"Roman Army stages? Noob help please." Topic

I see a variety of Roman army nicknames but am having trouble sorting them all out. Imperial, Republic, Caesarian, Marian etc.

Could some kind soul just give me a list in chronological order or point me to a resource that lays out the major "periods" of the Roman army, using small words so I'm sure to understand?

Republican covers everything up to Augustus when it becomes imperial. It includes Marian and Caesarian. Army lists typically treat them as two: republican starts some time earlier but also refers to the period of the wars with carthage up to the reforms of Marius. Then the Marian period includes Marius and Caesar (these might be called Marian Roman or later republican roman). Then you have early imperial romans (sometimes referred to as principate), followed by middle imperial romans(3rd century ish), and then late imperial romans (4th century ish to the fall).

In Wargamers' terms:
Early Roman/Tullian is the period of the kings and then the early republic from earliest times until about the end of the 5th century BC. Most wars are against neighbours such as the Etruscans, Latins, various neighbouring tribes and the Gallic invasion.

Mid-Republic which at least one set of lists divides into:
--Camillan (named after the supposed innovator of a new organisation) roughly 400 BC to just before 200 BC
Main enemies are whichever of the above are still around and wars against other Italians, Pyrrhus and the first Punic War.

--Polybian (named after the historian who describes the army of sometime before 200 BC until around 100 BC.
Main conflicts – 2nd and 3rd Punic Wars, various Macedonian and Seleucid Wars, wars in Spain, North Africa and some fighting against Gauls.

Late Republic/Triumvirate/Marian/Caesarian. Latter two named after the supposed innovator of the system or the most famous commander.
Gauls, Germans, Pontus, Parthians, Spanish, Slaves etc. and most damagingly, the period where Civil War really gets going.

Imperial. Usually from start of Augustus's reign near the end of the 1st century BC
Might be subdivided into the Principate – Most of 1st, 2nd and 3rd centuries AD – and Dominate – from near end of 3rd century.
The 5th century may then get dubbed the Foederate or Patrician period.
Wars in the Imperial period include Parthians, Palmyrans, Sassanids, Jews, Britons, Sarmatians and the many other hairy fellows massing on the edges of the Empire.

Awesome, thanks!

Here is how DBA v3 lists them, with dates:

Tullian Roman (578 – 400 BC)
Camillan Roman (400 – 275 BC)
Polybian Roman (275 – 105 BC)

Some army lists combine these first three into a single category called "Republican Roman" – as opposed to "Imperial Roman" – and then further divide it.

Marian Roman (105 – 25 BC)

Also described as Caesarian Roman, Late Republican Roman (just to confuse you!) and Triumvirate Roman

Early Imperial Roman (25 BC – 197 AD)

I have seen this period described as "Principate Roman" and "Augustan Roman"

Middle Imperial Roman (193 – 324 AD)
Late Imperial Roman (307 – 408 AD)
Patrician Roman (408 – 493 AD)

"Late Roman" is often used to describe any Roman army from the early 4th century AD onwards, with no division as DBA has.

You really need to understand the tactical and organizational differences between them all as they are significant

There's a very good Adrian Goldsworthy book – "The Complete Roman Army"- a very good introduction.

Basically the differences determine the mix of Bd, Sp and Ax elements in DBA:)

Some of the later Romans, might also be considered to be wearing something approaching a 'uniform', a bit of a novelty in the Ancient world.

Republican Romans get to fight cool enemies like Carthage or Macedonian Successors, Imperial Romans get to fight each other or a tedious succession of barbarians. They are a good source of Life of Brian jokes though.

Purists please note I am not being entirely serious here.

Other main differences are a gradual increase in the cavalry componrent and later use of allies/mercenaries such as Goths.

To extend Martin's pithy catalogue of combatants:

… and Late Romans just suffered an interminable identity crisis.