Roman Military

Osvaldo Jaimes

Table of contents• Weapons• Armor• Roman Ranks SO• Roman Ranks Other• Groups• Roman Generals• Discipline• Decimation• Bibliography

Pugio (dagger)

• Dagger like weapon used by legionnaires • Secondary Weapon• Leaf Shaped Blade• 3 millimeters thin • 18-28 cm long

Gladius (sword)

• Short sword of the SPQR• Used mostly to stab rather than slash due to

space • Known as “Spanish Sword” due to inheritance

from Spain • Design of hilt identified the rank of the soldier

Hasta (spear)• Used to stab and

smack the enemy rather than being thrown

• Wooden shaft made of ash

• Iron Triangular shaped tip

• Usually found at the last line of army carried by legionnaires

Pilum (javelin)

• Heavier javelin than normal• When thrown with speed, the impact, would

pierce through a shield or armor• When pierced in a shield, the pilum is not easy

to take out and is useless

Spatha

• Longer than Gladius• Worn on Left hip• 30-39 inches in length• Romans adopted it from Germanic foes

Verutum (light javelin)

• Javelin lighter and shorter than the pilum• Used by the Velites or light infantry]• 1.1 meter long shaft with a 13 centimeter tip• Used mostly to keep war elephants away • Was replaced by the pilum

Lorica Segmentata

• More improved version of gladiator torso armor

• Laminated iron straps joined together by hooks or leather straps

• iron straps gave you maximum protection

• Design of the armor allowed for easy torso movements

Lorica Hamata

• “hook armor”• Made completely of iron• Known to be worn by the heavy

infantry legionnaires • Made of small heavy metal

rings making it the strongest yet most flexible piece of armor

Parma

• 36 inch shield in diameter• Frame was made of iron making it very

effective• Worn by the lowest division- The Velites• effective in blocking arrows

Manica (Arm Guard)

• Proved to be effective by gladiators• Made of overlapping iron or bronze circular

bands latched on leather• Flexible and comfortable to be worn by a

swordsman

Caligae (boots)

• Sandals with heavy thick soles• Boots were laced from the center to the

ankle of the foot by leather straps• Open air design to avoid blisters• Same design for every soldier

Tribuni Angusticlavii• Young soldiers• Part of high raked families• There were 5 tribuni

angusticlavii in each legion

Praefectus Castorum

• Usuallly war veterans• Hard on their legions• Third in command• Had some of the least power

Tribunis Laticlavius

• Co leader of the legions

• In charge after the Dux

• Mostly needed when anything happened to the other leaders

• Less power than the Dux

Dux

• General for more than 2 legions• Every Dux was a professional• Leaders of more than 1 unit• Commanded the troops

Legatus

• Commanded up to 6,000 soldiers

• Served for ONLY 2 years

• Political authority

Decanus

• Commanded 8 soldiers • Contubernium= 8 soldiers

Decurio• Commander of

a small calvary• 10-30 men• Originally

commanded a decuria (10)

• Later commanded a turma (32)

Tesserarius

• 2nd in command• One in every

centuria• Administrative

assistant• Similar to non

commissioned officers

Optio

• 60 per legion• Chosen by a centurion• Similar to an executive

officer• Enforced orders of a

centurion

Legion

• Made up of 5,400 men• Each legion had smaller groups inside of it• Made up of citizens

Centuria

• 100 soldiers• After the roman

legions• Commanded by a

centurion which was a professional leader

Cohort

• Centuria had 10 cohorts• Had from 480-500 men• Basic unit• Junior officers helped in

commanding

Calvary

• Soldiers on horses• Started in 338 B.C,• Had an end to the calvary

Julius Caesar

• Julius Caesar considered one of the best Roman Generals. During the Civil war he helped the Empire grow and get more powerful. He was very popular in Rome and later became leader of Rome.

Scipio Africanus

Scipio Africanus was a general in the second Punic War against Hannibal, which he managed to defeat. He was best known for his tactics and his studying of Hannibal’s tactics which led him to victory.

Augustus Caesar

• Augustus mostly like Julius was very popular and really smart. He was best when hard situations were brought to him. He was the emperor from September 63 B.C. until August 14 A.D. He was known for creating the era of peace and being victorious against big leaders

Pecunaria Multa

• Deductions were placed on the soldier’s pay check

• You were given several chances for this discipline

• You eventually got hit

Fustuarium

• Get beaten to death• Go to court• If you were able to escape you would have no

peace

Unmanly Acts

• Punished if you were a coward

• Punished in groups of ten

• Less food was given to you

• Beaten to death

Decimation

• In English the word decimation means to destroy or obliterate completely. In Latin decimatio meant to destroy 1/10 of something. The difference between these two is in English you get rid of that particular something completely.

Bibliography• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_military_personal_equipment#Pu

gio• http://www.ancientmilitary.com/roman-weapons.htm• http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ancient-roman-weapons.html• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spatha• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verutum• http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ancient-roman-armor.html• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parma_(shield)• http://s_van_dorst.tripod.com/Ancient_Warfare/Rome/hierarchy.html• http://www.makethelist.net/top-10-greatest-roman-generals/• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decurio• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decurio• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesserarius

Bibliography• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scipio_Africanus• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus• http://www.biography.com/people/julius-caesar-9192504• http://

www.buzzle.com/articles/roman-army-ranks-in-order.html• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_legion• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centuria• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cohort_(military_unit)• http://www.tribunesandtriumphs.org/roman-army/roman-co

horts.htm• http://

www.bible-history.com/sketches/ancient/roman-centurion.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_cavalry• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_military_decorations_an

d_punishments• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar