how many legions did the roman republic have

The Roman Army of the Roman Republic

Full Answer

How many soldiers made up a Roman legion?

In the Roman army, a full strength legion was officially made up of 6,000 men, but typically all legions were organized at under strength and generally consisted of approximately 5,300 fighting men including officers.

How man soldiers are there in a Roman legion?

The Structure of the Roman Army The Roman army was divided into legions, each comprising about 4,800 infantry and 120 cavalry. A legion was subdivided into 10 cohorts, comprising 480 men apiece, and each cohort was subdivided into six centuries comprising 80 men apiece—not 100 as the name suggests.

What was the normal size for a Roman legion?

• Roman soldiers: 1,50 m
• Roman women: 1,45 m or less
• German warriors: 1,70 m
• German women: 1,60 m

How many men did the Legion have in ancient Rome?

Roman legions formed the largest units in the Roman army. In the early days of the republic, each legion consisted of around 3,000 well-trained men. This number was later expanded to up to 5,200 men in each legion during the imperial era. A typical Roman legion would have 10 cohorts (about 5,000 men).

Did the Roman Republic have legions?

The Roman legions At the core of the army were its legions, which were without equal in their training, discipline and fighting ability. By the time Augustus came to power, the army contained 60 legions. Each of these was divided into ten cohorts of up to 480 men.

How many legions did Rome have at one time?

By the time Augustus emerged as sole ruler of Rome in 31 BC, over 50 legions were in existence, many of which were disbanded. The legions included in the following list had a long enough history to be somehow remarkable.

What was the largest number of Roman legions?

In 216 B.C., they elected Gaius Terentius Varro and Lucius Aemilius Paullus as co-consuls and equipped them with eight legions—the largest army in the Republic's history.

Was there a 13th Roman legion?

Legio XIII Gemina, in English the 13th Twin Legion was a legion of the Imperial Roman army. It was one of Julius Caesar's key units in Gaul and in the civil war, and was the legion with which he crossed the Rubicon in January, perhaps the 10th, 49 BC.

Who had the biggest army in history?

Six Chinese dynasties assembled some of history's largest fighting forces, ranging from the 575,000 troops in the ninth-century Tang Dynasty to the 1,300,000 million fielded by the Ming Dynasty in the 1500s.

How big was the Roman army at its peak?

about 450,000By the end of Augustus' reign, the imperial army numbered some 250,000 men, equally split between 25 legions and 250 units of auxiliaries. The numbers grew to a peak of about 450,000 by 211, in 33 legions and about 400 auxiliary units.

Was there a lost Roman Legion?

It was stationed in Britain following the Roman invasion in 43 AD. The legion disappears from surviving Roman records after c. 120 AD and there is no extant account of what happened to it....Legio IX HispanaCountryRoman Republic and Roman EmpireTypeRoman legion (Marian)RoleInfantry assaultSizec. 5,4008 more rows

Who was Caesar's favorite legion?

the Tenth MountedFormed by Julius Caesar around 61 (or 59) BCE, during his stint as the governor of Hispania, the Tenth Mounted was Caesar's first command. Like Caesar's other legions, the Tenth had a bull as its emblem. However, the Tenth Mounted was Caesar's favorite and his most trustworthy legion.

What is the most elite Roman unit?

Legionnaires. The legionaries were the elite soldiers. A legionary had to be over 17 years old and a Roman citizen. Legionaries signed up for at least 25 years service, and at the end of the 25 years, they were generally awarded land they could farm and/or a large sum of money.

Did Julius Caesar decimate a legion?

Julius Caesar threatened to decimate the 9th Legion during the war against Pompey, but never did. Plutarch describes the process in his work Life of Antony. After a defeat in Media: Antony was furious and employed the punishment known as "decimation" on those who had lost their nerve.

Who destroyed the 9th Legion?

AD 60/1: Rebel queen The Ninth Legion, led by Petillius Cerialis, is ambushed by the forces of the rebel Queen Boudica while hurrying to rescue the besieged Roman town of Colchester. The infantry are wiped out.

Who destroyed the Roman Legion?

The annihilation of three veteran legions at the hands of the Germanic tribes shook the Roman Empire to its core.

How many legions did Julius Caesar have?

four legionsCaesar had four legions under his command, two of his provinces, Illyricum and Gallia Narbonensis, bordered on unconquered territory, and independent Gaul was known to be unstable.

How many legions did Rome lose?

The annihilation of three veteran legions at the hands of the Germanic tribes shook the Roman Empire to its core. Rome's previously successful wars of conquest had steadily inflated the empire's sense of superiority over neighbouring powers, particularly those in northern and central Europe.

How many soldiers made up 1 legion?

In the military operations of Lucius Cornelius Sulla and Julius Caesar, a legion was composed of 10 cohorts, with 4 cohorts in the first line and 3 each in the second and third lines. The 3,600 heavy infantry were supported by enough cavalry and light infantry to bring the legion's strength up to 6,000 men.

What was the average number of legions?

The number of legions in existence at one time often varied, but a rough average is 28. The make-up of each Legion was as follows: 10 cohorts to one legion. six centuries to one cohort.

How many men were in the Roman Legion?

The legion evolved from 3,000 men in the Roman Republic to over 5,200 men in the Roman Empire, consisting of centuries as the basic units. Until the middle of the first century, ten cohorts (about 500 men) made up a Roman legion.

How many Legions were there in the 4th century?

The Notitia Dignitatum lists 25 legiones palatinae, 70 legiones comitatenses, 47 legiones pseudocomitatenses and 111 auxilia palatina in the field armies, and a further 47 legiones in the frontier armies. Legion names such as Honoriani and Gratianenses found in the Notitia suggest that the process of creating new legions continued through the 4th century rather than being a single event. The names also suggest that many new legions were formed from vexillationes or from old legions. In addition, there were 24 vexillationes palatini, 73 vexillationes comitatenses; 305 other units in the Eastern limitanei and 181 in the Western limitanei. A rare instance of apparent direct continuity between the legions of the early Empire and those of the post-6th century army was Legion V Macedonica; created in 43 BC, recorded in the Notitia Dignitatum as a legione comitatense under the title of Quinta Macedonica and surviving in Egypt until the Arab conquest of 637 AD.

How many lines of maniples were there in the republican era?

During much of the republican era, a legion was divided into three lines of ten maniples. In the late republic and much of the imperial period (from about 100 BC), a legion was divided into ten cohorts, each of six (or five) centuries. Legions also included a small ala, or cavalry unit.

How many cohorts were required for the Italian legions?

Rome's Italian allies were required to provide approximately ten cohorts (auxilia were not organized into legions) to support each Roman Legion.

What influenced the Republican era?

In terms of organisation and function, the Republican era legion may have been influenced by the ancient Greek and Macedonian phalanx.

What was the largest army in Rome?

Limes Mauretaniae. Ancient Rome portal • War portal. v. t. e. The Roman legion ( Latin: legiō, [ˈɫɛɡioː]) was the largest military unit of the Roman army. A legion was roughly of brigade size, composed of 4,200 infantry and 300 cavalry in the republican period, expanded to 5,200 infantry and 120 auxilia in the imperial period .

What was the main unit of the legion?

They did not have a precise formal organization or formation. Heavy infantry: This was the principal unit of the legion. The heavy infantry was composed of citizen legionaries that could afford the equipment composed of an iron helmet, shield, armour and pilum, a heavy javelin whose range was about 30 meters.

How many legions were there in the mid-republic era?

But all this was still in an evolving state. Legions were formed but for a short time only. There were the four original legions during the mid-Republic era: Legion I to IV, with two assigned to each of the two consuls. But when a new military campaign or a threat required a greater number of men, further legions were raised as needed. This conscription method can be considered an efficient and affordable way of structuring an army without having to pay extra soldiers in times of peace.

How were the Roman legions organized?

Rome’s legions were famously reorganized during the well-known Marian Reforms . These reforms, which occurred in the late Republic period, resulted in the tactical and more evolved organization of army units. After the reforms, a legion proper numbered around 4,500 men in total and was separated as follows. At the legion’s core were the 10 cohorts, a primary Prima Cohorta and 9 ordinary ones, with an additional 500 cavalry soldiers. The Prima Cohorta was twice as strong, the core of other legions only had six centuries. A single century was comprised of 80 men, or 10 contubernia (singular contubernium ). The contubernia was the lowest unit formation and consisted of 8 soldiers, 1 mule, and all the equipment they required. Each of the centuries carried its own standard or “banner”. This new legion formation was highly effective and easy to maneuver in the field. And it was these strategic advantages that made the Roman legions superior to other fighting forces. It also resulted in many victories for Rome.

What is a legion in Latin?

In Latin, a legion was known as legio, denoting a military conscription and levy, and ultimately stemming from the word legere, to choose. The early history of Rome is not a clear as its later periods of development. However, even before the emergence of the Roman legions proper, the early army of Rome was fairly organized.

Why were the Roman legions so powerful?

From a military perspective, the Roman legions were almost perfect. But they eventually became a power to manipulate by would-be Roman emperors and power-hungry generals. The legions were often used in coups and as a powerful tool of asserting power and gaining leverage.

What was the most important development of Rome's army?

And the most crucial development of that army were the Roman legions . From Britain and Gaul to Syria and Egypt, the expansion of Rome was built on the power of the Roman legions.

How many men were in the Prima Cohorta?

The Prima Cohorta was twice as strong, the core of other legions only had six centuries. A single century was comprised of 80 men, or 10 contubernia (singular contubernium ). The contubernia was the lowest unit formation and consisted of 8 soldiers, 1 mule, and all the equipment they required.

What type of unit was the most prestigious and deadly in Rome?

Early on, the biggest focus was on the cavalry. Known in Rome as the Equites, the cavalry was considered the most prestigious and deadly of all units.

How many legions did the Roman Republic have?

Increasing Number of Legions. When the Roman Republic started, with two consuls as leaders, each consul had command over two legions. These were numbered I-IV. The number of men, organization and selection methods changed over time. The tenth (X) was Julius Caesar's famous legion.

Why did the size of the Roman Legion vary?

Even in the course of a military campaign, the size of a Roman legion varied because, unlike the case of the Persian Immortals, there wasn't always someone waiting in the wings to take over when a legionary (​ miles legionarius) was slain, taken prisoner, or incapacitated in battle. Roman legions varied over time not only in size but in number.

How did the Legion get its name?

The name for the legions comes from the word for the levy ( legio from a Latin verb for 'to choose' [ legere ]) that was made on the basis of wealth, in the new tribes Tullius is also supposed to have created. Each legion was to have 60 centuries of infantry.

How many groups were there in the 1000?

Each of the three corps of 1000 comprised ten groups or centuries, corresponding to the ten curiae of each tribe.". The Roman armies ( exercitus) were composed mainly of Roman legions from the time of the legendary reforms of King Servius Tullius [also see Mommsen], according to ancient historians Cary and Scullard.

What was the size of the Roman army?

One size is for the standard Republican legion and the other, a special one for emergencies. The size of the standard legion was 4000 infantry and 200 cavalry. The size of the emergency legion was 5000 and 300. The historians admit of exceptions with legion size going as low as 3000 and as high as 6000, with cavalry ranging from 200-400.

How many men were mobilized in the Punic War?

Ward says that up to at least the time of the Second Punic War, a maximum of around 10% of the population would be mobilized in the case of a national emergency, which he says would be about 10,000 men or about two legions.

How many squads were in the Imperial Legion?

In the imperial legion, beginning with Augustus, the organization is thought to have been: 10 squads ( contubernia - a tent group of generally 8 men) = a century, each commanded by a centurion = 80 men [note that the size of a century had diverged from its original, literal meaning of 100]

How many Legions were there in the IV century?

In the IV century legions were reduced in size, but increased in number. By the end of the century there were 305 Legions of 1,000 men each.

What happened to the Western Roman Empire?

The monetary economy had collapsed and in many places money had lost its worth after centuries of inflation, and barter trade replaced it.

What was the Dacian campaign?

The Dacian campaign was a long grind but Trajan was able to conquer it and add a new province to the empire. Dacia was home to large gold mines and this would help boost the Roman economy for decades to come.

What would happen if the Visigoths attacked Rome?

If attackers like Alaric’s Visigoths (410) or the Vandals (455) didn’t want to risk an outright attack on an undefended section of the wall, they could just camp outside Rome and prevent any food from entering the city. Unlike Constantinople, which could be supplied by sea, Rome was landlocked and, as long as the Tiber was blockaded (easy) it could be starved in a matter of weeks.

What happened after the Rhine invasion of 406?

After the Rhine invasion of 406, this problem was compounded as individual provinces stopped paying taxe

How many men did it take to defend the Aurelian walls?

Soldiers demanded hard cash, and you probably needed something like 20,000 men just to defend the Aurelian walls, otherwise they could simply be scaled in unguarded spots.

Who was the last Roman conqueror?

Trajan was the last great Roman conquerer and he forever changed the empire. Rome had been territorial stagnant for quite a long time and the legions had become a mostly defensive force.

Overview

History

Size

Function and constitution

Longevity

Overview of typical organization and strength

Evolution

Legionary ranks

Early Composition of The Roman Legions

Increasing Number of Legions

• When the Roman Republic started, with two consuls as leaders, each consul had command over two legions. These were numbered I-IV. The number of men, organization and selection methods changed over time. The tenth (X) was Julius Caesar's famous legion. It was also named Legio X Equestris. Later, when it was combined with soldiers from other legions,...

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Republican Period

Imperial Period

The Imperial Army Beyond The Legions

Sources