Roman Army

In the end, all things must serve Rome.

Hoplites (early Roman republic, 578 BC - c. 315 BC)

• Hoplite

  Infantry with spears and shields. Often fight in phalanx formation. Originated from Ancient Greek city-states.

• Equites

  Almost the highest rank in the property-based classes of Rome, just below the senatorial class. They served as cavalry.

Manipular legion (mid Roman republic, 315-107 BC)

3 core heavy infantry types

• Hastati

  First line. Poor or young men who could only afford modest armor. Originally wielding a hasta (spear). Later supplied with a gladius (short stabbing sword), a scutum (squared wooden shield), and one or two pila (throwing spear).

• Principes

  Second line. Wealthy men with decent armor. Same weapon as the hastati.

• Triarii

  Third line. Old and wealthy men with high quality armor. Equipped with spears.

res ad triairos venit

In most battles triarii were not used because the lighter troops usually defeated the enemy before the triarii were committed to the battle. They were meant to be used as a decisive force in the battle, thus prompting the old Roman saying, ‘it comes down to the triarii’, which meant carrying on to the bitter end.

Support types

• Velites

  Front line light infantry and skirmisher. Youngest and poorest with no armor. Equipped with darts (javelin), a gladius and a parma (small wooden shield). Descended from earlier class of Leves.

• Equites

• Rorarii

  Final line reserve infantry. Usually the poorest with no much fighting capabilities.

• Socii and Latini

  Troop from allied states in Italy.

Manipular legion

A legion consisted of 10 maniples of 120 hastati, 10 maniples of 120 principes and 10 half strength maniples of triarii containing 60 men each. With 1,200 velites and 300 cavalrymen a legion numbered 4,500 men. However, in times of great need the number might be reinforced up to 5,000.

Marian legion (late Roman republic, 107-27 BC)

Roman consul Gaius Marius carried out a programme of reform known as Marian reforms. From seasoned conscripts to voluntary or professional army. All citizens were eligible into the legion now regardless of wealth or social class.

• Legionary

  All classes of heavy infantry are formed into one homogeneous type.

• Evocatus

  Soldiers who had served out their time and obtained honorable discharges (honesta missio) but had voluntarily enlisted again at the invitation of the consul or other commander.

• Auxilia: The roles of missile and cavalry support are fullfiled by non-citizen auxiliaries.

Marian legion

A legion consisted of 10 cohorts. A cohort composed of 480 soldiers. A cohort consisted of 6 centuriae each commanded by a centurion.

Each legion was partnered with an approximately equal number of auxiliae troops.

Imperial legions (Imperial Roman, 27 BC - 117 AD)

The structure remains the same. But more non-roman enter the legion and more professional armies.

• Praetorian Guard

  A new type dedicated to the protection of the Emperor.