THE EMPIRE OF ROME

Vocabulary  Infrastructure: Set of equipment, technology or installations that allow a activity or service  Legion; Unit of Roman army consisting of 6000 soldiers  Limes: Latin word meaning road or border the English word limit comes from limes  Rule of Law: a state under which once a law is known it cannot be ignored by anyone including the authorities. This is the foundation of all modern democracies.  Pax Romana: the peace of Rome

The Height of Rome  During the first and second centuries CE the Roman Empire underwent a lengthy period of peace as it had defeated much of the western world  This Pax Romana allowed the State to develop its territory and develop its infrastructure which was always expanding  Peace allowed the transportation of goods and services and allowed the money to flow  Major public works and improvements to infrastructure were undertaken  Rome was famed for its roads which allowed its army to move quickly from one end of the empire to the other  A famous saying is that all roads lead to Rome

The Roman Army  The Empire was built on the army, as the army maintained it and expanded it  One of Rome's big advantages is that it had the world’s first professional army  Most countries soldiers were farmers or had other jobs but in Rome a soldier was only in the Army  These soldier were paid to go into battle and trained at marching and fighting all year even in times of peace  The Army was made up of about men including auxiliaries(non Roman citizens)  They could maintain this army by providing soldiers pay and benefits. When a soldier retired he would receive money or land

Breakdown of the Army  The standard force of the Roman Imperial army was the legions, a heavy infantry, initially composed of Roman citizens  The number of legions in existence at one time often varied, but a rough average is 28. The make-up of each Legion was as follows:  10 cohorts to one legion  six centuries to one cohort  10 tents to one cohort  eight soldiers to one tent  120 cavalry - not really a fighting force, but messengers and scouts.

Auxiliaries  The Legions were later supplemented by the auxiliaries, who were normally non-citizens, and combined cavalry and infantry, there were four main forms of Auxiliary force  1. Alae quingenariae; one ala of 16 turma; one turma of 30 men; 480 men  2. Infantry cohort; one cohort of six centuries; one century of 80 men; 480 men  3. Cohorts equitates; mixed infantry and cavalry. The Auxiliaries were commanded by Prefects of the equestrian rank. However, as the auxiliaries developed, a forth kind of troop was introduced, this reflected the fact the auxiliaries had developed into a status very similar to that of the legionaries.  4. Numeri; from the 2nd century onwards, formed from local tribes, around 500 men, they didn’t have to speak Latin, and often fought in keeping with their local tradition.  When a soldier of the Auxiliaries was discharged, he received a military diploma, which granted him and his children Roman citizenship and gave legal acceptance of any marriage; for many this was a very attractive reward for joining (and surviving) service in the Auxiliaries.  The Praetorian Guard was in effect the Emperor’s personal body guard and consisted of 9 cohorts.

Centurion

Legionaire

Auxiliary