Legions and Agricola

Question 1

How many cohorts are in a legion?

Answer 1

10

Question 2

cohorts 2 through 10 had how many centuries?

Answer 2

6

Question 3

A century contained how many men?

Answer 3

about 80, led by the centurion

Question 4

What were 4 differences about the first cohort?

Answer 4

1. most prestigious. 2. contained 5 centuries. 3. these centuries had 180 men. 4. commanded by senior centurions.

Question 5

What are the senior centurions titled?

Answer 5

primi ordines

Question 6

who assisted each centurion?

Answer 6

optio (deputy)

Question 7

what did the signifer and tesserarius do?

Answer 7

organized guards, distributed paswords

Question 8

who was responsible for training and disciplining a century?

Answer 8

centurion

Question 9

what was the symbol of a centurion’s rank?

Answer 9

the vitis, a cane that was used to punish soldiers

Question 10

The most senior of the centurion were called the

Answer 10

primus pilus, they were at least 50 years old and only served 1 year.

Question 11

The commander of the camp, and highest ranking official is called the

Answer 11

praefectus castrorum.

Question 12

The top of the centurion is the praefectus castorum, but who is the officer commanding the legion?

Answer 12

legatus

Question 13

What other title does the legatus hold?

Answer 13

He is a senator in Rome, usually in his mid thirties.

Question 14

Who assists the legatus?

Answer 14

6 tribunes.

Question 15

One of these 6 tribunes is special. why?

Answer 15

He is the tribunus laticlavius. He is of noble birth and is acting as an apprentice before starting his political career.

Question 16

The other 5 tribunes are known as

Answer 16

the tribuni angusticlavii. (from the equites class)

Question 17

Who has the broad stripe and who has the narrow stripe?

Answer 17

broad - laticlavius. narrow - angusticlavis

Question 18

were the tribuni overall from the wealthier class.

Answer 18

yep

Question 19

Who spent more time in the army, the tribuni (senior officers) or the centurions?

Answer 19

centurions spent more time in army (most of their life).

Question 20

If all but the first cohort had 9 cohorts, with 6 centuries in each cohort and with 80 men in each century, how many men were there in all (for cohorts 2-9)?

Answer 20

about 4320

Question 21

how many men in the first cohort ( remember there were 160 men per century and there were 5 centuries)?

Answer 21

800 men

Question 22

Each century was led by an optio and primi ordines (for cohort 1) oroption and centurion (cohorts 2-9). But what other 3 men were with each of the 9 cohorts.

Answer 22

1. tesserarius. 2. signifer. 3. cornicen (horn player).

Question 23

Who is Tacitus and what did he contribute to history?

Answer 23

son in law of Agricola. He wrote down Agricola’s life story.

Question 24

When and where was Agricola born.

Answer 24

AD 40 in southern Gaul (Roman colony of Forum Iulii).

Question 25

Did he serve in the Roman army?

Answer 25

yes. IN 60 AD he witnessed the revolt in Boudica.

Question 26

What happened in AD 70 that gave him huge political success?

Answer 26

Commanded a legion successfully and was promoted to governorship of Aquitania (France) in Gaul.

Question 27

In AD 78 he returned to Britain as governor. What were his 3 main military achievements at this time?

Answer 27

1. conquest of Wales. 2. victory at Mons Graupius. 3. extended roads and forts in northern Britain.

Question 28

He was also known to Romanize Britain in what 2 ways?

Answer 28

1. built Roman- style communities. 2. convinced people to live by Roman law instead of fighting it.