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Roman legion
Roman legion A division of the army in ancient Rome. Legions evolved from the citizen militia that equipped itself in times of crisis for defence of the state. During the Second PUNIC WAR SCIPIO AFRICANUS reorganized the battle array and improved the army's tactics. Under MARIUS, men of no property began to be recruited, a professional army appeared and new training methods were introduced. Ten cohorts, 6000 soldiers, with standards formed a named and numbered legion with an eagle standard. The cohorts, divided into six centuries (100 men in each century) commanded by a centurion, became the main tactical unit of the army. Cavalry and auxiliaries supported each regiment.
AUGUSTUS established a standing army to man the frontiers of the empire. There appears to have been 28 permanent legions, each having a number and an honorific title. SEVERUS added three legions; CONSTANTINE increased the number but limited them to 1000 men each to allow flexibility and to avoid mutiny. He also placed them under equestrian prefects instead of the traditional senatorial legates and placed a Christian symbol on their standards. On retirement a veteran in the early days earned a land grant in a “colony” where he continued to act as a Romanizing and pacifying influence throughout the empire, but from the time of Augustus it was more useful for him to receive money rather than land. Many nevertheless settled in the area where they had served, thus effectively “colonizing” it. |
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"Roman legion." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Roman legion." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-Romanlegion.html "Roman legion." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-Romanlegion.html |
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Roman legions
Roman legions formed the core of the Roman army. Each legion of heavily armed infantry consisted of some 5,000 Roman citizen men. The legionary soldier was recruited aged 18–20 for a period of 25 years. Good promotion prospects and a pension of a land grant ensured a constant supply of recruits. The rest of the army—infantry and cavalry—was made up of auxiliaries (the auxilia, or ‘aids’) who did not have to be Roman citizens. Auxiliaries were sometimes provincial specialists, such as the famed Syrian archers.
The legions which invaded Britain in ad 43 under the command of Aulus Plautius were the II Augusta, IX Hispana, XIV Gemina, and XX Valeria. With auxiliaries, the force totalled some 40,000 men. The II Adiutrix replaced the XIV Gemina during a major reorganization of military dispositions in the 60s/70s ad. Each legion was based in a legionary fortress. The II Augusta, for example, was based variously at fortresses in Exeter, Gloucester, and Caerleon. Extensively excavated forts include those of Hadrian's Wall, notably Birdoswald, Vindolanda, Chesters, and Housesteads. Such research indicates that the Roman army which invaded Britain in ad 43 was very different in structure from that which abandoned the province in ad 410. Eleanor Scott |
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JOHN CANNON. "Roman legions." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Roman legions." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-Romanlegions.html JOHN CANNON. "Roman legions." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-Romanlegions.html |
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Roman legions
Roman legions formed the core of the Roman army. Each legion of heavily armed infantry consisted of some 5,000 Roman citizen men. The legionary soldier was recruited aged 18–20 for a period of 25 years. Good promotion prospects and a pension of a land grant ensured a constant supply of recruits. The rest of the army—infantry and cavalry—was made up of auxiliaries, who did not have to be Roman citizens.
The legions which invaded Britain in AD 43 under the command of Aulus Plautius were the II Augusta, IX Hispana, XIV Gemina, and XX Valeria. With auxiliaries, the force totalled some 40,000 men. Each legion was based in a legionary fortress. The II Augusta, for example, was based variously at fortresses in Exeter, Gloucester, and Caerleon. |
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Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "Roman legions." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Roman legions." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-Romanlegions.html JOHN CANNON. "Roman legions." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-Romanlegions.html |
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legions, Roman
legions, Roman. See Roman legions.
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Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "legions, Roman." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "legions, Roman." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-legionsRoman.html JOHN CANNON. "legions, Roman." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-legionsRoman.html |
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legions, Roman
legions, Roman See roman legions.
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Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "legions, Roman." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "legions, Roman." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-legionsRoman.html JOHN CANNON. "legions, Roman." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-legionsRoman.html |
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