Organization
Pre-Marian Reforms
- Contubernium - 8 legionnaires (contubernales) + 2 extra people (auxuilia) for packing and cooking. Led by a decanus .
- Maniple - 120 men (60 for Triarii).
- Turma - 32 horsemen
- Legion - 60 manipuli of infantry, and 10 turmae of cavalry. The maniples marched in checkerboard formation.
The Marian Reforms
-
Alleged changes to the composition and operation of the Roman army by Gaius Marius. The key changes are as follows:
- Inclusion of the common people, the capite censi, into the military. This bolsters the number of soldiers.
- Pre-Marian times, the legion consisted of soldiers who owned enough property to afford their equipment.
- Replacing the maniple with the cohort.
- In the cohort, men were now in a standardized unit, no longer divided by experience
- The cohort is more flexible because it can move independent of each other.
- The inclusion of Marius’ mules. Legionaries carried their own supplies, which reduced the size of baggage trains. This increased the mobility of the army.
- All equipment was now offered by the state.
- New weapons were also introduced — the pilum and the gladius
- Using the eagle standard as the symbol of the legion.
- Inclusion of the common people, the capite censi, into the military. This bolsters the number of soldiers.
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Contubernium - 8 legionnaires (contubernales) + 2 extra people (auxuilia) for packing and cooking. Led by a decanus .
-
Centuria / Centuries - 10 Contubernium.
- Commanded by a centurion and his optio.
- The optio was the centurion’s junior officer chosen by the centurion.
- They were distinguished with a hastile — a staff used to keep the legionaries in line.
-
Cohors / Cohort - 6 Centuries. The most senior ranking centurion of the centuries commands the entire cohort
- Cohors Prima / First Cohort - a double strength cohort. The Primus Pilus was the centurion of its first Century, and was the most senior centurion of the legion .
-
Legion - 9 cohorts + 1 Cohors Prima. Commanded by the legatus legionis assisted by the praefactus castorum.
- Vexillatio - a task force of centuries detached from the legion for a specific purpose. Commanded by an officer appointed by the legatus.
The Legions
- Base of operations
| Code | Roman Name | Modern Location |
|---|---|---|
| AEG | Aegyptus | Egypt |
| AFR | Africa | Tunisia / Western Libya |
| AQ | Aquitania | SW France |
| AR | Arabia Petraea | Jordan / Sinai |
| BRIT | Britannia | England / Wales |
| CAP | Cappadoccia | Central / Eastern Turkey |
| DC | Dacia | Romania / Serbia |
| DLM | Dalmatia | Bosnia-Herzegovina / Croatia / Montenegro / Kosovo / Serbia |
| GAL | Galatia | Central Turkey |
| GI | Germania Inferior | Netherlands / Rhineland |
| GS | Germania Superior | Alsace-Lorraine / Rhineland |
| HISP | Hispania Tarraconensis | Central Spain |
| IT | Italia | Italy |
| JUD | Judaea | Israel |
| MAUR | Mauretania | Western Maghreb |
| MCD | Macedonia | Greece / Southern Balkans |
| MI | Moesia Inferior | Romania / Bulgaria |
| MS | Moesia Superior | Serbia |
| NR | Noricum | Austria |
| PAN | Pannonia | Hungary / Slovakia / Croatia / Slovenia |
| RT | Raetia | Switzerland / Germany |
| SYR | Syria | Syria / Lebanon |
- When Augustus ruled, the number of legions went from 50 to 28.
| Legion Number | Nicknames / additional titles | Signifier | Main Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. Adiutrix | First Rescuers | Capricorn / Dolphin | PAN |
| I. Germanica | Pia Fidelis Bis (Twice Faithful) / Constans (Reliable) | Bull | GI |
| I. Italica | Originally named “Legio Phalanx Alexandri Magni” | Boar | MI |
| I. Macriana Liberatrix 1 | Pia Fidelis Domitiana | --- | AFR |
| I. Minervia | Minerva | GI | |
| I. Parthica | Centaur | SYR | |
| II. Adiutrix | Capricorn / Pegasus | PAN | |
| II. Augusta | Antonina | Capricorn / Pegasus / Mars | BRIT |
| II. Italica | VII Pia VII Fidelis | She-Wolf | NR |
| II. Parthica | Pia Fidelis Felix Aeterna | Centaur | IT |
| II. Traiana Secunda Fortis | Hercules | AEG | |
| III. Augusta | Pegasus | MAUR | |
| III. Cyrenaica | --- | AR | |
| III. Gallica | Two Bulls | SYR | |
| III. Italica | VII Pia VII Fidelis | Stork | RT |
| III. Parthica | Severiana | Bull | SYR |
| IV. Flavia Felix | Lion | MS | |
| IV. Macedonica | Bull | GS | |
| IV. Scythica | Parthica | Capricorn | SYR |
| V. Alaudae 2 | Elephant | GI | |
| V. Macedonica | Pia VII Fidelis VII ; Pia Constans | Eagle | DC |
| V. Ferrata 3 | Fidelis Constans | She-Wolf | JUD |
| VI. Hispana | |||
| VI. Victrix | Bull | BRIT | |
| VII. Claudia | Bull | MS | |
| VII. Gemina | HISP | ||
| VIII. Augusta | Bull | GS | |
| IX. Hispana | The Lost Legion | Bull | BRIT |
| X. Fretensis 4 | Boar | SYR | |
| X. Gemina | Equestris 5. Pia VI Fidelis VI. Domitiana, Antoniniana, Gordiana, Deciana, Floriana, Cariniana | Bull | PAN |
| XI. Claudia | Pia VI Fidelis VI | Neptune | MI |
| XII. Fulminata | Thunderbolt | CAP | |
| XIII. Gemina | Pia Fidelis | Lion | DC |
| XIV. Gemina | Martia Victrix. Pia VI Fidelis VI | Capricorn | PAN |
| XV/ Apollinaris | Pia Fidelis | Apollo | CAP |
| XV. Primigenia | Fortuna | GI | |
| XVI. Flavia Firma | Lion | SYR | |
| XVI. Gallica | Lion | GI | |
| XVII. | GI | ||
| XVIII. | GI | ||
| XIX. | GI | ||
| XX. Valeria Victrix | Boar | BRIT | |
| XXI. Rapax 6 | Capricorn | RT | |
| XXII. Deioariana | AEG | ||
| XXI. Primigenia | Hercules | GS | |
| XXX. Ulpia Victrix | Jupiter | GI |
- Legion titles (called cognomen) were derived from a variety of sourcess
- A “Gemina” indicates its formation as the twin of an earlier legion.
- “Aiutrix” indicates it was an added reserve.
- Most are named after the provinces where they were originally stationed.
- From an emperor’s dynastic name. Loyalty was rewarded by adding “Pia Fidelis”
- From a god
- From an aspect of its earned renown.
- From some visible element of equipment
Notes
Pre-Marian Units
- Hastatus* - the youngest and least equipped of the heavy infantry. They were the first line of battle.
- Princeps - equipped with the pilum. They were the second line of battle.
- Triarii - spearmen who formed the third line of battle.
Auxiliaries
- Auxilia / Auxxiliaris - units of non-citizen infantry and cavalry supporting the legions.
- Evolved from the groups of allies of the Consular period.
- Usually recruited from various races of peregrini (non-citizens). They enlist to earn their and their descendant’s citizenship.
- Many of the Western Provinces of Rome had a strong military presence during the rule of Augustus. A defensive line was formed along the Rhine and Danube.
- The presence of garrisons stimulated local economy.
- Numeri - semi-barbarian units who fought against the command of their own tribal leaders.
- Levis Armaturae - light armored infantry.
Other Units
-
Accensi* - the poorest men in the legion who could not afford much equipment. They supported the heavier troops.
-
Aquilifer - the standard bearer for the legionary eagle.
- If loss of the eagle was considered a terrible disgrace.
- Usually distinguished by wearing lion’s fur.
-
Signifer - carried the standard. Also paid twice the basic wage.
- The standard contained an image denoting the loyalty of the soldiers and any awards received by the cohors.
- Characterized with their bear furs.
-
Miles - a standard foot soldier
-
Sagitarii - denotes archers
-
Equites - Roman Cavalry
-
Evocatus - A soldier who had served out his time and obtained his discharge (missio), but had voluntarily enlisted again at the invitation of the consul or other commander.
-
Immunes - soldiers who were immune from combat duty, but had other specialized roles.
-
Velites - light infantrymen that served as skirmishers armed with javelins, gladii (thrusting swords) and parma (wooden shields).
- Recognized with their wolfskin headdresses.
- Placed in the front line both for strategic reasons and to give them a chance to secure glory.
Urban Forces
- Praetorian - the Imperial Guard. They served as bodyguards and intelligence agents.
- Augustus formed 9 Praetorian cohorts, increased to 10.
- Each cohort had 500 - 1000 men.
- Each man was paid three times (excluding a donation from a new Emperor). as much and served with a reduced term of service.
- Renowned for their shenanigans (i.e., killing about half of Rome’s emperors.)
- Commanded by the Praetorian prefect
- Germani Corporis Custodes - German Bodyguards. Considered more loyal than other guards.
- Equites Singulares Augusti - picked cavalrymen separate from the praetorians.
- Evocati Augusti - reserved for duties of particular importance
- They were Praetorians who served out of his time and obtained his discharge, but had voluntarily enlisted again.
- The Urbaniciani were soldiers stationed in the city.
- They were commanded by the praefactura urbana.
- They were divided into four large 1500-man cohorts, each cohort commanded by former legionary primipilares.
- They were made to counteract the Praetorians.
- The Vigiles (watchmen) were for policing and firefighting duties.
- There were seven cohorts under the command of a praefactus vigilum.
- Each cohort was under the command of a tribunnus, a princeps and seven centurions.
- They were drawn from regular army units.
Links
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Roman Army Units In The Western Provinces, 3rd Century (1) by D’Amato and Ruggeni
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Roman Army Units In The Western Provinces, 3rd Century (2) by D’Amato and Ruggeni