When I talked to Dan Gunther about the Roman Army, (good job on the Trebia recreation, Dan) I discovered that he as well as lot of other people were unsure about the organization and composition of the early Roman army.
Since the legion was going through changes throughout the period until it evolved into commonly known 10 Cohort Marion Legio of Caesar's fine, it seems apropos to divide the legion's history into different sections. best to illustrate the legion's make up then. There are four primary sources about the early Roman army. but the best is Livy`s History of Rome. He wrote it during Augustus' Reign (29BC-14 AD) Unfortunately he is not a general, unlike Polybius, so at times his work on the military is hard to decipher. Out of his original 142 books 1-10 and 21-45 survived the passage of time. The rest are in fragments. Livy's epic spanned the traditional founding of the City 735 BC to the end of the German Wars and the death of Drusus (9 BC.)
Early Republic (circa 500-390 BC)
The legion (Legio) of this period bore little resemblance to the flexible fighting weapon of later periods. At this time the legion was nothing more then a large phalanx with the richest citizens making tip the front rank. while the remaining ranks \xere composed of the less wealthy. all fighting as hoplites.
Organization
The original organization of the Legio is attributed to Servius Tullius the last king of Rome (mid 6th centur ). It is typical Eturian organization patterned on class dictated by wealth as they had to supply their armor and weapons.
The richest class formed the cavalry (Equites) the next class formed the first four ranks of the phalanx, they wore hoplite panopy (80 centuries. 10-60 men per century). The next two classes made up the rear four ranks, they wore no body armor, but wore greases. helmet and carried a large oval shield (Scutuarii) 20 centuries each). The fifth and sixth classes were skirmishers. fifth carried javelins, sixth carried stone pellet slings.
The seventh class, the capite censi, were too poor to contribute to the army. Since they lacked wealth, the magistrates felt that they had little stake in fighting for their city state.
The Roman army could be one large phalanx with supports, or two. I prefer the second arrangement. It would figure, based on Rome's passion for duality and because often only one phalanx would be needed. The total army fielded mould consist of 18 centuries of heavy javelin horse (1080, based on 60 men per century) two phalanxes of 60 centuries each (720-3600 men per phalanx) 20 centuries of light infantry (1200) and 20 centuries of slmgers (1200) This gives a total of 9600 + 1080) horse. This figure is significant. Ten thousand was a normal quote of army size for a large city state. Even Athens' field army at its height was only 12,000. Also ten thousand is a figure you hear repeatedly again in Livy's narratives of wars against the Etruscians.
In 390 at the Allia River this type of Roman army was beaten by the Celts. The phalanx was incapable of holding its own against the wild charge of the Celtic warbands. Improvements were obviously needed as the unwieldy formation was inferior for fighting the highly maneuverable Gauls and Oscans.
After 388 BC Roman general Cumulus introduced stronger shields based on Celtic design and helmets. He also had armorers copy the Gauls' body defenses (Lorica Hamata or Mail) and instituted pay so the army could stay in the field. But that which is called the "Camillian Legion" apparently did not come about until later. Perhaps he started the changes, and all other changes that involved the manipular legion were called Camillian if he instituted them or not.
Table top organization:
For gaming purposes the early legion should consist of a number of figures to represent 3600 men arranged the following way: The front stand is rated armored or heavy infantry while the second and third stands (if an) are lighter. There is a second identical Phalanx. Supporting light infantry should number 1200 and be armed with javelins. and 1200 armed with stone pellet slings. 500 Equites--Medium cavalry would accompany each legion. Later, a Roman consular army was two legions. In addition, an equal number of allies would be included if possible.
If recruited near Rome, they would be similar to the Etruscans being armed with long spear and shield. If from the outlying areas they would more likely fight in their traditional units as loose order heavy, or medium infantry. Both mould still have light javelin infantry support. also cavalry. Units should be in equivalent 1000 men formations, with 1000 men light infantry otaling 3000 men composing an allied "legion". Cavalry should be in 1000 men units and lightly armed.
The Early Manipular period (circa 375)
The legion by now had evolved away from the rigid phalanx but still was in the period of experimentation. As the Romans started warring with the mountain dwellers in central Italy, they slowly adopted their enemy's tactical principles into the legion. The Volsci. Samnites. and other Oscan peoples. depended on a loose formation that would allow them to maneuver in rough terrain yet still retain melee ability. The Romans with their love for discipline found that the Oscans were undisciplined and set out to use that fact.
The new legion reduced the number of light infantry as they really were not needed. Instead they split the phalanx using their heavy infantry in looser formations, Maniples (slang for groups), matching with their front line their enemies' hand hurled projectiles (Pila). yet still retaining the ability to close tip and defeat their enemies looser formation in hand to hand combat with sword and long thrusting spear. These forces were called the Hastati and since they were stationed before the main body were also called the antepilani (before the standards). This first line of loose ordered troops could if thing became rough. retreat through the following lines.
This is not as hard as it sounds. Xenophon's phalanx opened ranks to let scythed chariots through their ranks at Cunaxa 404 BC. Apparently this maneuver was well known to disciplined troops. The Romans now discovered that if they held back part of their force while the Oscars used all theirs. the advantage would be considerable. The Romans therefore used a relief system that would allow the front line composed of the youngest recruits of legion. the ability to retreat through the solders of the main line, the old first and second classes (the Princips). If the battle was going against the second line then it could retreat through the third line consisting of old veterans of the legion who still operated in a loose phalanx (the Triarii). If the Triarii couldn't defeat the attacker. the legion would retreat slowly with the experienced Triarii acting as the rear guard.
Thus in Roman phraseology "That the battle has reached to the Triarii." came to mean a desperate situation. What about the lower two classes" They were renamed the cocarii, accensi and loves. No longer needed as skirmishers, they were relegated to camp guards. Only the leves were still allowed to skirmish. Because of this they were attached to the Hastati, 20 men to each maniple. The Romans could now put four legions into the field.
Organization
Since each maniple was composed of 120 men (two centuries) and 15 maniples made up the first and second lines while the third line consisted of 180 men per Odo: an overstrength maniple. the legion is set tip the following way: The front line, (Hastati), consists of 1800 figures of At or HI armed with Pila and sword, or if an allied legion, javelin and thrusting spear. All were now armored with mail or cuirasses. Also added to support the first line are 300 Leves armed with javelin and shield. The second line, (the Princips), is composed of another 1800 figures of heavy infantry armed with long thrusting spear. The third line is composed of 6 Odos. 1080 men. but only 000 fought. The remainder were used as canip guards. They were also aimed with long thrusting spears.
300 Equires (HC) would now accompany each legion.
The Roman Legion Part II
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