Did the ancient Roman civilization have a military?

Answer 1

All ancient states had an army to protect themselves from raids and from attacks by other states. Moreover, Rome would not have been able to create the 15th largest empire in history without an army and without military conquest.

The Roman army begun right with the foundation of Rome in 753 BC. Romulus, the founder of Rome and its first king, created an army with three legions of 1,000 men each. The army was also used for expansionist aims by Romulus himself and by Tullus Hostilius and Ancus Martius (the 3rd and 4th king). Tarquinius Priscus (the 5th king) fought wars of defence against attacks by neighbours (other Latin cities, the Sabines and Etruscan cities) and also expanded Roman territories. Up to this point expansion was local, in the area around Rome.

The 7th and last king, Tarquinius Superbus, was a tyrant whose regime was based on an economy of plunder. Together with allied Latin cities he expanded the territory of Rome to a regional level, pushing south and towards the sea to loot rich cities.

The monarchy was then overthrown and a republic was created. During its first century, the Roman Republic had to defend itself at first against neighbours (Etruscan cities, the Sabines and other Latin cities) and later against the Volsci and Aequi who were raining Latin territories from the south. The first significant conquest of the Republic was the capture of the Etruscan city of Veii, near Rome (396 BC)

Rome expanded into central and southern Italy through wars she fought against the

Samnites, a people to their south (First, Second and Third Samnite War, 343-341 BC, 216-304 BC and 298-290 BC). This was the beginning of the Roman Empire. Later, more wars and military conquests led to Rome annexing all the lands around the Mediterranean Sea, Western Europe up to the river Rhine, Southeastern Europe and northern Iraq. The empire covered parts of three continents, Europe, western Asia and North Africa.