Why are the Roman Army successful?

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Johnathan Kennedy
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3 Why are the Roman Army successful? Discipline Centurions were in charge of discipline. They carried a stick of very hard wood and they used it to beat their soldiers. They used to punish even small things with extra duties, flogging or a fine. the men earned 2 1/2 pence a day. Serious criminals who did things like mutiny were punished by decimation. The centurion walked along the lines of soldiers touching every tenth man who was killed sometimes by stoning. Hard and efficient training Legionaries were very fit. They trained by running, chopping down trees and doing obstacle courses. Every month they had to do an 18 mile route march with 60 pounds of equipment and armour and weapons to carry. They also did drill and weapons training. Speed at which they learnt new tactics

4 How A Roman Legion is Divided There are about 300,000 soldiers in the entire Roman army, and the elite troops [120,000 men] are divided into 25 Legions. 8 men = 1 contubernia 10 contubernia = 1centry 2 centuries = 1 maniple 6 centuries =1 cohort 10 cohort = 1 Legion

6 Commander of the Legion Legionary bodyguards Musicians Standard-bearers Legionary Centurion Legionary soldiers

7 Auxiliary Centurions Auxiliary Officers Auxiliary archers Auxiliary soldiers

8 Auxiliary soldiers were not Roman they were local people who used to live quietly then the Romans said to the men come be are backup they said no then the emperor made it the law if an Roman asked you.

and hit them with a stick, very, very hard. The stick is called a vitis.

9 A centurion was very strict to the men. When they are naughty to their centurion, then the centurion got mad and hit them with a stick, very, very hard. The stick is called a vitis. Vitis is the sign of rank and even though they can be ruthless they are admired for their fighting skills.

10 Legionary soldiers were all citizens of Rome. They were very well trained and disciplined. A Roman soldier must be able to march 25 miles in 5 hours. Some soldiers become expert soldiers like engineers. Others become skilled soldiers like carpenters. Both will still have to fight.

With the enemy within range the line would step forward as one thrusting the scutum

11 Upto 500 Soldiers in line. Shoulder to Shoulder facing the enemy. The shield (Scutum) is used to block missiles. With the enemy within range the line would step forward as one thrusting the scutum into the bodies and faces of the enemy unbalancing them. Finally with the enemy unbalanced the sword (Gladius) is used with devastating effect.

12 The Testudo 27 Men 4 Ranks

10 pound bags of potatoes They would throw them the same

13 Invented by the Greeks Siege and Field Warfare Largest ones could throw large spears weighing as much as five 10 pound bags of potatoes They would throw them the same distance as from the School Hall right into the town centre

The Army pays quite well. Legionary soldiers earn about 300 denarii each year almost twice a teacher s salary. But the Army will keep a lot of it to pay for food, clothes, weapons and lodging.

14 The Army pays quite well. Legionary soldiers earn about 300 denarii each year almost twice a teacher s salary. But the Army will keep a lot of it to pay for food, clothes, weapons and lodging. You ll have to save some too- don t waste it on gambling or wine! if you get promoted, you will earn much more. Junior officers earn one-and-a-half times normal pay and senior earn double. Top Centurions receive up to 15 times more than the men they command. A purse to protect To keep money safe they had a metal purse. They had to take off the purse before opening it. Secret stores The best place to keep all your savings is in a strongbox in the secret storeroom under the Legion s shrine. The statues of the emperor and gods of war will guard it.

15 Soldiers have to live in many places some cosy and comfortable others damp and cold, perhaps even DANGEROUS! The Army has two types of quarters. A marching camp is temporary built as the legion s travel. Forts are for legions living far from Rome, and they are permanent headquarters. They have barracks, kitchens stables, toilets, stores and sometimes baths and temples. There is even a house for the commander. Beds Bunk beds are hard and narrow with woollen blankets and straw mattresses. Their weapons and kit are kept in a storeroom near the door. Home sweet Home Every barrack block houses 80 men which would be 1 century and 1 centurion. Barracks are built of timber, stone, or lath and also plaster. They are heated by very small stoves in every single sleeping room.

16 It is very hard to go to a very cold place as a Roman soldier because they want it to be as warm as Rome. Roman soldiers would grown to their centurion about the weather and then the centurion would punish them by making them clean lavatories. There are always troops guarding forts from the Roman empire, so get ready to spent some time away from home. Think of your time aboard as a adventure but it will not be a holiday. The fort lands are really wild, lawless places where you will fight tribes who want to drive the Roman s out of the place. You will see some really good sites of the world but you will realise some places do not have better weather than Italy. Hadrian's wall Hadrian's wall was very big. They built it so that the Scottish could not attack the Romans. It was called Hadrian s wall because the kings name was Hadrian, so he named it after him.

17 It is very hard to be a Roman you can die at any time You can die at war. You can die of hard training. Hunger. Weather. Mosquito's ( in very hot countries) So they are the things they needed to look out for on their job, yes those five things I will repeat them You can die at war You can die of hard training Hunger Weather mosquito s ( in hot countries) The Roman thought lot of people

Asia made the first mosaics in the world then the Romans started to copy them and they invented cement to add to it.

18 The Roman navy was very powerful. Their ships were a lot like the Greeks because The Romans liked to copy people and add bits to it like mosaics for example. Asia made the first mosaics in the world then the Romans started to copy them and they invented cement to add to it. What people most feared was the paint on the front of the ship because it looked like a monster and it had big eyes starring like its coming to attack the land or it could scare the guards away. It has many parts to it and you can see more on my diagram.

How to be a Roman Soldier by Fiona Macdonald Roman forts by Margaret Mulvihill Indiana Jones Explores Ancient Rome by John Malam Roman Fight Scene from

19 How to be a Roman Soldier by Fiona Macdonald Roman forts by Margaret Mulvihill Indiana Jones Explores Ancient Rome by John Malam Roman Fight Scene from Gladiator the Movie

Which Fun facts do you find out in Roman soldiers life?

Group 1 What was a legion? What other soldiers did the Romans have? What armour and weapons did the Romans have? How well-trained were Roman soldiers? Which Fun facts do you find out in Roman soldiers