"Roman Armies - Tutorial Needed Please" Topic

Republican Rome, Caesar's Legions, Early Imperial Rome, Middle Imperial Rom, Later Imperial Rome…would someone break down these various Roman armies into year spans for me? I know that Carthage fought the Republican Romans, Caesar was part of which period during Gaul? What about the Romans at Teutoburg Forest, which army would they be?

Oh, then there are Marian and Polybian Romans…just to add more to my existing confusion.

I am looking at the War and Empire figures and trying to obtain an understanding of what Romans are suitable for the various periods.

link

Thanks in advance!

Republican Roman usually refers to the era up to Marius's reform of the army around 107BC … the earlier armies before the war with Hannibal are sometimes called Camillan, the armies from the war with Hannibal are sometimes called Polybian they are all Republican …

Polybian soldiers had oval shields and are thought to have had tall feather plumes and a mix of armour not all of it mail.

The Marian reforms brought in the mail shirted legionary (with typically the horsehair plume) … DBA gives this army dates of 105BC to 25BC and it is the army of Caesar, the Civil Wars, the campaign against Spartacus and the Gallic War.

The Imperial Army aka Early Imperial Roman follows this. It is the army of Teutoburgerwald and is the classic Roman with segmental armour and squared off shield. The men could also have mail shirts instead and if they had plumes, they are usually box crests.

This evolves to 'Middle Imperial' by around 200 – the army has more cavalry, the armour is a little different but the legionary is pretty much the same soldier.

And then it gets more complicated as by the mid 4th Century 'Late Roman' shield designs come in, more mercenaries are used and the empire eventually splits into east and West with varaiable military configurations.

Hope that helps

Phil

Phil…that is MOST helpful! Thank you!

The late Roman (sometimes called Patrician after the folks who really ran things) army had oval shields, chain mail shirts or leather armor and often no armor save helmets. They merge into early Byzantines – who after all called themselves Romans.

Another thanks to Phil and vtsaogames for the answer. Great question.

Then there is the late Late Empire who get Storm Bolters.

Nice concise information. Thanks guys.

What is"chain mail"?

What is "chain mail"?

A common modern pleonasm.

Sobieski: here are pictures:
link

I can't vouch for whether this will help or not but gives a bit of an overview of the army…

link

chain mail…

what Hollywood uses to indicate we are talking about pre firearm history..

Also see, knitted mail, mail worn without anything under it, and hulking big swords with machine gun bows!

I was taught.. to call it mail, since anyone I was playing a wargame against would know instantly to what I was referring..

Great link from korsun0 if you haven't checked it out.

Agreed. Great link. Thanks.

Excellent stuff. Thanks all! I ordered a book on the Roman Army last night that has many color and B&W illustrations, along with a history throughout Rome's existence as an ancient power.

link

Good choice … Goldsworthy is a wargamer as well as a reliable historian

Phil
Ancients on the Move

Don't forgot Tullian Romans who are circa 650 B.C. and are akin to the Etrusans

And Camilian Roman who I think span from just after the sack f Rome by the Celts to about 270 B.C.

Wow, korsun0, that is a great link!

Peter Connolly's books, esp. The Roman Army, are excellent with great illustrations.

Aye it's a good site that one, lots of decent info. I stumbled over it a couple of years ago.