It was thanks to their well-trained army that the Romans were successful in conquering other lands and building a huge empire. The powerful army crushed any rebellions within the empire. It could even control who became emperor. Ordinary footsoldiers in the army were called legionaries. Their commanding officers were called centurions.

Legions

The Roman army was divided into legions, groups of about 5500 men. A legion was made up of a number of cohorts, each consisting of 10 centuries, or 800 men. Each century (which was made up of 80 men) had its own commander, called a centurion. The century's standard bearer was called a signifer. The bearer of the legion’s standard, a gold or silver eagle, was called the aquilifer. The eagle standard was the most important possession of the legion. Its loss in battle was considered to be a terrible disgrace.

​​​​​​​Centurions were responsible for the training and discipline of the men under them. They often led their men into battle, fighting alongside them.

Legionary

Ordinary Roman footsoldiers were known as legionaries. A legionary wore iron armour over a woollen tunic and a leather kilt. He also had an iron helmet. He carried a gladius (sword), a pugio (dagger), a scutum (shield) and two pila (throwing spears).

The Roman Empire was vast, and much of a legionary’s time was spent marching from place to place. He had to carry with him his weapons, shield, bedroll, cooking pans and food. Legionaries had to be at least 1.73 metres (5 feet 8 inches) tall and have good eyesight.

Weapons

All men fought with their weapons in their right hand and their shield in their left. The rectangular shield curved around the body. This meant that only their fighting arm was unprotected. The shield was made of wood and canvas, reinforced with iron around its edge. It had an iron lump, called a boss, in the centre.

Sieges

To capture cities, the Roman army would mount a siege. They surrounded the city walls so that nobody could escape, nor any food be brought in. Soldiers then used catapults to launch an attack.

Another weapon used was the ballista, a large and powerful crossbow. It fired bolts tipped with iron that could burst through even the strongest armour. The soldiers also used battering rams to break down the city gates.

Legionaries trained every day. New recruits learned how to use their weapons by practising with wooden swords. Soldiers were expected to obey orders instantly. A centurion would beat any soldier who stepped out of line.