Curiosities of ancient Rome (Army)
This page is also available in: Polish (polski)
Greedy Roman legionaries
Many of us think the Roman legions were brave, disciplined, tough and well-trained soldiers It is true. However, the Romans were like us and they had their own weaknesses. For example greed. So, during the civil war which was fought ... Read more
War gases in ancient times
Combat gases are associated primarily with the First World War and their terrible effectiveness. It was then that chemical weapons were used on a massive scale, but this method of fighting was not new at all. The ancients were so ... Read more
War of Roman Empire with Bosporan kingdom in 45 – 49 CE as attempt to shed dependence on Rome
The Bosporan Kingdom was a political power that was established at the beginning of the 5th century BCE. as a result of an alliance of several dozen cities and towns located along both shores of the Kerch Strait (Crimea Peninsula) ... Read more
Large number of recruits in Roman army
Roman army for a long time had large numbers of recruits. This was due to the fact that soldiers from the conquered provinces eagerly joined the army (auxilia). After 25 years of service, these soldiers received Roman citizenship (sometimes along ... Read more
Roman tent in Scotland
Tents were in use already in ancient times. The ancient Romans used them mainly in marching camps (castra aestiva), which were pitched during military campaigns every day. We owe much information about their construction to the excavations at Vindolanda or ... Read more
Pilum – effective weapon of legionaries
Pilum was a legionary’s javelin for throwing at a distance before the fight. The enemy’s shield was not a serious obstacle for a well-trained legionary. The spear pierced her, as well as the man behind her. It also happened that ... Read more
What did 1st century CE legionary carry with him?
Josephus Flavius wrote in the 1st century CE that all legionaries carried in addition to weapons: saw, basket, bucket, axe, leather belt, sickle, chain and a food ration that was supposed to last for three days. Legionnaires were additionally equipped ... Read more
Roman decorations – phalerae
For the bravery shown in combat and good performance of all duties, Roman soldiers could receive the so-called a phalera (plural phalerae), a kind of medal or decoration which they then wore tied with leather straps above the chest. Phalera ... Read more
Frumentarii – secret Roman police
Frumentarii was the secret Roman police. Initially, they were collecting taxes and spreading messages throughout the Empire. They were also responsible for controlling and regulating grain deliveries to the capital. Their role, however, evolved during the reign of Hadrian (117-138 ... Read more
Space in formation and width of front of Roman legion
According to Polybius1, during the period of the Republic, Roman legionaries in formation had about 180 cm of space (both depth and width), which was 3.24 square meters. A more reliable source of information – Vegetius2 – is to indicate ... Read more
IMPERIUM ROMANUM needs your support!
If you like the content I collect on the website and share it on social media channels, I will be grateful for your support. Even the smallest amounts will allow me to pay for further corrections and improvements on the site and pay for the server.
Support IMPERIUM ROMANUM!
Discover secrets of ancient Rome!
If you want to be up to date with the newest articles on the website and discoveries from ancient Rome, subscribe to the newsletter, which is sent each Saturday.
Subscribe to newsletter!