Rome

• How many men were in legion?

  There were between 5000 - 6000 men
• How many cohorts was a legion divided into?

  A legion was divided into 10 cohorts.
• How many men did a century contain?

  A century contained 80 men.
• How many men were in a conbertunium?

  A contubernium was make of 8 men who lived, trained and fought together in shared barracks.
• How many centuries did a cohort comprise of?

  A cohort comprised six centuries.
• Why was the first cohort different?

  The First Cohort was larger and made of the most experienced soldiers. Membership in the First Cohort was an honour, rewarded with higher pay and better lodgings in the legionary fortress.
• What was the legatus?

  Roman military commander was in charge. He was appointed by the Emperor, from whom he took orders. Usually a career politician (senator) in his mid thirties, NOT a career soldier.
• What was the camp prefect?

  The second-in-command and right-hand man of the legatus. He was a career soldier worked his way up the ladder. He contributed to strategic councils and was responsible for overseeing the legion’s equipment and transport.
• What was a centurion?

  Each century was led by a centurion. The pay for a centurion was much higher than for an ordinary legionary soldier, and they had more comfortable living quarters. This position was a reward for those who had served well. This ensured that most units were led by men with skills, experience, and courage.
• Who were the centurions of the First Cohort?

  Centurions of the First Cohort were known as primi ordines and the

  most senior of these was called the primus pilus – this was a VERY

  SENIOR position, and he would join the legatus and camp prefect in

  war councils.
• What was an optio?

  Each centurion had a second-in-command called an optio. The optio

  helped to keep troops in order and taking over from the command of

  the centurion if the need arose.
• What was a tesserarius?

  He was a watch commander who was responsible for organizing the

  security schedule for the legionary fortress. He was in charge of the rota for the guards and changed passwords.
• What was an immune?

  A soldier with special skills. A regular soldier might train to

  develop a special skill to help the legion. These men would provide necessary items and/or services for the legion, and would be exempt from less pleasant tasks such as ditch-digging or road-building.
• What was a cornicen?

  A horn player. Musical commands were used in battle and also on a daily basis throughout the legionary fortress.
• Who carried a signum?

  A signum was carried by a signifer. Each century had one.
• Who carried an aquilla?

  An aquila was carried by an aquilifer. Each legion had just one, and it was in the shape of an eagle. The aquila represented the spirit of the legion and normally lived in the legion’s temple. To lose the aquila in battle was a deep disgrace. It would not be on the front lines of battle and would usually be surrounded by men who would defend it.
• What was a fortress?

  The fortress was the headquarters of a legion. The fortress had to accommodate and defend the legion and provide facilities for the daily life of its inhabitants.
• What was the principia?

  HQ of the fortress, included a courtyard with a noticeboard, a meeting hall, offices for admin work, a small temple for the gods and to house the legion’s aquila, the legate’s accommodation.
• What was the hospital used for?

  For treating the sick and the mildly wounded. It wasn’t equipped to deal with long-term recovery. Anything worse than a minor injury would usually result in death or an honourable discharge.
• What were workshops used for?

  Used to build things needed by the legion, including weapons, armour, furniture and other day-to-day items for the legion to use.
• What did graneries do?

  Kept grain (the main staple of the legionary’s diet) dry and safe. Good ventilation and sometimes pet cats were essential for protecting the grain.
• Why were baths so important?

  Communal bathing was a core part of Roman social culture. Bathing together kept the legionaries clean and healthy, connected them to their Roman identity, and helped them to socialise with one another.
• Why were latrines so important and how did they work?

  Poor sanitation and failure to clean up feces could lead to disease and unpleasant smells. There were latrines throughout the fortress. These were like benches with holes in to be used as toilets. They were positioned above streams of running water to “flush” the waste away.
• How were barracks arranged and what did each one contain?

  These were arranged by cohort, then by century, then by contubernium. Each contubernium had two rooms: a bedroom and a communal space (living room/kitchen).
• What were special barracks?

  Officials, such as centurions, tribunes and the prefect had their own lodgings. These would be larger and more comfortable than those given to a standard legionary soldier. The First Cohort might also have had slightly larger barracks.
• Why did the fortress have stables?

  Horses were valuable commodities, and so needed to be protected by the walls of the fort. Stables were located inside the fort to keep the horses safe, fed and sheltered
• What were drill halls used for?

  The drill hall was a large hall where the legionaries could practice fighting techniques.
• What was the ampitheatre?

  This would be used for meetings of the whole legion (assemblies, parades), training, and entertainment (gladiator fights, theatre). It could seat 8,000 at once.
• What were the features of a boundary?

  Rectangular shape, round corners. Surrounded by a 6m wide ditch and a high wall to slow invaders. The wall had lookout towers, and 4x gates for entry/exit.