What were the characteristics of ancient Roman soldiers?

Answer 1

Rome lies between the Apennine Mountains (a mountain chain that runs along the Italian peninsula) and the sea, 26 kilometres/16 miles from the coast.

Rome lies in a hilly area. The original city was on seven of these hills: the Palatine, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, Caelian, and Aventine.

In the valley between the first four mentioned hills there was the Forum, or Forum Magnum (this is how the Romans called it, Roman Forum is a modern term). In the valley between the Palatine and Aventine there was the Circus Maximus, the city's largest track for horse and chariot races. The Colosseum was built between the Eqsuiline, Caelian and Palatine hills.

Rome is on the river Tiber, by the only Ford in this river. This made Rome in her early days the main north-south communication centre across this river. The Romans built a Port on the river near the Palatine and Aventine hills (Portus Tiberinus).

Over time, Rome expanded north of the seven hills in a flat area they called Campus Martius (the field of mars) between the river and another hill, the Pincian Hill. This areas is now the city centre of the modern city.

Part of Rome was on the other bank of the river, along the Janiculum and Vatican hills, which are by the river. The city expanded to an area south of these hills which is now called Trastevere. This area became an area of immigrants.

The city also expanded to the south of the seven hills. In this area there are the famous baths of Caracalla, which were the city's second largest baths.

Answer 2

From the foundation of Rome in 753 BC to 107 BC the Roman infantrymen were peasant-proprietors who formed a citizen militia. They were levied for the military campaigning season (March to ) and then they returned to their farms. Only peasant-proprietors were levied because soldiers had to procure and pay for their military equipment themselves and peasants-proprietors could afford this. They were divided into two classes. The richer peasants joined the heavy infantry because its equipment was more expensive. The poorer peasants joined the light infantry because its equipment was cheaper. The propertyless were exempt from military service. Most of them fell below the property value threshold for the levy. The richest citizens joined the cavalry.

The Marian reforms of 107 BC changed the nature of the army by 1) abolishing the property threshold, 2) making joining the army voluntary, 3) making the state pay for the military equipment, 4) standardising the military equipment which did away with the heavy infantry/light infantry division as all soldiers used the same weapons and amrour 5) creating a professional standing army. The military career lasted 16 years. This was extended to 20 years by Augustus. On discharge the soldiers received either a grant of a pot of land to farm (agraria missio) or a sizable lump sum of money (numnaria missio). The dispossessed poor flocked to the army because it provided a career, a pay and a pension.

Both the citizen-militia and the professional soldiers swore loyalty to Rome. During the period of rule by emperors the oath was to the emperor. Training was a common bond for both the citizen militia and the professional soldier.

ancient Rome's military succeeded due to several factors, These can be summarized like this:

1. Each man was exercised and drilled each day whether there was a battle to fight or whether there was peace. This daily drilling kept them in shape for any Call of Duty.

A. Drilling & training consisted of long marches carrying their weapons and supplies of food.

B. Drilling also included training in how to effectively use all their weapons, whether they be spears, swords, or daggers.

C. Whether on march during a war or on march as practice, the Roman legions would march in the early part of the day and break for making in the afternoon their night camp. On average they covered 20 miles per day.

D. Their main meal would be served in their base camp at the end of the day.

E. It was essential to success that each soldier obey whatever officer was in charge of the unit he was placed in. loyalty and honor were developed by following the commands of their superiors.

F. The disciplined ranks of a legion marching to battle were often an intimidating factor to an enemy and thus when witnessed by Roman soldiers, it gave them confidence going into a battle.

G. Career soldiers became experienced veterans not easily routed or made fearful of their enemies.

H. At some unknown time after the creation of the professional soldiers were not allowed matrimonium iustum (legitimate marriage). This may have been decreed by Augustus. Nevertheless, many soldiers had common law marriages or quasi-marital relationships and illegitimate children. This law was later rescinded, probably by Septimus Severus.

I. The legions were entitled to the booty captured in battle. If a town was seized, the captives could be sold into slavery. If a soldier survived long enough he might become a wealthy man based on the value of the booty divided amongst the soldiers.

Answer 3

Until 107 BC the roman army was a part time army of peasant farmers who were drafted for the military campaigning season and then returned to their farms. In 107 BC military service became voluntary and the volunteers were mainly the landless poor.