What was life like for the Roman legionary?

Life for Roman soldiers was tough, especially for those at Housesteads on the cold frontier of the Empire. As well as standing for hours on guard duty, looking out over the wall or going on patrol, the soldiers had to spend two hours a day training with their weapons, and stayed fit by running.

What did Roman soldiers do after retirement?

Once retired, a Roman legionary received a parcel of land or its equivalent in money and often became a prominent member of society.

What was the life expectancy of a Roman legionary?

The Roman lifespan for men was 41 years. The entry age for the Roman army was 18-22. So after his 25 years of service, he would been 43-47 years old — provided he had managed to live beyond the average life expectancy.

What changes did Marius make to the Roman army?

Marius proposed radical alterations with the intention of creating a more professional, permanent and dynamic Roman army. The reforms revolutionized the Roman military machine, introducing the standardized legionary, the cohort unit and drastically altered the property and weaponry requirements for recruitment.

What was life like on Hadrian’s Wall?

Many civilians lived in and around the forts on Hadrian’s Wall. These included veterans, traders, craftspeople and the families of soldiers. Although most business was done by men, some Roman women traded in their own right, like these shoemakers. Hadrian was the Emperor of Rome from AD 117 until AD 138.

Why was the Roman army successful?

This training combined with having the most advanced equipment at the time made the Roman army really powerful. The Roman army had many weapons and tactics that other armies hadn’t even heard of before! They would use huge catapults which were able to fling rocks over distances of several hundred meters.

How long was Roman military service?

The average number of years served was about ten. In 13 BC, Augustus decreed sixteen years as the standard term of service for legionary recruits, with a further four years as reservists (evocati). In AD 5, the standard term was increased to twenty years plus five years in the reserves.

How much did a Roman legionary earn?

Pay. From the time of Gaius Marius onwards, legionaries received 225 denarii a year (equal to 900 Sestertii); this basic rate remained unchanged until Domitian, who increased it to 300 denarii.

Why was the Roman legionary known as Marius mule?

The soldiers were nicknamed Marius’ Mules (muli mariani in Latin) due to the amount of gear they had to carry themselves. A typical legion of this period had around 5,000–6,000 legionaries as well as a large number of camp followers, servants and slaves.

What was the life of a Roman legionary like?

The life of a Roman legionary (legionarius) was beyond all doubt very difficult and demanded enormous stamina. Volunteers (or recruits) were very often not sure whether they would come back home after sixteen years of service (in 5 CE the length of service was prolonged to 20 years).

How long did Roman soldiers serve in battle?

Volunteers (or recruits) were very often not sure whether they would come back home after sixteen years of service (in 5 CE the length of service was prolonged to 20 years). Both the legionaries’ duties and the discipline were supposed to create true men out of them, ready to win the battle against the stronger enemy.

How long does it take to build a Roman legion camp?

According to calculations made by historians, a legion would march about ten miles in four to five hours and construct the basic fortifications of the camp in an additional three to five hours. Although legions might stay multiple nights in the same location, the whole process might sometimes be repeated the following day.

How did Roman citizens join the Roman legions?

As a result of the Marian reforms that pre-dated Caesar, any Roman citizen, regardless of property ownership, wealth, or status, could join the legions. Enlistment occurred either through conscription or volunteer recruitment.