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A Legionary is a member of a legion.1 Roman legionaries
Called miles ("soldier") or legionarius in Latin, the Roman legionary was (usually) a Roman citizen under 45 years of age. The soldier enlisted in a legion for twenty-five years of service, a change from the early practice of enlisting only for the duration of a campaign . The last five years were on veteran lighter duties.
On the march in unfriendly terrain the legionary would be loaded down with between three and fourteen days worth of food, armour ( lorica segmentata) and shield ( scutum), helmet, two javelins (one heavy pilum and one light), short sword ( gladius), daggerA dagger is essentially a special form of knife, where the tang is placed along the center line of the blade. The word 'dagger' may have come from Vulgar Latin word 'daca' a Dacian knife. A dagger is more a weapon made for thrusting than a tool for slicin ( pugio ), a waterskin and some tools.
The Roman soldier was trained especially hard, disciplineDiscipline is any training intended to produce a specific character or pattern of behaviour, especially training that produces moral or mental development in a particular direction. Forms of discipline Control obtained by enforcing compliance or order. was the base of the army's success and the soldiers were relentlessly and constantly trained both with weapons but especially with drill - forced marches with full load and in tight formation were frequent. Discipline was important and infractions were heavily punished by the centurionA centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army. Centurions commanded a century of soldiers and noncombatants. As a centurion grew in seniority, he could command a cohort, and eventually become primus pilus Latin for first rank, of a Roman legions.
2 Other legionaries
Legionaries is also a term used for members of other legions, like French Foreign LegionThe French Foreign Legion F''. Legion Etrangere is a military unit of the French Army since 1831. History The French Foreign Legion was created by Louis Philippe, the French King at the time, on March 10, 1831, to support his war in Algeria. Successive le, Spanish Foreign LegionSpanish Foreign Legion was founded by General Milian Astry In February 1920 as the Spanish equivelent to the French Foreign Legion. It currently numbers 8,000 in Four tercios regiments. It is directly controlled by the Spanish General Staff. or Polish Legion .
3 See also
- Foreign LegionA Foreign Legion is a military force originally established by a monarch, consisting of foreigners who are not normally subjects of the king. As their members are on duty all the time, they're not of the same structure as a regiment. Many countries, inclu
- Roman RepublicSee also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). The Roman Republic traditionally lasted as a representative government of Rome and its territories from 510 BC until the establishment of the Roman Empire, typically placed at 44 BC
- Roman Empire60 and 400 with major cities. During this time only Dacia and Mesopotamia were added to the Empire but were lost before 300. The Roman Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman state in the centuries following its reorganization under t
- Punic wars
- Phalanx
- List of Roman legions
Roman legions
