Curiosities of ancient Rome (Army)

Ballista quadrirotis is a weapon that Roman troops could have used. Information about this weapon appears in the anonymous work “De rebus bellicis” from the 4th-5th century CE. It presents the weapon as a ballista mounted on a four-wheeled cart and pulled by horses, which allowed it to be mobile on the battlefield.

In the world of ancient military, the Greeks and Romans perfected siege art, constructing machines that were awakened by the battlefields. One of the most fascinating inventions of those times was polybolos – a weapon, which can be called the prototype of modern machine guns.

Aerarium militare, founded by Emperor Octavian Augustus in 6 CE, was one of the key pillars of the military and financial stability of the Roman Empire. This fund was used to pay pensions to veterans of the Roman legions, constituting a pioneering support system for soldiers. Its creation aimed to minimise social unrest among veterans and ensure fair payment after leaving the service.

Adlocutio, the speech of a Roman commander to his soldiers, was one of the most important public acts in the army of ancient Rome. It was both a formal speech and a gesture of power that demonstrated the strength of the leader’s authority. The emperor, general, or other senior commander addressed the assembled army to motivate, inspire, or convey orders before battle.

In ancient Rome, war was an integral part of life, and the Roman army enjoyed a reputation as one of the best-organized military forces in history. To maintain their power on the battlefield, the Romans also had to develop medical skills that allowed them to effectively treat wounded soldiers and ensure a quick return to combat. Field medicine in ancient Rome was therefore a key element of their war strategy.

In ancient Rome, during its many years of existence, the army played a key role in conquests, maintaining order, and spreading the empire’s influence. However, with Rome’s expansion, the need to recruit soldiers from various regions and cultures led to the formation of special auxiliary units. These soldiers, often not Roman citizens, had their own path to citizenship through receiving a Roman military diploma.

While we marvel at Rome’s achievements – architecture, mosaics, frescoes, literature and law – the truth is painful: the vast empire was not created by extraordinary coincidence, and the peoples incorporated into it were not consulted. Therefore, although later millions of people living in the Mediterranean basin benefited from the benefits of the Pax Romana and relatively rarely rebelled, this happened only after their ancestors paid with their own blood for the “privilege” of living under the heel of the Romans.

According to archaeologists, in Britain, as many as 40% of Roman military camps have preserved traces of latrines. The most famous toilet is the one made of stone in Housesteads, England, at Hadrian’s wall, which could accommodate more “military”. This type of latrine was most often placed close to the place where the hill fell (the Romans located their camps on elevated terrain), which enabled the natural outflow of waste, relative hygiene and removal of bad smells.

Roman camp (castrum Romanum) was characterized by excellent workmanship. It was built of wood, and the work force was legionnaires. It should be noted that the Romans were characterized by excellent building skills.