ROMAN LEGIONS

Roman Legion Started Based on Greek Phalanx

(Then Evolved as Rome Came into Contact with Different Peoples)

Common Infantry soldier

Centurion

Roman Cavalryman

ROMAN FORT

After a decree in 123BC the state began providing the legions with their equipment. This, of course, included armor. As the years went by new styles of protection were developed and incorporated into the legions. It was not uncommon to have the men of a legion to wear a mix of different types of armor, some newly produced and some re-issued. There was quite a range of variety of style that could be found in each armor type. For instance, in a particular legion one soldier's mail armor may have had straight edges. His comrade may have been wearing mail edged with a zig-zag cut. Still another soldier might have extra flaps of mail on the shoulders. To make things simple, I have made only one illustration for each type of armor described here.

	Muscle Cuirass: Early in Rome's history men wore bronze plate armor in the Greek hoplite style. In later years, it appears chest plates were reserved for those of higher rank. These were well decorated with animal, mythological and chest muscle designs. No examples have been found in excavations, but Roman sculpture shows them being used well into the 1st century AD. The rectangular strips dangling at the sleeves and waist in this illustration are called Pteruges. Made of leather, they were implemented to protect the arms and legs, while conserving the use of metal.
	Chain Mail: Called Lorica Hamatain latin. Mail was probably first developed by the talented smiths of Gaul. It was provided excelltent protection, along with great fleability. A typical mail coat might weigh 15 lbs. A belt was worn to bring some of this weight off the shoulders. A leather jerkin would be worn underneathe called a thoracomachus. It showed up in the armies in the first half of the 2nd century BC. Variations of this armor continued to be used well after the Roman empire itself was gone.
	Scale Armor: Called Loricae Squamatae (armor of feathers) in latin. Scale armor consisted of row upon row of overlaping bronze or iron scales, which resembeled a coat of feathers when completed. Some examples of scale of scales have been found with embossed ridges down the middle, which make them stronger and make them look even more like feathers. Scale was easier to produce and less expensive than a coat of mail. The downside was it was less flexible and it offered far less protection. It was especially vulnerable from an upward stab.
	Segmented Armor: The latin words "Lorica Segmentata" are used today, though it is not known by what name the romans themselves used. The Romans appear to have completely developed this style themselves. This armor was made up of many pieces of laminated iron all bound together to form a very flexible and strong protection. It may have partially patterened after the armor of certain gladiators. It began to be issued in the legions in the reign of emperor Tiberius. A coat of mail takes considerably longer to produce, so perhaps this came about as a speedy way of making up for the tremendous loss of equipment from the disaster suffered in the Teutobergen Wald. There were 2 main types of segemnted armor: Corbridge A and B. Both of these types were discovered by archaeologists in the UK. The primary difference between the two is the way the choulder plates fasten to the torso plates. Later in the 1st century AD the Newstead type was developed. This was set apart in the way it reduced the number of fasteners needed to keep the armor together. Scarves (focale in latin) were worn by the men to keep the metal collar from scraping their necks.
	The Belt: Called balteus early in the empire and then cingulum militare in later times. When worn over chainmail, the belt helped to take some of the weight off the soldier's shoulders. In the first half of the 1st century AD it was common to wear two belts in the army: one to hold the sword and one to hold the dagger. Foot soldiers wore their sword on their right, officers on their left. The belts were rather narrow and were decorated with bronze plates all the way around. The plates were often plated with tin and sometimes had blue-black niello inlay.
	Sandals: Called caligae in latin. Roman military sandals used iron hob-nails as treads, rather like the cleats of a modern-day football player. These were used for the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. After that time boots became more popular.

ROMAN WEAPONS

Gladius: The Legions patterened their short swords after those of the Spanish Celts. The historian, Polybius, says they were introduced into teh army during the second Punic War. The Gladius of Caesar's time untill Tiberius had a slight curve in the edge of the blade. The Fulham type and the Pompeii type had edges which were completely parallel. This sword was intended as a thrusting weapon. This was the best way to use a sword in tight formation. Using the sword in a slashing motion would cause the soldier to open his side to attack. The Gladius was replaced by the traditional long swords of the barbarians in the late empire. The below image is of the Pompeii type.

Pugio: The legionaries carried a dagger starting in the 2nd or 1st centuries BC. During the rein of Augustus the gladius was carried on one belt and the pugio hung on another. By the 2nd century AD daggers were no longer issued.

 

LEGIONARY HELMETS

 

 

	Montefortino Helmet 4th century BC to the 50s AD. The Romans copied this style of helmet from the Gauls and Celt-Iberians. The legions of Julius Caesar's time would hvae worn helmets like this. There is an attachmen at the top for a horsehair or feather plume. It is named for the find site, the Necropolis at Montefortino, in northern Italy.
	Coolus C Late Augustan to Tiberian period. This type of helmet was very well made. The horizontal ridge along the brow was put in place to prevent sword blows from hitting the main headpiece. It is named afrer the Coolus region of the Marne River valley in present day France where examples were found.
	Coolus E Late Augustan to Tiberian period. Unlike the Coolus C, this helmet was mounted with side tubes for plumes and a top spike for holding a horse hair crest. This crest would be held in a small metal box, rather than the Republican era method of gathering all the hair at one point like a paintbrush. As more advanced forms of helmet were developed the Coolus was continued to be used by auxiliaries.
	Imperial Gallic H 1st century AD. The embossed eyebrow pattern at the front of the shull cap displays a Gallic influence, resulting in the name of this family of helmets. The drawing shows a Gallic H, which featured a more sloping neck gaurd then found in previous Gallic types.
	Imperial Italic G 200s AD. The term "Italic" applies to a whole family of helmets all sharing a similar style. They were used at the same time as the Gallic types.
	Roman Ridge Helm 4th centuryAD. This helmet appeared with the end of the production of the Gallic style helmets. These were manufactured in huge quantities for infantry and cavalry. By this time the Empire found it more cost effective to reduce the armor of the legions. A helmet and a shield would, on most ocassions, be the only armor a legionary would receive. The style may be from a persian influence.

EARLY IMPERIAL SHIELD PATTERNS

LEGIONARY VEXILLUM (Emblems)

 

	Scorpio: This was the emblem of the Praetorian Guard. It was used to honor the Emperor Tiberius for building the Praetorian Camp in Rome. His birthsign was scorpio.
	The Bull: Tuarus, the bull, was strongly assosiated with Julius Caesar. So, it is believed that those legions with a bull as there emblem were created by Caesar: Leg. III Gallica, IIII Macedonica, V Macedonica, VI Ferrata, VI Victrix?, VII Claudia?, VIII Augusta, X Fretensis, X Gemina
	The Boar: Leg. I Italica, II Adiutrix, X Fretensis, and XX Valeria Victrix.
	Capricorn: Leg. II Augusta, IIII Macedonica, IIII Scythica, XIV Gemina, XXI Rapax
	The Lion: Leg. XIII Gemina, and perhaps XVI Gallica?
	Pegasus: Leg. II Augusta and III Augusta?
	Elephant: Leg. V Alaudae
	Wolf and the Twins: Leg. VI Ferrata
	Thunderbolt: Legio XII Fulminata

 

 

SOLDIERS OF A ROMAN LEGION

	Centurion The centurion of the mid 1st Century AD was distinguished from the men he commanded in several ways. His sword was carried on his left. Attached to his helmet was a transverse crest of either horsehair or feathers. He wore greeves which could be plain or embossed with designs. He also usually carried a vine staff.
	Cornicen The roman legions gave signals with a blast from a type of trumpet called the cornu. It is believed that this trumpeting was used to alert the soldiers to look up at the standards for their commands. It probably had a high-pitched sound in order to be heard above the sounds of the battlefield. This cornicen armor is chain mail edged with hide.
	Legionary Infantryman This mid first century soldier wears a helmet of the Imperial Gallic type. His sword was worn on his right. He wears segmented armor which was probably in manufacture since the 40s AD. The legionary scutum (shields) were made of an early type of plywood and the face was covered in felt or leather. For protection it was contained in a hide satchel when marching.
	Legionary Infantryman Late in the first century the romans began having serious trouble with Dacian tribes in what is know Romania. Many warriors from these tribes carried atremendous two-handed blade called a falx. This weapon was so destructive that certain modifications were made to the armor of the legions in combat with the Dacians. This image depiucts a legionary from Emperor Trajan's Dacian Wars. A segmented armor was in place to protect the sword-arm. Greeves were now worn on either the leading left leg or both legs. Finally, a cross-piece of iron was added to the top of the helmet.

LATE 1ST CENTURY
(1) IX Hispana At York
(2) XX Valeria and II Adiutrix at Chester
(3) II Augusta at Caerleon
(4) XXII Primigenia and X Gemina at Nijmegen
(5) VI Victrix at Neuss
(6) XXI Rapax at Bonn
(7) XIV Gemina at Mainz
(8) I Adiutrix at Mainz
(9) VIII Augusta at Strasbourg
(10) XI Claudia at Windish
(11) XV Apollinaris at Carnuntum
(12) XIII Gemina at Poetovio
(13) VII Claudia at Viminiacum
(14) V Macedonica at Oescus
(15) I Italica at Novae
(16) V Alaudae near the Danube
(17) IV Ferrata Firma at Burnum
(18) XVI Flavia Firma at Satala
(19) XII Fulminata at Meltitene
(20) VI Ferrata at Samosata
(21) IV Sythica at Cyrhus
(22) III Gallica at Danube near Damascus
(23) X Fretensis at Jerusalem
(24) XXII Deiotariana at Alexandria
(25) III Cyrenaica at Coptus near Luxor
(26) III Augusta at Ammaedara near Tebessa
(27) VII Geminav at Leon
 

EARLY 2nd-EARLY 3RD CENTURIES
(1) VI Victrix at York
(2) XX Valeria Victrix at Chester
(3) II Augusta at Caerleon
(4) XXX Ulpia at Xanten
(5) I Minerva at Bonn
(6) XXII Primigenia at Mainz
(7) VIII Augusta at Strasbourg
(8) III Italica at Regensburg
(9) II Italica at Lauriacum
(10) X Gemina at Vienna
(11) XIV Gemina at Curnuntum
(12) I and II Adiutrix at Budapest
(13) IV Flavia and VII Macedonica Cladia at Viminacium
(14) V Macedonica at Potaissa
(15) XIII Gemina Apulum
(16) I Italica at Oescus
(17) XI Claudia on Danube
(18) XV Apollinaris in Cappadocia
(19) XII Fulmiata at in Cappadocia
(20) I Parthia in Mesopotamia
(21) II Parthia in Mesopotamia
(22) IV Italica in Mesopotamia
(23) IV Scythia in Syria Propper
(24) XVI Flavia Firma in Syria Propper
(25) III Gallica in Phoenice
(26) X Fretensis in Palestine
(27) VI Ferrata in Palestine
(28) III Cyrenaica in Arabia
(29) II Trajana In Egypt
(30) III Augusta at Ammaedara near Tebessa
(31) VII Gemina at Leon