Roman Legions
Mark Motsko
History of Western Civilization I
Summer 1998
The Roman Army
was a formidable force in the Mediterranean region for several centuries.
This capable force provided the citizenry protection and allowed Rome to
expand it's Empire. Without this valuable force, the citizens of
the Empire would have been under constant attack and would have had to
put much more emphasis on defense. As citizens shift their focus
to defense, the arts and sciences suffer, stunting the growth of the nation.
The websites I have chosen describe in varying detail some of the reasons
these soldiers succeeded so often. I am listing the websites according
to the complexity of the information they present.
Site number one is
a rather basic site. To get to this site, point your browser to the
page called "The
Roman Legion". Unfortunately, as of this writing, the link no
longer exists, but, this would be good site for someone to familiarize
themselves with the Roman Legion, such as a primary education student.
This site gives basic background information on the Legion. Some of the
topics include organization or chain of command, formations, procedures,
and a listing of the what author thought were the strong points of what
made the legions "unconquerable".
The ideas discussed
appear factual, as the Author does not venture too far from what is accepted.
His ideas are general, more for familiarization. This site is similar
to an encyclopedia entry in the way the information is presented.
As does an encyclopedia, this too serves to get you interested in discovering
more about Rome’s fighting forces.
In our quest to learn
more about the fighting forces of Rome, we can get information on
the clothing and weapons, both offensive and defensive, carried by the
common legionnaire. The next page to locate is entitled the "Armentarium".
We start off with
a brief description of a soldier, and a picture of the tombstone of Publius
Flavoleius Cordus. This tombstone has a carving of Mr. Cordus in
uniform, giving us an example of what a soldier in the Roman Army
might look like as he performed his daily duties. As we continue
through the document, we get a good impression of the thought that went
into the choice of gear carried and worn by the soldiers. Each item
was chosen for its functionality, practicality and its it effectiveness
in waging war. All items documented have detailed descriptions, as
well as a sketch of how the item looked.
A very thorough
and well documented site, meant to appeal to someone with a casual to moderate
interest in the military life of a Roman Soldier. Although this site
seems a bit elementary, it does provide the reader with a good understanding
of the basic necessities provided to the soldier and the various weapons
he might carry.
After reading about
the clothing and armaments, the reader is presented the opportunity to
return to the main page. Off this page is an extensive bibliography, with
links and references to be used to gain a better understanding of this
formidable weapon, called the Roman Legion.
My last choice of
websites provides the reader with the best understanding of tactics used
by the leaders of the Legions. Some of the formations outlined
give the reader an impression of a living fortress or tank. To locate
this page, open in your browser, a page entitled "Models
of a Roman Legion". This is an index page to all the topics presented
by this source. Many topics are linked off this page, but some of
the more exciting concern legion formations. We are immersed in a
hearty discourse on battle and marching formations used by the Legion Commanders.
Interspersed throughout the narrative, are quotes from primary sources
used in researching this topic. Another feature of this site, is the abundance
of drawings provided by the author. The author chose to use illustrations
with the text making it easier to understand some of the ideas presented
to the reader.
Many of the illustrations
present the reader with unique insight into why the centurions had their
men complete certain tasks in a specific manner. One such task is the Charge.
Elements of Charge leads off presenting the reader with the regular march
cadence used by the legion, and goes on to share his perception of the
strategy used in a Charge. Drawings in this segment depict the varying
distances a man can throw a spear, whether from a standstill or with a
running start. Several different variables are represented,
including the angle at which the spear is thrown, speed of runner, and
the effect of terrain. When we finish this segment, we learn of the
effects of ranks being too close, and its potential effect on the attack.
I would not recommend
this site to a casual reader of military history. Some of the ideas and
tactics are difficult to understand the first time covering the material.
I found myself reaching for the dictionary on several occasions, and making
notes to help me understand ideas.
The writer of these
documents obviously spent a great deal of time researching his topics.
He presents his bibliography and a page of links for more information.
Some of these links lead you, the reader, further in your quest to gain
knowledge of this finely tuned fighting force.
I hope you enjoyed
your journey through the world of the Roman Legionnaire. These brave
men, endured a lot throughout their lives in sacrifice to the Mighty Roman
Empire. Without these men, the enduring luster of the Roman Empire
would not have lasted as long and had the effect on people through present
time today.