Roman Equipment and Tactics

Question 1

What is the Lorica Segmentata?

Answer 1

• Armour consisting of horizontal metal bands on the torso and vertical metal bands on the shoulders

Question 2

What are the positives and negatives of the Lorica Segmentata

Answer 2

• Could be manufactured much more quickly than chainmail
• Very flexible
• Offered excellent protection against projectiles and some protection from swords
• Fittings that hold the bands together were in constant need of repait

Question 3

What is a gladius?

Answer 3

• Principle weapon for legionary soldiers
• Mostly used for stabbing
• Could be used defensively, to parry incoming blows

Question 4

What is a cassis?

Answer 4

• Helmet
• Bronze with a horsehair plume
• Made of separate pieces

Question 5

Positives of the Cassis?

Answer 5

• Lighter than a Corinthian helmet
• Doesn’t impact peripheral vision, while still having protection for cheeks

Question 6

What is a scutum?

Answer 6

• Shield

Question 7

Positives of scutum?

Answer 7

• Large and curved, giving good protection from a range of angles
• Included a metal knob in the middle that could be used to punch enemies to knock them off balance

Question 8

What is a pilum?

Answer 8

• A spear
• Thrown at the start of battle like a javelin to kill or injure the enemies frontline

Question 9

What were the positives of the pilum?

Answer 9

• Tip was designed to bend after having been thrown, so it couldn’t be reused by enemy side
• If it pierced a shield, it would render it useless because you wouldnt be able to pull it out

Question 10

What is a sporran?

Answer 10

• Apron of leather strips that offered some protection to groin and upper thighs

Question 11

What would happen after the first stage of battle (Romans throwing their pilums)?

Answer 11

They would advance to fight at close quarters in loose formation

Question 12

What is the Testudo formation?

Answer 12

• Shields locked together to form a wall against projectiles
• Formation would move towards enemy so they could fight in close quarters
• Shields could even be used to form a ramp, helping soldiers to climb over enemy walls

Question 13

What are the differences between Greek and Roman spears?

Answer 13

GREEK- longer and used for stabbing
ROMAN- shorter and thrown

Question 14

What are the differences between Greek and Roman shields?

Answer 14

GREEK- round, used for shield wall in phalanx, to protect themselves and neighbour
ROMAN- rectangular and curved, protect just themselves

Question 15

What are the differences between Greek and Roman armour?

Answer 15

GREEK- one-piece inflexible cuirass, one-piece inflexible helmet, greaves

ROMAN- segmented flexible cuirass, segmented helmet, no greaves

Question 16

What are the differences between Greek and Roman swords?

Answer 16

GREEK- backup weapon
ROMAN- primary weapon, mostly for stabbing

Question 17

What are the differences between Greek and Roman formations?

Answer 17

GREEK- phalanx
ROMAN- loose formation

Question 18

What were the different siege tactics?

Answer 18

Surround and starve
Over walls
Through walls

Question 19

Describe surround and starve siege tactic?

Answer 19

• Surround the fortification, preventing anyone from getting in or out
• Eventuall food and/or water will run out, and the enemy will be forced to surrender

Question 20

Describe the Over wall siege tactic?

Answer 20

• Siege towers used to make scaling walls of a town or fort safer
• Soldiers could climb up ladders in the tower to a height to get over walls
• Archers could stand on the top of the tower and fire arrows into the fort

Question 21

Describe the ‘Through the walls’ siege tactic?

Answer 21

• Walls and gates could be broken with rams
• Once the walls fell, the Roman infantry could enter the city to fight

Question 22

What was an artillery?

Answer 22

• A large-scale device for firing projectiles

Question 23

What was a ballista / catapulta?

Answer 23

• Like a crossbow, fired bolts with high accuracy

Question 24

What was an onager?

Answer 24

• Had a single swinging arm, used for flinging rocks
• Aimed at weak points in walls

Question 25

What were the different types of Roman warship?

Answer 25

• Quadrireme
• Quinquereme
• Hexareme
• Septareme
• Liburna

Question 26

What was a liburna?

Answer 26

A smaller ship used for scouting missions

Question 27

What was a praefectus?

Answer 27

Commander of a fleet in the Roman Navy
- Given this position by an Emperor, so wouldn’t necessarily have much experience

Question 28

What was a Navarch?

Answer 28

Commander of a squadron (10) of ships
- An experienced sailor

Question 29

What was the Roman navy mostly used for?

Answer 29

• Putting down pirates
• Transporting soldiers, messages and supplies

Question 30

Who were individual ships captained by?

Answer 30

Trierarchs
- Experienced sailors

Question 31

What was a Celeusta?

Answer 31

• An officer in charge of rowes
• He’d pass on orders from the Trierarch regarding the ships speed and direction

Question 32

What were the main Roman navaly tactics?

Answer 32

• Ram an enemy ship
• Shear it using a battering ram
• Boarding

Question 33

How was boarding made easier?

Answer 33

• Use of grappling hooks and corvus
• A corvus was a platform that soldiers could walk over to board enemy ships

Question 34

What could larger ships use in naval battle?

Answer 34

• They could carry catapults which would launch fireballs
• Use huge grappling hooks to pull an enemy ship close enough to be boarded

Question 35

What tactics did Roman navies borrow?

Answer 35

Diekplous
Periplous