About the Roman Army
1. Mythical Originsu
Legends tell that the Roman army began with Romulus, the
mythical founder of Rome, and his bodyguard of 300
warriors called the celeres. Like much of Rome’s earliest
history, it is unlikely that this is entirely true, as it was not
written down until centuries later. But it shows the
importance of the army in Rome, that it became part of the
city’s founding legend.
2. Stealing from the Greeks
During the early days of Rome, when it was just one small
city-state in a divided Italy, much of the region was
occupied by Greek settlers. Their influence spread not just
through warfare and occupation but through the examples
that native Italians took from them. In the case of the
Romans, this included a way of fighting. They adopted the
Greek strategy of fielding phalanxes of hoplites – well-
armored troops carrying large round shields and spears.
Hoplites fought in close formation, their shields protecting
each other, thrusting with their spears. This worked well in
large battles on open ground, but for smaller raids and
skirmishes older ways of fighting continued.
3. The Origin of Centuries
Centuries, the central units of the Roman army, were
supposedly created by Servius Tullius, the legendary sixth
king of Rome (578-534BC). Under the Servian system, a
census was taken of all the men in Rome. They were
divided by wealth and their military obligations based upon
the equipment it was thought they could afford to provide.
Whether or not Servius actually existed, a system like this
was created early in Rome’s story and endured well into
recorded history.
4. Soldier Engineers
Roman soldiers were also engineers and construction
workers. During the late republic and the empire, they
carried axes, picks, shovels, and other equipment with
them on the march. They built defensive systems wherever
they camped, constructed roads connecting the empire,
and labored on public works such as aqueducts.
5. So Much Marching they Wore Away
Metal
The boots of Roman soldiers had metal studs on the
bottom. These gave them a better grip on mud and uneven
ground.
The soldiers marched so much that these studs could
become entirely worn away. A group of sailors from the
Italian fleet appealed to the Emperor Vespasian for money
to replace studs worn away on marches between ports and
Rome and were instead told that they should march
barefoot.
6. They Mostly Wore Chainmail
Roman legionaries are most often depicted wearing lorica
segmentata, armor made up of overlapping plates. But this
was only in regular use for a couple of centuries. Most
troops wore chainmail, both before, after, and in many
cases during the lorica period. The Roman armor was
made from iron, which rusted quickly. The mail had the
advantage over the plated segmentata. It required less
maintenance; as it was always in motion, it was less quick
to rust.
7. Not Showing Casualties
Roman art often depicted battles against barbarian
enemies. To ensure that this art reinforced the might of
Rome, there was a convention that enemy casualties were
shown in these depictions, but not Roman casualties. Like
many modern leaders, Romans liked to airbrush out the
uncomfortable truth that even victorious warfare caused
their people pain and loss. This can also be seen in the
above image – there are dead barbarians aplenty, but no
sign of Roman casualties.
8. The Army was the Government
Though the Roman Empire was headed by the emperor
and the senate, the practical work of governing the empire
mostly fell upon the army. Generals were also military
governors of conquered regions, responsible for
administering those areas. Soldiers filled the role of
policemen, keeping the peace, investigating crimes, and
arresting and executing criminals when necessary.
9. Many Soldiers were Cultists
Esoteric cults from the eastern end of the Mediterranean
were popular among soldiers. Inscriptions from military
sites show the popularity of figures such as the Hittite storm
god Dolichenus and the Iranian sun god Mithras. Shrines to
Mithras have been found on Hadrian’s Wall, as far from the
cult’s origins as they could get within the Roman Empire.
With its emphasis on strength and courage, Mithraism
became particularly popular, especially among officers.
Similarities to Christianity have led some to argue that this
shaped or paved the way for the spread of Christianity
among the imperial elite.
10. Staying Entertained
Most legionary forts had an amphitheater outside. These
were used to entertain the troops through the sorts of blood
sports famously on display at the arena in Rome. While
provincial displays would have been far less impressive,
they helped keep the troops entertained while far from
home.
11. Great Care Over Health
Great care was taken to keep the legionaries healthy. At
permanent forts, sewage systems and bath houses were
built to maintain hygiene. Even on the march, a hospital
area was often set up in the camp, with a large open space
to work in.
Military doctors were held in some prestige, with many of
them holding the rank of centurion. Just like knowledge of
medicine, many of the doctors themselves came from
Greece, and the great Greek medical writer Galen mentions
a headache cure devised by the army doctor Antigonus.
12. Harsh Penalties for Sleeping on the
Job
Discipline was harsh in the Roman army. A sentry caught
sleeping on the job would be clubbed to death by the
comrades whose lives he had put at risk, to ensure that the
message was made to everyone in the unit.
The most famous way in which soldiers tried to get away
with sleeping on watch was to prop up their shield and
spear, using them as a support while they slept upright.
How many men got away with this, how many were instead
executed, and how many led their friends to disaster is not
known.
13. Who Could Enlist
Only free men could enlist in the Roman army. If a slave
was found to have joined, then responsibility for this crime
depended on how the slave had joined up. If they had
volunteered, pretending to be a free man to escape their
current life, then they were punished for the fraud. If, on the
other hand, they had been supplied as a substitute by
another man seeking to avoid enlistment, then punishment
fell on that man.