Roman Army

1. The Romans were able to expand their Empire due to the strength of the Roman army.

2. The Roman army was made up from men from all over the Empire.

3. They were professional soldiers whose only job was to fight and protect Rome.

4. Roman soldiers stayed in the army for at least twenty-five years and were well-paid.

5. If a soldier was brave, clever and fought well, he could become a centurion in charge of eighty legionaries.

6. Roman centurions were in charge of discipline, they carried sticks of hard wood and used them to beat the soldiers.

7. The Roman army had to move their soldiers and baggage quickly and efficiently around the country.

8. They built many roads that were as straight as possible so the army could move quickly.

9. Roman army training was tough - they did drill and weapons training.

10. The soldiers had to complete a twenty mile march each day in armour.

11. Roman soldiers were trained to fight together as they marched into battle in a line with shields next to each other.

12. The soldiers lifted their shields over their heads as a group to protect themselves from arrows.

13. This manoeuvre was called which was called a testudo or tortoise.

14. Roman weapons were: a throwing spear, called a pilum, a short sword, called a gladius and a small dagger known as a pugio.

15. Ballistas, which were giant crossbows and onagers, which were like catapults were used when attacking enemy strongholds.

16. A Roman soldier wore a woollen tunic over which he put his armour which was made from overlapping metal bands.

17. Roman soldiers wore metal helmets, with neck-guards and cheek-guards.

18. Roman soldiers carried large, rectangular shields, called scutums, which curved around their bodies.

19. They wore leather sandals, with iron studs in the soles.

20. The Roman army was divided into legions of five thousand men, each legion was then divided into ten cohorts.

21. Each cohort was divided into six centuries.

22. Each century was divided into ten groups of eight men.