The Legionary Soldier

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The Legionary Soldier

• Stage 25 milites

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Background Info

• Legion-the main fighting unit of the Roman army
• In the first 3 centuries of the empire the army
  contained between 25 and 34 legions
• Each legion was comprised of approx. 5000 men
  recruited from the citizens
• Recruits were from all walks of life and often
  consisted of people of conquered countries

• The legion formed the elite of the Roman army
  (exercitus)
• Each legion carried a number and a name, e.g.
  legio X Gemina, to which honorary titles could be
  added (pia fidelis-dutiful and faithful)

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Organization of the Legion
Legion (5000 men)
L
divided into ten cohorts
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
a cohort was divided into three manipuli
(handfuls)
M
M
M
manipuli divided into two centuries (30-200
troops)
C
C
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Chain of Command in a Legion
Legatus legionis (Legate) First in command
Tribunus laticlavius Second in command
Praefectus castrorum Camp commandment and Third
in command
Primus pilus Senior centurion
Centuriones ordinarii Centurion There were ten
Centurions in a legion
Optio Deputy Centurion the post of Optio was
optional, Depending on the will of the Centurion
to have a Deputy.
A Cohort (80-100 Troops) The Soldiers There were
10 cohorts in a legion
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Skills

• Each soldier (miles) was a full-time
• professional who signed on for 25 years
• Highly trained in the skills of infantry warfare
  and were often specialists in other fields as
  well
• Capable of constructing forts and camps,
  manufacturing its weapons and equipment, and
  building roads
• Had engineers, architects, carpenters, smiths,
  doctors, medical orderlies, clerks and
  accountants on staff

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Recruitment

• A new recruit would be investigated by the
  inquistio (an investigating board) to make sure
  he was a Roman citizen, then undergo a medical
  exam
• Some requirements for the recruits were alert
  eyes, hold his head upright, broad-chested with
  powerful shoulders and brawny arms, long fingers,
  not pot-bellied or have a fat bottom, calves and
  feet should not be flabby (should be tough
  sinew), outstanding in body and in mind
  (Vegetius, 4 c. CE)

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Training

• Soldiers first learned how to march at the
  regulation pace for distances of up to 24 Roman
  miles (about 22 miles)
• Next was running, jumping, swimming, and carrying
  heavy packs
• Next-weapon training

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Weapons

• Gladius-short stabbing sword worn on the right
• Pugio-dagger worn on the left
• Pilum-javelin
• Scutum-legionary shield that was 3 feet long
  curved rectangle made of strips of wood
  glued together and covered with hide

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Armor

• Wore segmented armor of metal strips (lorica
  segmentata) with leather straps and buckle
  fastenings over a woolen tunic
• Military belt (cingulum) was worn at all times,
  even without armor
• Did not wear trousers, but short leggings were
  eventually adopted
• Helmet was padded on the inside and designed to
  protect the head, face, and neck without
  obstructing hearing or vision
• Strong sandals (caligae) with thick soles and
  iron hobnails were designed to withstand weight
  and marching

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After Training

• When the recruit was competent with the weapons
  he was ready to leave the barracks for training
  in the countryside
• This began with route marches where he carried
  his armor, weapons and a heavy pack (90 pounds)
  that had dishes, water bottle, woolen cloak,
  food, and equipment to make a camp (saw, axe,
  basket to move earth)
• The camp was the most important and was carefully
  practiced, some have been found in Britain

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Life and Work of a Soldier

• Most of the time was not spent in combat, usually
  on peaceful duties like building or roadmaking
• Given free time and leave
• Consistent duties throughout the army
• Letters and documents on wax and wooden tablets
  found dating to the 1st or 2nd c. CE at the
  fortress of Vindolanda showing duty rosters and
  work assignments

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Pay

• In war and peacetime there was the same pay
• In 1st c. CE up to Domitian (CE 81-96) it was 225
  denarii per annum, Domitian increased the rate to
  300 denarii
• Before any money was handed
• to the soldiers there were deductions
• for food, clothing and equipment,
• as well as a savings account
• What he actually received may have
• been a third of the gross pay

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Promotion

• Any soldier could hope for promotion
• Paid more, and exempted from duties performed by
  an ordinary soldier
• Could look forward to an honorable discharge at
  the end of 20-25 years with a lump sum of 3,000
  denarii or an allocation of land

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The Auxiliaries

• Supplemental specialized troops
• Provided by men from different parts of the
  empire who had developed particular
  skills-archers from Arabia, slingers from Majorca
  and Minorca
• Most prestigious were the cavalry-regularly used
  to support infantry
• Flanked the legionaries so that they could
  protect the center, launch attacks themselves, or
  pursue defeated enemy forces
• Paid less than legionaries
• At the end of service they were granted
  citizenship-this made provinces feel loyalty to
  Roman rule

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Cavalry/Archers/Slingers