The Military of Rome Thesis The legions of

The Military of Rome

Thesis The legions of Rome were comprised of various groups found throughout the Mediterranean. Each retained their individual culture yet acted as a singular entity under the military.

PART I Multicultural Forces

Auxilia

CIL, vol. VI, no. 3, 492 Names of the Legions II Augusta VI Victrix VIII Augusta XXXII Primigenia I Minervia XXX Ulpia I Adiutrix X Gemina XVI Gemina III Gallica II Parthica IV Scythica XVI Flavia VI Ferrata X Fretensis III Cyrenacia I Parthica II Adiutrix IV Flavia VI Claudia I Italica V Macedonica XI Claudia XIII Gemina XII Fulminata XV Apollinaris II Traiana III Augusta VII Gemina II Italica III Parthica

Cestius Gallus assembles legion from locals Procurator Gestius Florus sent an urgent request for assistance to his immediate commander, Cestius Gallus, the legate of Syria, who commanded the four-legion regional strategic reserves in Antioch. Despite the gravity of the situation, it took Cestius 3 months from the date he received Florus’s report to concentrate his expeditionary force. The muster consisted of the XIIth Legion, Fluminata as the core, with some 4, 800 men, augmented by vexillationes, consisting of 2, 00 men from each of the other three legions, for a total of 11, 000 infantry. Additionally, Cestius assembled four alae of calvary-in all likelihood 2, 000 horse-and six cohorts of auxiliary infantry, totaling about 5, 000 men. (Davis, 74)

Tacitus, Annals IV. Iv. 4 -v. 6 Next, from the borders Syria don’t to the Euphrates river, all Whatofyou the territory that is encompassed in this vast sweep was know Annals 4. 4. 4? controlled by four legions flanked by the Iberian, Albanian, Youare were supposed and other kings, who protected by our greatness against foreign powers. Thrace wasclass! held by Rhoemetacles to read it for and the children of Cotys; the bank of Danube, by two legions in Pannonia and two in Moesia. The same number were stationed in Dalmatia, where, because of the situation of the region, they served as a rear guard for the Danubian legions and could be summoned from a short distance should Italy suddenly require aid.

PART II Uniformed Forces

The Sacramentum It was very much the army of the emperor, all recruits taking an oath of allegiance to the princeps rather than the Senate and People of Rome. (Goldsworthy, 123)

Armor

Tactics

Conclusion The singular entity of the military was composed of many cultures from the Mediterranean.