PR-2237IRE Ancient Rome

Roman Legions
After 20 years’ service a legionary was granted a pension and some land, and perhaps a small
villa. Captured soldiers from overseas (auxiliaries) who had served Rome well were granted
Roman citizenship. Worthy slaves were given their freedom and became free men.
A legion was about 6 000 men. There were ten units called ‘cohorts’ in a legion and six centuries
led by a centurion in each cohort. A century originally contained 100 men, but later centuries had only 80. As
they faced the enemy, the front line of a legion could be over one kilometre wide and have a depth of 100 to
200 metres. They would have been a formidable and confronting sight for an opposing army.
If a Roman unit retreated it was decimated. This meant every tenth legionary was killed, whereas courageous
soldiers received gifts.
For 1 000 years (500 BC–500 AD approx.) the Roman armies were continually at war, either in the early
Roman republic or in provinces of the Empire. Such was their reputation, one Greek writer of those times
wrote that Roman generals only wanted men ‘who will hold their ground when outnumbered ... and die at
their posts’.
TEACHERS
N OTE
A battle formation:
Roman soldiers would often attack in
a wedge formation to force a
breakthrough in enemy ranks. The
Hastati carried hastae (spears) and the
Triarii only fought if the battle was
being lost. The Velites were the
youngest, least able soldiers.
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