The Ancient World’s Greatest Army
If I were to ask you to name one of the world’s greatest empires, one of your answers might be the Roman Empire. But what made this Empire so strong? What allowed it to conquer the Mediterranean? In this article, we shall learn about them.
This is for all of you history, strategy, or war nerds out there! Also read until the end because I will recommend a game for you that features the Roman Army.
Now with that finished, let us begin!
The Growth of the Roman Army
- Phalanx System
The Roman Army was first composed of soldiers that used the Greek Phalanx. The reason they copied it from the Greeks was because it was nearly invincible to unorganized or weak troops. Its only match were mobile troops or other phalanxes.
Phalanxes were arranged in a straight line of troops carrying spears and shields. They were slow due to their heavy equipment and had a hard time maneuvering over hard terrain. The Phalanx was also weak on its flanks because each row of soldiers had to support the row in front of them, making attacks on all sides almost impossible to support.
This, however, did not prove to be an issue during the early years of Roman Conquest for they were matched against undisciplined barbarian troops. The lands around them were mostly flat, but when they reached Central Italy, this system became ineffective.
The lands of Central Italy were hilly and mountainous, making it hard for the slow moving phalanx of Rome. The people there were also formidable, making use of hit and run tactics that the Romans had no answer to. After a few defeats in Central Italy, the Romans had to make a new battle system.
2. Maniple System
To combat the issue of a slow moving army, the Romans decided to use the Maniple System. Soldiers of the Maniple System were fast moving and easily maneuverable making it an easy counter to the hit and run tactics of Central Italian peoples.
The main soldiers found in a Maniple System are divided into three groups: the Hastati, Principes, and the Triarii.
The Hastati were the youngest men of the three. Being inexperienced, they served on the front line. They were equipped with light armor and used shields and swords. They also had javelins which they used as projectiles to soften up their enemies. They consisted of 1200 troops.
The Principes were the slightly older troops, more experienced, and they served behind the Hastati. They had the same equipment as the Hastati, but it was slightly better. After some time during a battle, the Hastati retreated with the Principes taking their place. They consisted of 1200 troops.
The Triarii were the veterans of the Roman Army. They were found on the back of Maniple formations, seldom being used by their commanders. The Triarii were elite troops, more alike to the soldiers of the Phalanx System but considerably more mobile. It is not certain, but some people believed that the Triarii often begged their commanders to let them fight. They consisted of 600 troops.
The Maniple system had these 3 groups arranged in a checkerboard fashion. Being arranged in this way made it easier for the soldiers to maneuver around rough terrain while always being in position. It was used until the Second Punic War, but after that, the Romans had to adopt a new system due to the larger armies they were now facing.
3. Cohort System
The Cohort System was used to wage war on larger countries and to protect the borders of the Roman Empire. The Cohort System allowed for the formation of legions that were feared throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia.
The smallest group of the Cohort System was composed of 10 men called the Contubernium. 8 served as soldiers while 2 were slaves that worked for them. The leader, called Decanus, was elected by the members of the Contubernium.
The next group called the Century consisted of 10 Contubernium. 80 were soldiers while 20 were slaves. They were led by a Centurion chosen by higher ranking officers. The Centurion led from the front while a second in command named the Optio made sure that the Century was in proper formation and that none deserted it. They were found on the back of the Century.
The next group called the Cohort composed of 6 Centuries. The General moved Cohorts around, not Centuries. They were led by the most experienced of the 6 Centurions and the other 5 would advise him. Each Centurion still held authority over their respective Century but the lead Centurion could give orders to every Century.
Finally, 10 Cohorts made up 1 Roman Legion. However, the 1st Cohort were special, being composed of 5 double Centuries which were 60% larger than regular Cohorts. Being in this Cohort was a symbol of prestige, and they held the Eagle Standard.
The 3rd in Command was the Camp Prefect who led the 1st Cohort. The 2nd in Command were a group of 7 nobles called the Military Tribune. The 1st in Command was the Legate who was a member of the Roman Senate.
The large legions made it easy for the Romans to beat other armies, and they were a self-sufficient force. During times of peace, they could do construction projects and many other things. This system was used until the fall of the Roman Empire
A Game for Roman Fanboys and Fangirls
All the tactics and weapons that I have shown you through the videos and through this article can be applied in a Real-Time-Strategy (RTS) game like this. You will be the leader of your own legion and have the power to bring glory to the Roman Empire. This game is called Total War: Rome 2. It’s the perfect game for those who love strategy, history, and war.
To further bring interest to this game, I will be showing reenactments of ancient major battles in this game.
Roman Battles
Battle of Zama (Rome vs. Carthage)
Battle of the Nile (Caesar vs. King Ptolemy XIII
Battle of Telamon
Other Historical Battles
Battle of Marathon (Greece vs. Persia)
Non-specific Peloponnesian War Battle (Athens vs. Sparta)
Battle of Gaugamela (Macedonia vs. Persia)
WARNING: Not Suitable for those who don’t like blood. Gore and Violence warning. (Its War)
Conclusion:
I hoped that you learned something new with this article. I also hope that this has sparked interest about history and strategy to you, my excellent readers. If you can, you will be able to learn something new and have a new alibi when you’re playing Total War: Rome 2. Just say that you’re learning about history. Again, thanks for reading and goodbye.
