Roman military

The Roman Military of the 4th and 3rd Century BC

The Romans are arguably among the finest infantrymen in the world. With well-disciplined and high-morale heavy infantry most armies will have a problem with them in melee. As Rome was the state in antiquity which carved itself a truly world empire, but for EOA purposes the Empire was still many years off.

Camillan reforms

The roman infantry of the late 4th and early 3rd century BC was divided by wealth in two groups. Those with the lowest property classification for military service were fighting as light infantry, separated by fighting ability into the Leves, Rorarii and Accensi. The second, more wealthy group consisted of those fighting as heavy infantry, separated by their age and fighting ability into Hastati, Principes, and Triarii. Every male roman had the duty to serve in the infantry for 16 years, or 20 years in the case of national emergency, until he had completed his 46th year of life. Excepting those rated high enough by the censor to be members of the ordo equester. Normally every roman must have served at least ten years in the military before he was permitted to hold any political office.

Leves (Camillan Skirmishers) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_leves.gif

They can be recruited in the central Italian provinces Latium, Umbria, Etruria, Apulia, Liguria and Campania. These are the heartlands of the Res Publica, filled with our colonies founded during the epic struggles of the past centuries. The Leves are the legions front line skirmishers. In a pitched battle they will screen the legions main battle line during the advance and harass the enemy. Before the heavy infantry engages trumpeters signal them to retreat through the gaps in the Roman line and reform in the rear of the formation, or on the wings with the cavalry. The leves are armed with the gaesum, light javelins of Iberian style, a short thrusting spear and a small, but strong round shield. They wear no armour despite a helmet.

Accensi (Republican Light Reserves) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_accensi.gif

They can be recruited in the central Italian provinces Latium, Umbria, Etruria, Apulia, Liguria and Campania. These are the heartlands of the Res Publica, filled with our colonies founded during the epic struggles of the past centuries. Accensi are light reserve troops placed behind the Triarii and Rorarii in the legions battle formation. They are too poor to have any real equipment besides a sling, and in most cases too old or not experienced or skilled enough to use this effectively. Still, they are better than nothing.

Rorarii (Camillan Reserve Skirmishers) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_camillan_rorarii.gif

They can be recruited in the central Italian provinces Latium, Umbria, Etruria, Apulia, Liguria and Campania. These are the heartlands of the Res Publica, filled with our colonies founded during the epic struggles of the past centuries. Rorarii are reserve skirmishers that are placed behind the Triarii in the legions battle formation. They can be used to fill gaps and support wavering lines but they can't be expected to hold whole sections of the battle line by themselves.The Rorarii are armed with a hasta spear, javelins of the light Iberian gaesum type, and carry an early version of the scutum. They do not wear armour, but wear a helmet.

Hastati (Early) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_early_hastati.gif

They can be recruited in the central Italian provinces Latium, Umbria, Etruria, Apulia, Liguria and Campania. These are the heartlands of the Res Publica, filled with our colonies founded during the epic struggles of the past centuries. The Hastati are the youngest soldiers that wear a full panoply and form the first of the three lines of the battle formation of legionary heavy infantry. They are expected to weaken and tire the enemy, if they cannot break him, before the next line, the Principes, engages. The strict discipline in the Roman army has become one of their keys to success. Armed with two early Etruscan pila and an Italic short sword, Hastati are protected by an early version of the scutum, a bronze helmet and a single bronze greave on the leading leg. As soon as the enemy comes in range they will throw their pila to soften his formation and then engage at close quarters.

Principes (Early) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_early_principes.gif

They can be recruited in the central Italian provinces Latium, Umbria, Etruria, Apulia, Liguria and Campania. These are the heartlands of the Res Publica, filled with our colonies founded during the epic struggles of the past centuries.The principes are disciplined soldiers in the prime of their life and form the second line in a legions battle formation. They engage if the Hastati are unable to break the enemy formation. Having large reserves of fresh troops available on the battlefield to engage in critical moments is one of Roman army's keys to success, besides the strict discipline. Armed with a pilum, the hasta thrusting spear, and an Italic short sword, Principes are protected by an early version of the scutum, a bronze helmet, a bronze greave on the leading leg and a small square chestplate, called pectorale, or "heart protector." As soon as the enemy comes in range they will throw their pilum to soften his formation and then engage at close quarters.

Triarii (Early) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_early_triarii.gif

As all citizens soldiers Triarii can be recruited in the central Italian provinces Latium, Umbria, Etruria, Apulia, Liguria and Campania. These are the heartlands of the Res Publica, filled with our colonies founded during the epic struggles of the past centuries. The Triarii are the oldest and most experienced soldiers of a legion, and form the third line of heavy infantry. Most often during battle they are kept in reserve, resting on one knee under cover of their shields to stay fresh and protected until they are needed. They are the rock of the legion, covering a "rearward advance" if the heavy infantry assault failed, and an old Roman adage came of their use: "to have come to the Triarii" meant that the situation was dire, indeed. The Triarii are still equipped in full Greek panoply. They wear a muscled cuirass, a bronze greave on the leading leg, an Etrusco-Corinthian helmet, carry a Greek Clipeus shield, a hoplite sword, and the hasta thrusting spear. Thus the Triarii still continue to fight like the classical hoplite of the 5th and 4th century BC Etruscan Roman armies. After the Hastati and Principes have retreated through their line, they will form a single massive block and fight in phalanx formation, more suited to stop the enemy and stabilize the line when all hope rest on them.

Eqvites Romani (Camillan Roman Citizen Cavalry) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_camillan_eqvites.gif

They can be recruited in the central Italian provinces Latium, Umbria, Etruria, Apulia, Liguria and Campania. These are the heartlands of the Res Publica, filled with our colonies founded during the epic struggles of the past centuries.The equites are the roman citizen cavalry force. 300 of them, divided into ten turmae, are attached to each legion. They are now armed and armoured in Greek fashion with a hasta lance, a sword, a round parma equestris shield with a diameter of 50-80 cm, a crested helmet and wear a bronze muscle cuirass. Each eques has three horses and is accompanied by two grooms.

Rome's Italian allies

Pedites Extraordinarii (Elite Heavy Infantry of the Italic Allies) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_auxilia_pedites_extra.gif

The consuls can enroll the troops of the socii in all regions of Italia. In a consular army the best fifth of the socii infantry and a third of their cavalry are selected to serve as extraordinarii, a special unit under the direct control of the consul, available for decisive manoeuvres. On the march they are the advance or rear guard, defending the army against possible attacks. Especially the Samnites are famous for their heavy infantry and many of them are picked to serve as pedites extraordinarii. They fight in a similar manner than the ordinary roman legionary with javelins and swords but besides their native traditions the soldier's equipment is more influenced by greek fashions. with a bronze muscle cuirass, a helmet, a hoplon style shield, several light javelins and a kopis sword.

Eqvites Extraordinarii (Elite Heavy Cavalry of the Italic Allies) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_auxilia_eq_extraord.gif

The consuls can enroll the troops of the socii in all regions of Italia.In a standard consular army the best third of socii's cavarly and the best fifth of their infantry are selected to serve as Extraordinarii, a special unit under the direct control of the consul, available for decisive manoeuvres. On the march they are the advance or rear guard, defending the army against possible attacks. Equites Extraordinarii are the finest horsemen Italia can field, mostly drawn from the aristocracy of the horse breeding regions. Especially campanian cavalry proved to be a valuable addition for every roman army and many of them were picked as Equites Extraordinarii. Armed with Greek xyston lances and kopis slashing swords, they normally fight as shock cavalry, spared in battle for the decisive attack. To show their position in society most riders wear elaborately decorated armour, mainly bronze muscle cuirasses, attic helmets and greaves.

The Samnite Troops

Hastati Samnitici (Allied Samnite Medium Spearmen) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_samnite_spears.gif

The Samnites come from the Apennine highlands of central and southern Italy. They have a military tradition as old as Rome itself. They were an expansionistic people until they were forcibly put down, for the last time in the 290’s BC. Their flexible formations were ideal to fight in rough terrain and the Romans eventually copied and improved them after having felt their effectiveness first-hand. These Samnite Spearmen are dependable medium infantry carrying light javelins that they throw before an ensuing melee with their spears. They are well armored with bronze breastplates and helms and have a single greave on their left leg (the leg most vulnerable in hand to hand combat). Although not a shock unit as their swordsmen counterpart, they are well trained, fast and reliable spearmen. They are not capable of standing up to professional heavy infantry, but their spears, bronze breastplates and large shields make them suited to fighting against quite a few infantry and light and medium cavalry types.

Samnitici Milites (Samnite Heavy Infantry) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_samnite_swordsmen.gif

The Samnites come from the Apennine highlands of central and southern Italy. They have a military tradition as old as Rome itself. They were an expansionistic people until they were forcibly put down, for the last time in the 290’s BC. They have a fine tradition of fast heavy infantry that is very different from the Romans and from their southern Italian neighbors. Their infantry carries lighter javelins (and consequently more of them) and is armed with the Greek Kopis, a slashing sword that is very powerful and can be used against armor due to its shape (and is much like the Iberian Falcata). These Samnites are well armored with bronze breastplates, helms, greaves, and a round argive shield. Although not as disciplined as Roman infantry, they are trained to a high degree and make up for their indiscipline with their fighting style and fierce hatred of their Roman foe. Some Samnite tribes have broken with their brothers in Samnium and now work for the Romans. Others long for the day when an enemy of Rome will come to Italy so that they can flock to the fight against their hated foes…

It should be noted here that the next series of reforms were called the Polybian. These allowed for some more Roman units. Developments with armour and tactics were the main focus and these reforms came out of the wars Rome faced during the 3rd Century BC.

The major addition to the Roman ranks was the Velites (Polybian Skirmishers).

Velites (Polybian Skirmishers) http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f242/PharaohJohnII/roman_velites.gif

They can be recruited all Italian homeland provinces, the central heartlands of the Res Publica as well as the recently colonised areas in the south and the Po valley. Velites are the legions light infantry. In a pitched battle they will screen the legions main battle line during the advance and harass the enemy. Before the heavy infantry engages trumpeters signal them to retreat through the gaps in the Roman line and reform behind the Triarii, or on the wings with the cavalry. Sometimes they are also directly used to support the cavalry. The Velites are armed with javelins, a short sword and a small, but strong round shield. They wear no armour besides a plain helmet covered with an animal's skin (usually that of a wolf). This is mainly used for identification, and to make individuals recognizable to the centurions and tribunes over great distances.

Special thanks goes to the Europa Barbarorum website for there help with information and graphics once again. Thanks guys for your help.