Title: Roman Army - Recruitment, Legions, Siege Warfare & More
Headings: The Roman Army of the Roman Republic
The Roman Army of the Roman Republic
Recruitment of Soldiers for the Roman Army
Legion Under Augustus
Contubernium of Soldiers in the Roman Army
Legion Names
Roman Army Punishments
Siege Warfare
The Roman Soldier

Content: The Roman general and seven-time consul Marius is considered responsible for the change of the Roman army into its professional form. He gave the poorest classes in Rome the opportunity to be career military, gave land to veterans, and changed the composition of the legion. Recruitment of Soldiers for the Roman Army
The Roman army changed over time. The consuls had the power to recruit troops, but in the last years of the Republic, provincial governors were replacing troops without the approval of the consuls. This led to legionaries loyal to their generals rather than Rome. Before Marius, recruitment was limited to citizens enrolled in the top 5 Roman classes. By the end of the Social War (87 BCE) most of the free men in Italy were entitled to enlist and by the reign of Caracalla or Marcus Aurelius, it was extended to the entire Roman world. From Marius on there were between 5,000 and 6,200 in the legions. Legion Under Augustus
The Roman army under Augustus consisted of 25 legions ( according to Tacitus ). Each legion consisted of about 6,000 men and a large number of auxiliaries.