The greatest weapon of this armed force was the number of members: a legion could be formed by up to 6 thousand men! In combat, this sea of warriors basically relied on darts, swords and shields to face the enemy. Although without the same power as firearms, these short weapons allowed legionnaires to make quick movements – their units had great flexibility, being able to change the direction of attack to surprise the opponent.
During a battle, the movement of troops was controlled by an efficient command system, which included the use of banners and pennants to transmit messages and instructions. Named after the Latin word legio, or “set,” the legion was the basic unit of the army in ancient Rome. Its exact origin is unknown, but it appears to have evolved from a Greek formation known as the phalanx. “While the phalanx depended almost exclusively on the spear, the legion had a greater variety of weapons,” says Israeli historian Martin van Creveld of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Prior to the 1st century BC, however, legions were not permanent forces, being made up of citizens called up whenever a military emergency arose. During the 1st century BC, the organization of the legions underwent extensive reforms implemented by General Gaius Marius, who incorporated cavalry detachments and artillery machines, such as catapults, into the armed force. While powerful, the legion also had its limitations. This was clear when the fighting took place in areas with dense forests, which limited the movement of soldiers, or against archers who fired from a distance, out of range of short Roman weapons. In the infographic below, you know the basic formation of a legion between the 1st centuries BC and 1st AD
– (Sattu/Weird World)
WORKSET
A legion could have up to 6,000 men, divided into ten smaller units called cohorts. In the 1st century AD, a legion consisted of nine cohorts of 480 men each and a larger cohort of 800 soldiers. At the ends of the cohorts were the auxiliary forces of cavalry.
– (Sattu/Weird World)
1) EXTRA ARSENAL
In the 1st century AD, each cohort of the legion also had a ballista (stone thrower), between five and six scorpios (arrow throwers) and five more catapults. These war machines were collapsible and could be transported in wagons.
2) QUESTION OF AGE
The legion’s main unit, the heavy infantry, was subdivided according to the age of the combatants. The first rows were formed by young soldiers, the middle, by soldiers around 30 years old, and the rear, by veterans who fought little in the battles.
3) HORSE PROTECTION
To prevent enemy attacks from the flanks (the sides of a troop), the legions had groups with dozens of horses to the left and right of the cohort set. Generally, knights were recruited from among conquered peoples to reinforce Roman lines.
4) HIT AND RUN
Light infantry, known as velites, consisted primarily of spear-throwers and were usually placed at the forefront of the legion. After throwing their spears, they retreated through the «alleys», narrow corridors opened within the cohort.
5) IMPROVISED ROOF
One of the legion’s main battle tactics was called the testudo. The soldiers joined the shields, forming a protective carapace against spears and arrows, advancing against the enemy. A short distance away, they went into hand-to-hand combat with swords and spears.
– (Sattu/Weird World)
Standard Legionnaire
I) HELMET – Made of metal, it served as a protective device.
II) SHIELD – Made with wooden boards, it was 1 m long and was used for defense and attack.
III) PUGIUM – Small dagger used as a weapon of last resort
IV) CHAIN CHAIN - Made of metal hooks, it protected the legionnaire’s body from slashing blows.
V) GLADIO – 0.5 m broadsword
VI) PILUM – Wooden spear with 2 m and iron tip