FREE ESSAY ON ROMAN ARMY

ROMAN ARMY

The Roman army was very victorious in its time (300-100 BC) because of its soldiers. The
Roman army was very strict, and was highly trained in warfare, discipline, and
engineering. The Roman army calls their soldier "legionaries". 
The soldiers were separated into four different types (classes). The triarii were the
more experienced soldiers. They were rarely used in battle except when really needed.
They wore full armour and carried a shield and a long spear. The principes were well
armoured and carried a heavy javelin, a light javelin, and a shield. The hastati wore the
same armour, and carried a light and heavy javelin. They carried a shield just as well.
The velites were armed with a small shield and a few light javelins. Every soldier in the
Roman army carried a sword and a dagger. 
The Roman army put their soldiers through basic training. They did running excersizes,
obstacle courses while wearing all their armour and weapons, and marched eighteen miles
three times a month. On these marches the soldiers had to carry all their equipment. They
drilled in flanking and column movements used in battles and ceremonies. The Roman army
was very strict about being perfect in drilling. But most important they trained in the
usage of their weapons. 
The Roman army also believed in punishment. If a guard was found asleep at or left his
post then he would be stoned or beaten for putting fellow soldiers at risk. The outcome
of that was usually death. Even entire legions can be punished. If a legion is defeated
it is usually banished from Rome.
A legion contains about 4,200 to 5,000 men. It is divided into ten sections. Each section
is called a cohort. One cohort is bigger than the rest because it contains the cooks,
messengers, and clerks for the legion. A cohort is made up of six parts each called a
century. And a century is comprised of ten contuberniums which each have eight men who
eat and sleep together. The Roman army has about four legions but can be increased in
emergencies. 
Each century is controlled by a centurion and second in charge is an optio. Each century
has its own signifer who carries the century's emblem. He also provides the burial club
for his century. The tesserarius of each century gives its own century a new password
every morning so impersonators will be filtered out. The praefectus castrorum is in
charge of all building and engineering. The cohorts were each led by tribunes. Each
legion has its own legatus. The legatus has full charge over his entire legion. Every
legion has a silver eagle on a staff carried by an aquilifer. If it is to be captured the
entire legion will be banished.
The campsites were huge. A ditch and a wall of dirt and stone surrounded the camp. The
sites are built so that from a distance the enemy couldn't tell where the entrance is.
The tents were setup seventy meters from the wall parameter to keep away from catapulted
stones.
When in attack formation the legions are split into groups of 120 men called maniples.
Ten maniples of the hastati are in the front of the formation. Five maniples of the
triarii are in the back. And between the triarii and hastati are ten maniples of the
principes. And the velites are just scattered around. This type of formation is called a
quincunx. The infantry with the javelins throw the lighter one first then the heavy one,
and then charge in with their swords.
Sieges were another way to attack. A siege is when the Roman army tries to invade the
enemy's city or camp. The soldiers build ramps and sliding-towers against the enemy
walls. The Roman soldiers then push the towers across the ramps and against the walls.
The men then climb the tower and enter the city. That is believed to be very effective in
the use of a siege. Heavy siege artillery would be huge cross bows, catapults, and
battering rams.
Bibliography
Bibliography:
Marks, Anthony & Tingay, Graham. The Romans: London, 
England; by Usborne Publishing Ltd. 1990 
Connolly, Peter. The Roman Army: Morristown, NJ; by Silver 
Burdett Company. 1985 
Wilkes, John. The Roman Army: Minneapolis, Minnesota; by 
Lerner Publications Company. 1977