Customs: Roman Military Flashcards
pedites
foot soldiers/infantry
How many men were in a legion before Caesar?
After Caesar?
Before Caesar: 6000
After Caesar: 3600
How many cohorts in a legion?
10
How many maniples in a cohort?
3 (so 30 maniples in a legion)
How many centuries in a maniple?
2 (so 60 centuries in a legion)
How many men were in a century before Caesar?
After Caesar?
Before Caesar: 100
After Caesar: 60
funditores
slingers
sagittarii
archers
equites
cavalrymen
mercatores
merchants
fabri
engineers/mechanics
exploratores
scouts
speculatores
spies
dux
commanding officer/general
After a dux earned his first important victory, what title did he earn?
imperator
sagum
woolen cloak
caligae
hobnailed leather boots worn by soldiers
lorica
breastplate
galea
helmet
scutum
curved, rectangular shield
pilum
throwing spear
gladius
sword
aquila (military)
the eagle statue standard of the legion
signum
standard of a cohort or maniple
vexillum
flag
tuba
trumpet
sarcina
a soldier’s personal knapsack
What is the difference between an impeditus miles and an expeditus miles?
impeditus - when a soldier wears sarcina (personal knapsack)
expeditus - when a soldier does not wear his sarcina
tesserae (military)
military passwords to get into the camp
aries
battering ram
testudo
battle formation with shields held overhead
ballista
machine for hurling heavy stones and blocks of wood
catapulta
machine for hurling large arrows and javelins
scorpio
light catapult for hurling stones and darts (similar to an onager)
What is the difference between a navis longa and a navis oneraria?
navis longa - battleship
navis oneraria - transport ship
