PR-2237IRE Ancient Rome

In 390 BC Celtic warriors from the north
swept down through Italy and crushed the
Roman army which was defending Rome. In
these early days of the republic the Roman
army was made up of volunteers. The wild
Celts seriously damaged the city and only left
after being offered large quantities of gold.
After this humiliating defeat the Roman army
began a period of training and organisation
of tactics which lasted for a hundred years. It
gradually became a superb fighting force, one
of the best equipped and disciplined armies
the world has ever seen. The next time the
Romans met the Celts in battle the tribal
warriors were slaughtered by a very
professional army of fighting men. Many of
the warrior armies the legions faced as the
Empire spread lacked this organisation, for
their leaders were more interested in personal
glory.
Roman Legions
Apart from being disciplined, the Roman legionaries were extremely fit, for their training programme
included marching long distances with heavy loads. The Roman infantry (foot soldiers) often covered many
kilometres in long campaigns.
Activity Box
1. Why did the Celts win so easily in 390 BC?
2. Why did the Celts finally leave Rome?
3. What made the later Roman armies so strong?
4. The Celts defeated the Romans the next time they met in battle. True or False?
5. Who was more interested in personal glory?
6. Give another name for the Roman infantry.
7. Which word tells us the Roman volunteer army was well beaten?
8. How long did the Roman training programme last?
9. Who were the legionaries?
10. What made the Roman soldiers so fit?
Legionaries practising swordsmanship – striking a
post at various points with accuracy and force.
Viewing Sample
Prim-Ed Publishing www.prim-ed.com Ancient Rome – 15 –