Transcript An Army Like No Other:The Roman Army

An Army Like No Other:The
Roman Army: The Roman
Legions
The Roman Legion
Military Training:The Art Of War
The Roman Navy
The Roman Legion
Army was comprised of
professional soldiers who
were Roman citizens
Pay and retirement
prospects entice
enlistment
Non-citizens were
promised citizenship after
20 years of loyal service
Also received choice of
land or money when
soldiers retired
The Roman Legion
Roman soldiers swore
loyalty to Rome and
emperor
Loyalty to emperor was
reinforced through
holidays recognizing
emperors
Men who served were
in fact loyal to Rome
and its ideals
The Roman Legion
A legion was made up of
5,400-6,000 men
Centurion commanded 80
men (century)
A cohort was made up of 6
centuries (480 men)
10 cohorts made a legion
that was supported with a
cavalry unit and engineers
Majority of legions protected
Roman frontier (borders)
The Roman Legion
Emperors had to work at
maintaining loyalty of army
Officers received
appointments through the
emperor (received
prestige, status,
connections and wealth)
Generals were moved like
chess pieces within empire
to avoid loyalty from men
Men more loyal to
leadership than emperor
Military Training:The Art Of War
Military training was rigorous
and involved marching and
military training
Extensive training in various
weapons and formations
Responsible for constructing
forts, bridges, roads and
protective walls
Maintain constant presence
in conquered territories
Military Training:The Art Of War
The army was
oppressive in territories
and carried out
numerous massacres
populations of civilians
Enslaved enemies who
were sent back to Rome
Generals benefited from
slave auctions through
connections
Military Training:The Art Of War
Auxiliaries were men from
conquered territories who
received similar training
like Romans
Majority served as archers
or as horse archers
Granted citizenship after
25 years and were paid
lower wages than Roman
troops
Stationed in along
frontiers away from home
countries
Military Training:The Art Of War
Roman ballista were
heavy weapons that
launched stone balls,
large arrows and
multiple arrows
Used for sieges and
protection of fixed
positions also found on
naval warships
Julius Caesar introduced
them during invasion of
Britian 55 B.C.
The Roman Navy
Main responsibility was to
combat piracy and
support army operations
Protected seas travel by
Roman vessels
Comprised of warships,
transports and smaller
ships
Triremes was main
warship based on a Greek
design
The Roman Navy
Navy did not have
slaves rowing oars
All were soldiers and
were recruited roman
citizens and/or freemen
Had marines who
boarded enemy ships
The total strength of
40,000 men
The Roman Legion
Cavalry units were
called milliaries that
consisted of 800 men
Auxiliaries were not
equipped like regular
cavalry
Cavalry had variety of
weapons
Javelin
Spears
Lance
Shields
Bow
Roman Defeats and Victories
Battle of Lake Trasimene
217 B.C. Hannibal lure’s a
Roman army into ambush
trapping them between
Hannibal’s army and a lake
30,000 killed
Battle of Cannae 216 B.C.
Rome loses 50,000 men to
Hannibal’s feint which led
to them being surrounded
and crushed
Roman Defeats and Victories
Battle Of Zama 202
B.C. Scipio Africanus
takes out Hannibal’s
elephants by funneling
them through his
formation and killing
20,000 men