![]() Pay then depended on rank.Ī 2nd-century Roman papyrus suggests that auxiliary infantrymen were paid around 100 denarii a year, while their legionary equivalents received around 300. In the 2nd century, new legionary recruits would receive the viaticum, which was typically 3 gold pieces or 75 denarii. While it’s difficult to convert denarii (an ancient Roman coinage) into modern currency, it’s helpful to reflect the hierarchy of pay in the Roman army. ![]() Roman soldiers were paid based on their rank and class This happened amongst legions of the Rhine in 14 AD, when soldiers attacked their centurions and turned their vine sticks on them. Reaching breaking point at the hands of vicious disciplinarians, soldiers occasionally rebelled against their superiors. This referred to his practice of breaking his rod over a soldier’s back before demanding he be delivered a new stick.īut mutinies weren’t unheard of. In 14 AD, a centurion known as Lucilius was referred to by his men as Cedo Alternam, which translates to ‘bring me another’. Soldiers sometimes mutinied against their centurionsĬenturions typically ruled by violence: they would carry a short stick or rod of vine and use it to beat unruly soldiers. Image Credit: Los Angeles County Museum of Art / Public Domain 3. These legions were then made up of smaller units known as centuries, which probably consisted of around 80 men each. This huge number was made up of smaller units, made up of roughly 4,000-6,000 soldiers, called legions. The Roman army is thought to have contained roughly half a million soldiers at its peak. There were half a million soldiers in the Roman army They would have been paid less and were expected to do the riskier roles, like stand on the front lines during military advances and battles. Members of the second class were auxiliaries, who were recruited from the fringes of the Roman Empire and beyond. Firstly, there were legionaries, who were citizens of Rome and were highly respected soldiers. There were two main classes of Roman soldier. The Roman army was divided into legionaries and auxiliaries Here are 10 facts about life in the Roman army. With some half a million soldiers at its peak, it exercised control over a sprawling empire and conquered swathes of the ancient world, from Britain to the Middle East.Ī highly advanced and meticulously structured machine, the Roman army was divided into legions (of several thousand men) and centurions (comprising 80 men).įor Roman soldiers on the ground, life was arduous and expectations were high: daily marches could cover around 30 miles, errors were punished with violence and despite the Roman army’s success, the risk of death or injury was ever-present. The Roman army was the most fearsome and effective military force of the ancient world.
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