476 CE).

Famous Roman Generals

  1. Marcus Furius Camillus (446-365 BCE)
  2. Scipio Africanus (c.236-183 BCE)
  3. Marius (157-86 BCE)
  4. Sulla (138-78 BCE)
  5. Lucius Licinius Lucullus (118-c.56 BCE)
  6. Pompey (106-48 BCE)
  7. Julius Caesar (c.100-44 BCE)
  8. Mark Anthony (83-30 BCE)
  9. Agrippa (c.64-12 BCE)
  10. Nero Claudius Drusus (38-9 BCE)

The Cohort System (104 BCE-c.290 CE)

  • Legion
    • Total men: varied between 5,300-6,000.
    • Consisted of 10 Cohorts of 4,800 men, (excluding officers) plus one Cavalry Unit Equites of 120 men. Commanded by a Legatus Legionis or a ‘Legatus Augusti pro praetor’.
  • The Veterans
    • Retired Legionaries who had received their Discharge, but had been invited to rejoin the Legion.
  • Vexillatio (temporary detachment)
    • Varied from 80 to 1,000 men.
    • This was a temporary Unit, but consisting of a formally constituted Force, taken from the Legion and posted temporarily elsewhere.
    • It was commanded either by a military Tribune or a senior Centurion.
  • Auxilia (Roman Auxiliaries)
    • Non-Roman Citizen Army, recruitment from the Peregrini in the Provinces, and grouped into Cohorts of approximately 500 men, which were attached to each Legion.
    • Each Legion had an Auxiliary Army attached to it, consisting of approximately the same number of men as in the Legion (c. 5,000 in 10 Cohorts of 500).

Commanding Officers

  • “Legatus Augusti pro praetor”
    • The Imperial Legate.
  • Legatus Legionis
    • The Legionary Legate.
      • This was also a political office, usually occupied by a Senator.
      • He commanded one Legion, and its Auxiliary Army.
      • He would also act as Imperial Legate – Governor of the Province – if there was only one Legion based there.
      • Appointed by the Roman Emperor for 3 to 4 years.
  • Tribunus Laticlavius
    • Tribune.
      • He was from the Patrician (Senatorial) Class.
      • Named after the style of Roman Toga worn by the Senatorial class, which had a broad stripe.
      • He was the Second in Command to the Legionary Legate.
      • If the Legionary Legate died in Battle, the Tribunus Laticlavius replaced him.
      • Appointed either by the Roman Emperor or the Roman Senate.
      • He was a young and inexperienced officer on the first rung of the Cursus Honorum.
  • Prefectus Castrorum
    • Camp Prefect.
      • He was the Third in Command, but not from the Patrician class.
      • He was a very experienced soldier, who had usually served as a Primus Pilus, and completed his 25 years service.
      • He was the Officer who drilled the Legion in peacetime, and advised the Tribunus Laticlavius in wartime.
  • Tribuni Angusticlavii
    • Junior Tribune.
      • Named after the style of Toga worn with a narrow stripe.
      • There were 5 in each Legion.
      • They were from the Equestrian class.
      • They were more experienced than the Tribunus Laticlavius, and had more battle experience.
      • They often acted as administrators.
  • Primus Pilus
    • He was the Senior Centurion of the whole Legion.
      • He was the commanding Centurion of the First Cohort.
  • Centurion
    • Each Cohort had 6 Centurions each commanding one century of 80 men.
      • Every Legion had 59 Centurions.
      • There were 10 Cohorts in each Legion.
      • There were 6 Centuries in each of the 10 Cohorts, except the Cohors I, which only had 5 Centuries.
      • The Centurions (Officers) wore their swords on the left, whereas the Legionaries wore their swords on the right.
      • Titles of the Six Centurions in a Cohort
        • Centuria I: Pilus Prior, who also commanded the Cohort. (Except the Cohors I, which was commanded by the Primus Pilus).
        • Centuria II: Pilus Posterior
        • Centuria III: Princeps Prior
        • Centuria IV: Princeps Posterior
        • Centuria V: Hastatus Prior
        • Centuria VI: Hastatus Posterior

Principales: Non-commissioned Officers

  • Aquilifer
      • One only.
      • He was one step below the Centurion and carried the Eagle of the Legion.
      • He marched at the head of the Century.
      • He received double the Legionary Pay.
  • Signifer
      • One for each Century. Total 59. This was one step below Aquilifer.
      • He carried the Centurial Signum – a decorated spear.
      • He was responsible for the Legionaries Pay and Pensions.
      • It was the symbol for each Century, around which the soldiers rallied in Battle.
      • He marched at the head of the century.
      • He received double the Legionary Pay.
      • The Signifer wore a Bearskin over his helmet.
  • Optio
      • One for each Century. Total 59.
      • Second in command to the Centurion, and was appointed him.
      • He would take command if the Centurion was absent or killed.
      • The Optio was paid double the Legionary Pay.
      • He marched at the rear of the century and enforced the Centurion’s orders.
  • Tesserarius
      • One for each Century. Total 59.
      • They were the Guard Commanders, with similar responsibilities to the Optio.
      • He was paid one and a half times Legionary Pay.
      • He marched at the head of the century.
  • Cornicen
      • One for each Century: Total 59.
      • They were the Hornblowers, attached to the Signifer, bringing attention to the Centurial Signum, and shouting the Officers commands.
      • He received double the Legionary Pay.
      • He marched at the head of the Century.
  • Imaginifer
      • One only, attached to Cohors I.
      • He carried a Bust of the Roman Emperor made of Metal.
      • He marched at the head of the Cohors I, with the Aquilifer.
  • Draconarius
      • Every Legion had 6.
      • They carried the Draco, the symbol of each Cohort.
  • Decanus
      • Every Legion had 590.
      • There were 10 in each Century.
      • He commanded each Contubernium of 8 men.

The Legionaries

  • Immunes
      • Artillerymen, Doctors, Engineers, Surveyors, Architects, Musicians, Weapons Instructors and other Specialists. Their Pay was slightly higher than Legionary Pay.
  • Discens
      • Training in a profession to become an Immunes (up to several years). Basic Legionary Pay.
  • Milites
      • Known as a Munifex or Miles Gregarius or Legionarius:
      • The unspecialised Private Soldier. Basic Legionary Pay.
  • Tirones
      • Training to become a Munifex (for up to 6 months).

Roman Weapons

 

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