Although victory was achieved on the basis of citizen militia in the early years of the Republic of China, the real success was the establishment of a famous legion. In the last few days of the late Republic of China, especially under the leadership of gaius marius (BC 157-86), great tactical changes took place, and the later reforms were initiated by Augustus, the first Roman emperor (reigned from 27 BC to 14).
From militia to legion
At first, the Roman army was composed of citizen militia, recruited from property citizens. They only served for free during the war. But it was not until the late Republic of China that Marius' militia (about 157-86 BC) became a full-time professional army. Roman soldiers or heavy infantry (named after their round shields or infantry) were basically armed spearmen. They use a shield with a diameter of 3 feet (about 90 cm), which is fixed by a handle and a belt. This is a bronze helmet covering the face and head, shin guards for the lower legs (some use shin guards), and a bronze or hardened linen breastplate for protecting the chest. Their main weapon is an 8-foot long spear, which is mainly used for stabbing rather than throwing, and a dagger.
In Rome, the javelin will remain in the arsenal of the Weapons Corps for more than 500 years.
The militia adopted the phalanx formation of Greek colonists; However, in the end, squares used for more open spaces will prove to be ineffective. Although every soldier had to provide and maintain his own equipment, during the reign of servius tullius in the 6th century BC (578-535 BC), they carried out a series of reforms. Citizens are divided into different classes according to wealth. Then each class is obliged to provide its own military equipment. There is a direct link between citizenship, property and the army.
The Punic wars with Carthage in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC witnessed the emergence of famous legions. The army is now divided into three different divisions, and each division is divided into several centuries (about 100 people), but they are still only composed of productive citizens. Each regiment has 4200 infantry and 300 cavalry. The first regiment or division closest to the enemy front is Hastati. They are composed of the youngest property owners, usually in their teens and early twenties, and the number is about 1200. The second group is the principle of older, generally around twenty or thirty years old, and there are also about 1200 people. Followed by triarii, a veteran who only fought in the polar regions, about 600 people.
Everyone wears a bronze helmet and breastplate (the rich wear chain mail) and holds a semi-cylindrical shield. Young soldiers and mature soldiers cut down two javelins. Each pilum has a 4-foot (about1.2m) shaft with a 2-foot (about 60cm) iron handle and a tapered tip. Its throwing range is 100 feet. In Rome, the javelin will remain in the arsenal of the Weapons Corps for more than 500 years. Velites recruited from the poorest landlords serve as light infantry. They use light javelin and carry light shields (usually round) because heavy shields are too heavy. A few people wear helmets, but most people wear wolf skins on their hats so that officers can identify them in battle.
Around the 3rd century BC, after the Punic War, the Roman army used Spanish sword or dagger hispaniensis instead of broken weapons. Newly equipped Roman soldiers also carry a Roman dagger or dagger, usually worn on the left side with the right hip sword. In defense, they wear mail bulletproof vests or breastplates and belts, helmets (in various styles), and semi-cylindrical shields (4 feet by 2.5 feet) or shields made of plywood and covered with calf leather. Those who are too poor to buy breastplates will tie a board to their chests. Cavalry carry smaller and lighter shields.
The late Peace Corps
BC 107, the arrival of Consul gaius marius brought about real changes. In order to meet the needs of more soldiers, he went against tradition and recruited poor and property-free citizens to Rome-in capite censi. They are not only for rewards, but also for trophies. After Marianne's reform, the legion that provided all the equipment and weapons-armor and clothes-became more fixed. The difference between age and experience has been eliminated. Everyone will have the same weapon. All legions are considered heavy infantry and will be kept in the scabbard with armed Roman javelin and sturgeon. In Rome, throwing javelin or spear was finally stopped in the 3rd century.
Every legion has a standard-a silver or golden eagle-and a number.
These new corps soldiers are well-trained and disciplined. These changes make the legion more flexible and thus more effective. A unique change is that the soldier was asked to carry his supplies, so he was named "Marius Mule". The basic unit or queue replaced the early squad, consisting of 480 or 600 people. Every legion has a standard-a silver or golden eagle-and a number.
Romans often copied offensive and defensive weapons from their enemies, using weapons such as chain mail, cavalry harness, horn saddle and siege weapons such as siege hammer and siege tower. Contact with Parthians and the fiasco of crassus in 53 BC showed them the usefulness of heavily armored cavalry and archers.
Some changes have taken place in Roman soldiers' clothing: a new type of iron and bronze chain mail, neck protector, cheek on helmet, longer Spata, new harness and saddle, horseshoe. The dismounted cavalry fought with spears and oval spears, wooden flat shields and leather masks, and wore iron helmets with gills, chain mail, leather sandals (some with spurs) and scarves to prevent the helmets from being scratched, but there was no armor on their legs or feet. Finally, I have a saddle cloth to prevent the horse from being scratched. Later, many cavalry were called to carry spears to bruise and spata.
Augustus reform
After the Battle of Akron in 3 1 BC (Antony and Cleopatra were defeated), Augustus (reigned in 27 BC-A.D. 14) dissolved 32 of the 60 legions, thus dismissing 260,000 people. 1 century, after the disastrous Teutonburg forest battle in the ninth year, the remaining 28 people were reduced to 25. After Arminius rebelled against Rome and defeated Publi Uus Kunktilius Varus, Augustus wanted to ensure his loyalty. As the army is recruited from various provinces, soldiers recruited from these areas can obtain Roman citizenship after joining the army. A young man aged 13 can join the army as an apprentice and then serve for 36 years. Although food, supplies and horses were deducted (if applicable), he got a fixed salary. He can also get rewards and rewards when Rome triumphs and land when he leaves office.
The army is now completely professional and permanent, and auxiliary personnel have appeared: archers in Crete and Syria, and stone throwers in Baleary and Numidian. Although they didn't carry the usual Roman javelin or light shield, they didn't wear helmets, chain mail and shields.
Evolution of armor
From the early Roman Republic to the imperial period, the basic weapons of the legion continued to evolve. However, his dress remained almost unchanged. All male Roman citizens wear short-sleeved tunics, but the tunics of legionaries are bigger and longer than the robes of civilians, and they are gathered around their waists by two belts-one for fixing swords and the other for fixing daggers. Later, these two belts were replaced by only one wider leather belt to support them. This wide belt, cingulum militare, is an important symbol of the status of the Legion. It consists of 1 to 9 belts, and it is usually gorgeous. They wore a patterned rectangular thick wool cloak and fixed the two sides together with brooches. Some people prefer Sagem (similar to poncho). They also wear socks or boots or similar sandals. Finally, there is evidence that some soldiers even wear underwear or trousers and wool breeches.
The personal equipment of legion soldiers has become more protective. This is most obvious on their helmets. One of the early styles was Montefortino, with a wide cheek and a wide neck protector, which could well prevent the head from being hit. Coolus is similar to its predecessor, but it has wider cheek plates, neck protection devices and reinforced peaks at the front of the helmet to prevent possible attacks. The Gaul imperial helmet has a wider rib neck protector to provide greater strength, while the imperial italic helmet is slightly different from the Gaul helmet, not so gorgeous. Finally, Intercisa is completely different from others. Its bowl consists of two independent parts, which are connected by a ridge and a small neck guard, and the front or top is not reinforced. Some helmets are decorated with feathers or horsehair feathers.
Roman legions saw many styles of breastplates: chain mail, lorica squamata and lorica segmentata. Under the armor, in order to protect himself, he wore a padded dress, (www.lishixinzhi.com) Thorumachus. As before, a legion never has its shield or shield, and it is often decorated with its legion symbols and numbers. From the middle of the Republic of China to the 3rd century AD, the shield remained almost unchanged, from oval to rectangular. He also brought a suitcase to hold his shield, which was taken away in battle or victory. All soldiers carry a backpack, which is hung on a long pole and carried on their shoulders. There are measuring equipment, pickaxes and wooden fences or stakes in it.
Late Roman army
Great changes have taken place in the fourth century. Part of the reason is the Roman emperor Constantine I (reigned in 306-337 AD). The legionaries are now comitatenses, a mobile strategic reserve controlled by the emperor or limitanei. Under the command of dux, they patrol the border and rarely fight far from the Roman fortress. These committees do not involve any region. Instead, it is the Guard, Imperial Guard or scholae Pallati and auxiliary soldiers, such as auxilia Pallati, an infantry unit. And fighters and archers.
By the beginning of the 4th century AD, the dress of the soldiers of the New Legion had slightly changed. Although wearing a small bulletproof vest, he continued the change of Spata. The Roman heavy javelin is called a speculum, that is, he holds his lead darts or oval shields connected to the inside (these Roman heavy javelin are often changed), which may be a shorter javelin, wearing an Intercisa helmet, a cloak fixed with brooches, trousers and a long-sleeved tunic. These boots have replaced the old printed cotton cloth.
conclusion
Historian Adrian Goldsworthy said in his book The Complete Roman Army: "The Roman army played a central role in the history of this city, creating and maintaining an empire covering Europe" (7). The Roman army, especially the Roman Legion, developed from a citizen-based militia to a powerful opponent of all those who threatened its borders. They protected an empire. Some people say that it created the Mediterranean as a lake of Rome. Goldworthy talked about "great changes have taken place in their military institutions" (7). There is no doubt that their legion equipment, weapons and clothing have evolved for centuries. The Romans were very clever. They learned from their opponents and used bigger and stronger attack weapons: catapults, siege tower, armored cavalry and archers. Although the empire declined in the west, "... the Eastern Roman Empire with Constantinople as its capital stood the test and kept many Roman military institutions until the Middle Ages" (Goldsworthy, 7).