Legionary
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:Legionary.JPG Image:Roman soldier 175 aC in northern province.jpg Image:Roman soldier end of third century northern province.jpg Called miles ("soldier") or legionarius in Latin, the Roman legionary was (usually) a Roman citizen under 45 years of age. The soldier enlisted in a legion for twenty-five years of service, a change from the early practice of enlisting only for the duration of a campaign. The last five years were on veteran lighter duties.
On the march in unfriendly terrain the legionary would be loaded down with about fourteen days worth of food, armour (lorica segmentata) and shield (scutum), helmet, two javelins (one heavy pilum and one light), short sword (gladius), dagger (pugio), a waterskin and building and engineering tools.
The Roman soldier underwent especially rigorous training; discipline was the base of the army's success and the soldiers were relentlessly and constantly trained with weapons and especially with drill — forced marches with full load and in tight formation were frequent. Discipline was important and infractions were heavily punished by the centurions.
Other legionaries
Legionaries is also a term used for members of other legions, like French Foreign Legion, Spanish Foreign Legion or Polish Legion. Members of these modern legions are often called légionnaires, the French term for legionary. The term was also used by the Romanian far right paramilitary group known in English as the Iron Guard.
See also
- Foreign Legion
- Roman Republic
- Roman Empire
- Punic wars
- Phalanx formation
- List of Roman legionsTemplate:Link FA
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