The Roman Army The Roman army is still admired today by historians and many others alike. How far advanced technologically the Romans were over 2000 years ago still amazes many people today. They built roads that a still used today, their baths are still admired with many still standing and much of today's archaeology dates back to Roman and Greek principals. The Roman army itself was the most feared army of that period and it too is a cause of fascination. Thankfully, due to the Romans writing a lot down, there are many sources (unlike in the "Dark Ages" for example) available to study how the Roman army worked. In this project, the aim is to find out how the training and organization of the army made it as effective as it was. How did the training and organization of the Roman army make it as effective as it was? When the Roman army was at its peak, during the 1st and 2nd century AD, it was too strong for most of the other forces to overcome. In this project I aim to show how two parts of the Roman army: a) its training b) its organization, helped make it so effective. The Roman army was an attractive occupation at that time. This is an important point to note. Although you ran the risk of being killed, soldiers were paid quite well (248 drachmas/year for cavalrymen in AD 81 according to Quintus Julius Proculus' account); did not have to fight that often (in fact in some times and places in the Roman army they spent more time doing peace time activities than fighting). They were given a large pension when they retired (according to Dio they received either between 3000 denarii and 5000 denarii, depending on the... ... middle of paper ... ...the whole world by no means other than thorough training in the use of weapons, strict discipline in the military camps, and practice in warfare." Vegetius, A Book About Military Affairs Overall, the Roman army was stronger than anybody else at that time, in all the crucial departments. They trained harder, they were more disciplined, were better prepared for warfare and the soldiers were more contented overall. The fascinating point to note about it all is that in between all the battles, they built towns and buildings that still stand today and are marvelled at by the people of today. Bibliography An account of a cavalryman stationed outside Alexandria, from AD 81. Josephus: A History of the Jewish War Tacitus: Annals Vegetius: A Book about Military Affairs Webster: The Roman Imperial Army
Prior to Augustus’s reforms, when legions were raised, they were comprised almost entirely of Italian recruits. This was out of the question with this new standing army, and filling the ranks with Italians gave way to supplementing legions with local auxiliaries, then later integrating these Romanised locals into a legions structure proper.5 This action undertaken by Augustus seems to have had ramifications as the centuries progressed, with the percentage of Italian born recruits steadily dropping, to the point where by the time of Hadrian, there were almost not Italians serving in the legions. Augustus’s methods of recruiting elsewhere to support the strength of his legions became so successful that they became the primary method of filling the requirements of the Empires new professional
Fall of Rome - the military's role. The Military's Role in the Beginning of the End of Rome The fall of Rome occurred over many centuries and was caused by several factors including military decay, barbarian invasions, and the failure of the government to respond to these problems. While these problems existed to a greater or lesser degree, since the end of the 2nd century, their effects were accelerated by the reforms of the emperors Constantine and Diocletian.
Greeks and Romans are famous for the strategy's that they used. The Greeks main strategy was called the Phanlax. They basically have a rectangle of troops and each on...
Morey, William C. "Outlines of Roman History, Chapter 19." Forum Romanum. 1901. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. .
Gladiatorial events were a token of the Roman civilization. A brutal form of sacrifice adapted from the earlier civilization of Etruscans, who believed when a person dies, his spirit relies on a blood sacrifice to survive in the afterlife. The first event to take place in Rome was in 264 BC, when Decimus Brutus held a sacrifice to honor his dead father (Roman Gladiator). Soon after these events became an undeniable part of the Romans lives, used for political power and general entertainment.
The Roman Empire In 27 BC, Augustus became the first emperor of Rome, thus creating a strong leader figure, which could shape and mold the Republic system into what was best for the empire or themselves. During the reign of the emperors, the political policies for Rome would vary according to, which emperor was in power. Not only were politics shaky, but there never was a clear-cut method of succession for the man who controlled those politics. Rome had created the position of emperor in hopes that men like Augustus would continue to lead her into prosperity, however the office of emperor struggled in attempting to find great men to lead Rome. The office never truly evolved into something greater than when it had been created, but rather the office varied according to the personality of the man in the position.
The strength of the Roman military was the string that held the Roman Empire together for as long as it lasted. The military was made up of strictly disciplined men whom were ready and willing to serve their emperor.
Simkin, John. “ Military Tactics of the Roman Army.” spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk. Spartacus Educational, Sept. 1997- June 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013.
Octavian’s victory over Mark Antony in the battle of Actium is labeled as the most important battle of Antony’s civil war. It directly led to Octavian’s final conquest over Rome and is labeled as the defining moment of the birth of the Roman Empire. Despite fairly evenly matched forces, an overwhelming lack of leadership on Mark Antony’s part and many brilliant tactical moves made by Octavian and his Admirals allowed this battle to be an extremely decisive victory in Octavian’s favor. This paper will analyze the tactical and leadership based decisions made by both sides.
Every empire, dynasty, government, regime etc. has consisted of both good and bad leadership. This directly affects the society in which they oversee and/or control. The infamous Roman Empire experienced its share of triumphs and depression through its leader’s actions. Run as a monarchy, the kings of Rome had various ways of implementing their authority. Many of them chose to rule based on their interests and desires while others catered to the welfare of Rome’s booming population. Depending on the leader some received accolades and others faced a tragic ending due to their ignorance. Prior to the formation of the republic Rome the people endured both the spoils and hardships of war. The actions and/or qualities of the good and bad leaders of Rome had a direct correlation with its well being. Opinions vary but there were definitely standouts on both ends of the spectrum.
While the poorest, the front line had no armor and only slings and stones for weapons. The early Roman army copied the Greeks basic tactical formation. The Greek army used the phalanx, a tight formation which came at the enemy with spears. The whole army would face forward in lines, and the first few ranks would hold out their spears and their shields. The army would move forward in unison.
Not only will I discuss battle tactics, I will also detail the military setups and organizations within the two societies. The Roman Army was one of the first great civilizations to have an organized and professional military institution. The Roman Army was similar to our modern British army because it had an army of extensively trained soldiers who had been organized and were professionally employed. In other words they got paid and were very well trained. ... ... middle of paper ... ...
The Roman Republic began approximately around 509 B.C. when the nobles drove the King and his family out of Rome. This monumental incident helped shape the start to the transformation of the monarchy into a republican governmental system. This is known to have begun by that of the Roman nobles trying to hold their power that they had gained. The Republic was “[a] city-state [which] was the foundation of Greek society in the Hellenic Age; in the Hellenistic Age, Greek cities became subordinate to kingdoms, larder political units ruled by autocratic monarchs” (Perry 105)
1. Tim Cornell, John Matthews, Atlas of the Roman World, Facts On File Inc, 1982. (pg.216)
The main difference between Greek and Roman warfare was the formations that they fought in. The Grecian armies all used the phalanx as a fighting formation while the Romans used the maniple. The phalanx was one mass formation that consisted of infantry eight deep. The maniple formation was actually a group of formations in a checkerboard pattern. Each maniple consisted of about 120 men and when employed in Italy, the Romans used thirty maniples. The maniple proved to be a better formation, because the phalanx left no room for maneuvering after engagement.