Was it not possible to exploit the gaps between each pre-modern melee formation?

The great innovation of the Roman CohortRoman CohortA Roman legion was the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army in the period of the late Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. It was roughly equivalent to the modern word division. In the plural, the legions, it may mean the entire Roman army.

Why were Roman legions so effective?

The training that soldiers had to do was very tough and thorough and included marching 20 miles a day wearing full armour. This meant that the Roman armies were very fit and organised. Training included marching in formation and learning specific tactics and manoeuvres for battle.

What tactics did the romans use in battle?

3 Important Roman Military Tactics

  • The testudo. It’s easy to see where the “tortoise” formation got its name. …
  • The triple line. One innovation on the Greek phalanx that the Romans introduced was a triple line formation of three distinct ranks. …
  • The wedge.


What formations did the Roman army use?

The combat formation used by the Greeks and Romans was called the phalanx. This involved the soldiers standing side by side in ranks. Just before contact with the enemy, the soldiers moved in very close together so that each man’s shield helped to protect the man on his left.

How did Roman legions fight cavalry?

Roman cavalry trained using javelins, spears, stones, slingshots, arrows, and small handheld catapults. The cavalry would learn feint attacks. Cavalry soldiers would train in formations that involved shooting arrows and throwing missiles. The training was designed to make sure the cavalry did not break in battle.

Did Romans eat pizza?

Pizza has a long history. Flatbreads with toppings were consumed by the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. (The latter ate a version with herbs and oil, similar to today’s focaccia.) But the modern birthplace of pizza is southwestern Italy’s Campania region, home to the city of Naples.

Why did no one copy the Roman army?


Quote from video: The answer is that well. They did militaries of antiquity always faced evolutionary pressures from or and had long identified the potential weaknesses in the Phalanx style of fighting.

Did Roman legions fight each other?

There were many times when Roman troops fought against each other, such as Milvian Bridge, the Civil Wars of the Late Republic, the Crisis of the Third Century.

Why were the Romans so good at war?

The Roman army was the largest fighting force in the ancient world. It conquered a huge empire that stretched from Britain all the way to the Middle East. The soldiers were the best trained, they had the best weapons and the best armour.



Why was the Roman military successful in war?

The Roman army was effective because it was composed of well-trained, well-armed, and disciplined professional troops. Roman commanders employed a wide variety of tactics on the battlefield, they used military intelligence and adapted the more successful elements of their enemies’ warfare.

How did Romans ride without stirrups?

The Romans used saddles that had a special construction. They had four corners surrounding the seated person. This way the rider had a reasonably stable position despite the lack of stirrups. A great example is the coin of Quintus Labienus from around 39 BCE, on the reverse of which you can see a saddled horse.

How well trained were Roman soldiers?

Roman soldiers would train for four months. They learned marching skills first, followed by learning how to use their weapons. Then they began to spar with other soldiers. During the training exercise, Roman legionaries would also be taught to obey their commanders and either the Republic or the Emperor.

How long did it take to train a Roman soldier?

Yet, this would only be the beginning of twenty-five years of arduous military life. From the selection process and basic training, we can easily see why the Roman legionaries were such a deadly force on the battlefields of antiquity. Being a soldier in the Roman army was a serious business.



Could Roman soldiers get married?

The Roman soldiers were not allowed to marry



The consequence of the ban on marriage was that relationships between the Roman soldiers and women and their children were not legitimate. In the case of the death, the soldier’s informal wife and children didn’t inherit his property.

What was the most feared Roman legion?

Legio X Equestris

Tenth Legion Equestris
Active 61 BC to after 31 BC
Country Roman Republic
Type Roman legion (Marian)
Role Infantry assault (some cavalry support)

Did the Romans fight each other?

The Ancient Romans fought many battles and wars in order to expand and protect their empire. There were also civil wars where Romans fought Romans in order to gain power. Here are some of the major battles and wars that the Romans fought. The Punic Wars were fought between Rome and Carthage from 264 BC to 146 BC.

Did Rome lose any wars?

Battle of Cannae (during the Punic War II, 216 BCE)



The loss forced Rome to rethink every aspect of its military tactics completely. Without Cannae, there would never have been the Roman Legions.

Was the Roman army ever defeated?

In one of the most decisive battles in history, a large Roman army under Valens, the Roman emperor of the East, is defeated by the Visigoths at the Battle of Adrianople in present-day Turkey. Two-thirds of the Roman army, including Emperor Valens himself, were overrun and slaughtered by the mounted barbarians.



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