2. ROMANITAS
“ THE PHYSICAL RUINS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE STILL PROVIDE THE MOST
VISIBLE SIGNS OF WHAT EUROPE OWES TO IT: LITERALLY & FIGURATIVELY,
FUTURE EUROPEANS WERE TO LIVE IN THEIR SHADOWS. NOT ONLY ALL
ROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN’S NON-EUROPEAN & EUROPEAN SHORES,
BUT ACROSS THE WIDE TRACTS OF WESTERN EUROPE, THE BALKANS &
ASIA MINOR, SUCH RELICS CAN BE SEEN. IN SOME PLACES - ABOVE ALL
ROME ITSELF – THEY ARE VERY PLENTIFUL. IT TOOK NEARLY 1000 YEARS
OF HISTORY TO PUT THEM THERE, & MEN GOGGLED & WONDERED AT
THEM FOR ANOTHER 1000 YEARS AFTER THAT. IF WE NO LONGER LOOK
BACK ON THE ROMAN ACHIEVEMENT AS OUR ANCESTORS DID , FEEL
DWARFED BY IT, WE CAN STILL BE PUZZLED & EVEN AMAZED THAT MEN
COULD ACHIEVE SO MUCH …. FOR ALL ITS MATERIAL IMPRESSIVENESS &
OCCASIONAL GROSSNESS, THE CORE OF THE EXPLANATION OF THE
ROMAN ACHIEVEMENT WAS AN IDEA, THE IDEA OF ROME ITSELF, THE
VALUE IT EMBODIED & IMPOSED, THE NOTION OF WHAT WAS ONE DAY
TO BE CALLED ROMANITAS.” ( J M ROBERTS. “A HISTORY OF EUROPE”)
3. “ WHEREVER YOU ARE, REMEMBER
THAT YOU ARE EQUALLY WITHIN THE
POWER OF THE CONQUEROR” CICERO
4. 8 STAGES IN THE RISE OF THE ROMAN
EMPIRE
• ROME’S UNIFICATION OF ITALY 509BC-264BC.
• ROME’S DEFEAT OF CARTHAGE, ITS MAIN
MEDITERRANEAN RIVAL 264 BC – 201 BC.
• ROME’S CONQUEST OF NEAR EAST 200BC -167BC.
• MAINTENANCE OF ROME’S MEDITERRANEAN EMPIRE 264
BC – 60 BC.
• RULE OF JULIUS CAESAR 59 BC – 44 BC.
• RISE & RULE OF AUGUSTUS IMPERATOR 44 BC – 14 AD.
• THE SUCCESSORS OF AUGUSTUS 14 AD – 286 AD
• THE BEGINNING OF THE DECLINE & FALL OF ROME FROM
286 AD
11. THE ROMAN LEGION LEGIO XXX ULPIA
VICTRIX ON CEREMONIAL MARCH,
APPIAN WAY: BACKBONE OF ROME
12. FUNDAMENTALS OF ROMAN ARMY
• BASIC OBLIGATION OF ROMAN CITIZENSHIP WAS TO RENDER
MILITARY SERVICE TO ROME.
• EXERCISE OF THE OBLIGATION VARIED GREATLY WITH LEADERS OF
REPUBLIC, THEN IMPERIAL SERVICE.
• FROM 5TH CENTURY AD RECRUITMENT BASED ON HOLDING OF
PROPERTY: HIGHEST 3 CLASSES OF CITIZENS PROVIDED HEAVY
INFANTRY, LOWEST 2 CLASSES LIGHT INFANTRY; CAVALRY & OTHER
HORSE PROVIDED BY FOREIGNERS.
• CALL UPS WERE FOR MEN 17 - 46 YEARS.
• ROME’S ANNUAL INTAKE WAS ENOUGH TO PROVIDE 4 LEGIONS
(18,000 -20,000)
• ROME’S ALLIES WERE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE 4 LEGIONS AS WELL.
• WHILST NOMINALLY A “PEOPLE’S ARMY”, FREQUENCY OF WARS
ENSURED EACH INTAKE HAD A GOOD QUOTA OF VETERANS,
WHICH ENSURED A RAPID STANDARD OF EFFICIENCY.
14. ROME’S ARMY: THE INSTRUMENT OF
ITS POWER
• “ TO HOLD DOMINION & SEAL PEACE WITH CUSTOM.
SPARE THOSE WHO YIELD , THE DEFIANT UTTERLY
SUBDUE.” (VIRGIL’S “ECOLOGUES” ON THE SUBJECT
OF “PAX ROMANA”)
• “ NECTOVELIN IN THE THICK OF THE FIGHTING – THE
WAY THE ROMANS KILLED – IT WAS RELENTLESS. THIS
IS THE WAY CIVILISED MEN KILL”, NECTOVELIN SAID. “
IT IS AN INDUSTRY. THEY KILL AS THEY MAKE POTS.
TO LEAVE A MAN TO FIGHT AGAIN IS, TO THEM” - HE
WAVED A HAND – ‘A WASTE OF EFFORT” ( AN
ACCOUNT OF A BRITTANI WARRIOR AFTER THE FIRST
BATTLE AGAINST VESPASIAN’S ARMY)
17. ROME WROTE THE ORIGINAL
TREATISE ON MILITARY GENERALSHIP
“ FOR IF A GENERAL IS DRAWING UP HIS MEN BEFORE BATTLE, THE
ENCOURAGEMENT OF HIS WORDS MAKES THEM DESPISE THE
DANGER & COVET THE HONOUR; & A TRUMPET CALL
RESOUNDING IN THE EARS DOES NOT SO EFFECTIVELY AWAKEN
THE SOUL TO THE CONFLICT OF BATTLE AS A SPEECH ….SHOULD
SOME DISASTER BEFALL THE ARMY IN THE HOUR OF DEFEAT AN
ENCOURAGING SPEECH WILL GIVE THE MEN’S SOULS NEW
STRENGTH & A NOT UNSKILLED ADDRESS BY THE COMMANDER IS
FAR MORE USEFUL IN COUNTERACTING THE DESPONDENCY OF AN
ARMY IN THE HOUR OF DEFEAT THAN THE PHYSICIANS WHO
ATTEND TO THE WOUNDED ….THE CAUSES OF WAR, I BELIEVE
SHOULD BE MARSHALLED WITH THE GREATEST CARE, IT SHOULD
BE EVIDENT TO ALL THAT ONE FIGHTS ON THE SIDE OF JUSTICE….
FOR THOSE WHOSE CAUSE IS WEAK WHEN THEY TAKE UP THE
BURDEN OF WAR, ARE QUICKLY CRUSHED BY IT & FAIL.”
( ONASANDER “THE GENERAL” CAPTER III. ENGLISH TRANSLATION)
18. 1 COHORT = 6 CENTURIES; 1 CENTURY
= 10 CONTUBERNIUM = OCTET (8
SOLDIERS) COMMAND BY DECURIO
19. LEGIONARY OF THE 15TH LEGION ON
CAMPAIGN WITH CAESAR IN GAUL.
WITH 70 LBS. OF GEAR/FOOD
20. WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THAT
LEGIONARY’S 70 LBS. OF GEAR ETC.
• A MAIL SHIRT
• A GIRDED SWORD & DAGGER
• A PILUM (SPEAR WITH A IRON HEAD) CARRIED IN THE LEFT HAND.
• A SOLDIER’S PACK ON A ‘T’ OR A ‘Y’, SHAPED & CANTED ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER. HELMET
NORMALLY FIXED TO THE TOP OF THE FRAME. CARRYING HIS SHIELD ON HIS LEFT SHOULDER,
COVERED IN LEATHER WITH A DOLABRA (SPADE) & 2 PICKETS TO BE USED TO BUILD THE CAMP’S
DEFENSIVE PALISADE.
• A SOLDIER’S PACK CONTAINING 5 DAYS’ RATIONS: WHEAT, CHICKPEAS, BACON, BRONZE DISH &
CUP, SHAVING GEAR, SPARE TUNIC, NECKERCHIEFS & LINEN, DYED HORSEHAIR CREST FOR HIS
HELMET, A CIRCULAR SAGUM MADE OF OILY LIGURIAN WOOL,SOCKS & FURRY SKINS TO PUT
INSIDE HIS CALIGAE (BOOTS), WOOLLEN BRITCHES FOR COLD WEATHER, A BLANKET, A SHALLOW
WICKER BASKET FOR CARRYING SOIL IN THE BUILDING OF THE MARCHING CAMP SITE, LUCKY
CHARMS & MEMENTOS.
• HE SHARED A LOAD WITH OTHER 7 LEGIONARIES: FLINT FOR FIREMAKING; SALT; LEAVENING FOR
BREADBAKING;HERBS; A LAMP & FLASK OF LAMP-OIL; TWIGS FOR KINDLING A FIRE.
• THE 8 LEGIONARIES WERE ASSIGNED A MULE & 2 NON-COMBATANT SERVANTS. THE MULE
CARRIED: A MILL FOR GRINDING GRAIN; A SMALL CLAY OVEN FOR BAKING BREAD; BRONZE
COOKING POTS; SPARE SPEARS; WATER SKINS; A COMPACT, CLOSELY FOLDED, LEATHER TENT,
WITH POLES & GUYS.
• JULIUS CAESAR ACHIEVED EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS WITH THE 15TH LEGION IN HIS CAMPAIGNS
IN GAUL. ON FLAT GROUND IT ACHIEVED FOR FIRST 200 MILES, 40 MILES PER DAY; THEN 600
MILES THROUGH THE MASSIF CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AVERAGING 18.75 MILES PER DAY.
32. HOMEWORK
READING
AMAZON: “THE ROMAN ARMY: THE GREATEST WAR MACHINE OF
THE ANCIENT WORLD”. CHRIS MCNAB. PAPERBACL $18.36.
AMAZON: “ THE COMPLETE ROMAN ARMY”
ADRIAN GOLDSWORTHY. $11.42.
VIDEO
“CAESAR IN GAUL” (1 HR. 24 MIN)
MOVIE
THE FIRST 30 MINS OF “GLADIATOR” IS AN ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF
A ROMAN LEGION’S CAPABILITIES AGAINST THE GERMAN
BARBARIANS IN THE TIME OF MARCUS AURELIUS.
