Title: Roman Army - World History Encyclopedia
Headings: Roman Army
Roman Army
Definition
Overview
Sources
Centurion
Luc Viatour / www.Lucnix.be (CC BY-NC-SA)
Recruitment
Organisation
Ranks
Equipment, Arms, Armour & Siege Weapons
Army Camps
Tactics & Formations
Glorious Victories
Lake Regillus, c. 496 BCE
Infamous Defeats
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Content: As the nature of Rome's army changed from limited, seasonal campaigns, and a provincial empire began to come into existence due to the success of such battles as Cynoscephalae (197 BCE) and Pydna (168 BCE), the legions began to develop more permanent bases, in turn creating a manpower shortage. Remove Ads
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When Gaius Marius was elected consul in 107 BCE he began to enlist volunteers from citizens without property and equipped them with arms and armour at the expense of the state. The development from the maniple to the cohort is also credited to Marius, though this change may have been finalised by Marius, rather than wholly implemented by him. The Social War of 91- 87 BCE (from the Latin socii allies) highlights that manpower was still a problem for the Roman army, as citizenship was granted to the allied Italians at the end of the war, granting a greater pool of men for the army. Come the turn of the Republic, and the beginning of Imperial Rome, Augustus reorganised the Roman army, increasing the length of service and creating a military treasury, amongst other things. The army continued to develop, including different tactics and formations that were more effective against Rome's new enemies. By the 2nd century CE Rome was deploying armoured cavalry units, and whilst it had used siege weapons previously, employing arrow and stone-throwing siege-engines, it was in the 3rd century CE that Rome started to notice the use of artillery, with the addition of the onager, a large stone-thrower. Love History? Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! Sources
There are many classical writers who are useful to consult when looking at the Roman army, both Greek and Roman.