the roman army Flashcards
(128 cards)
1
Q
foot soldiers/infantry men
A
peditēs
2
Q
largest unit
A
legio
3
Q
how many men in a legion
A
3600
4
Q
how many men were in a legion before the time of caesar
A
6000
5
Q
a tenth of a legion
A
cohors
6
Q
a third of a cohort
A
manipulus
7
Q
half a maniple
A
centuria
8
Q
how many men in a centuria
A
60 men
9
Q
how many men were originally in a centuria
A
100 men
10
Q
auxiliary troops
A
auxilia
11
Q
light-armed foot soldiers
A
levis armātūrae peditēs
12
Q
where were levis armātūrae peditēs from
A
gaul and germany
13
Q
slingers
A
funditōrēs
14
Q
slings
A
fundae
15
Q
where were funditores from
A
Balaeric islands
16
Q
bowmen/archers
A
sagittāriī
17
Q
where were sagittāriī from
A
Crete and Numidia
18
Q
cavalry men
A
equites
19
Q
where were equites from
A
paid noncitizens from Gaul, Spain and Germany
20
Q
a squad of 300 equitēs
A
āla
21
Q
a tenth of an āla
A
turma
22
Q
how many men in a turma
A
30
23
Q
a third of a turma
A
decuria
24
Q
how many men in a decuria
A
10
25
slaves who performed menial tasks for the camp and officers
cālōnēs
26
traders who conducted canteens outside of the camp
mercātōrēs
27
muleteers who took care of the pack animals and the heavy
| baggage
mūliōnēs
28
engineers or mechanics of war
fabri
29
scouts and spies (usually mounted)
explōrātōrēs (scouts) and speculātōrēs (spies)
30
commanding officer or general
dux
31
when did dux become imperator
after his first important victory
32
legates / staff officers
lēgātī
33
who was next in rank to dux
lēgātī
34
handled pay, military equipment and food supply
quaestōrēs
35
military tribune
tribūnī mīlitum
36
how many tribūnī mīlitum to a legion
6
37
centurions and captains
centuriōnēs
38
who were noncommissioned plebian officers who had war experience
centuriōnēs
39
prefects
praefecti
40
who commanded auxilaries of cavalry
praefecti
41
decurions
decuriōnēs
42
who commanded deuriae
decuriōnēs
43
a short-sleeved woolen undergarment up to the knees
tunica
44
a woolen cloak for severe weather which can also be used as a
blanket
sagum
45
leather boots with heavy hobnailed soles, fastened on by straps
caligae
46
leather breastplate with metal bands
lōrīca
47
leather or metal helmet often ornamented with a crest
galea
48
a curved, rectangular shield
scūtum
49
throwing javelin or pike
pīlum
50
heavy, two edged sword
gladius
51
eagle
aquila
52
standard of the legion made of silver or bronze mounted
| on a pole
aquila
53
who carried aquila
aquilifer
54
standard of a cohort or maniple
signum
55
who carried signum
signifer
56
rectangular banner or flag
vēxillum
57
what was the standard for auxiliaries
vēxillum
58
triple battle line
aciēs triplex
59
usual battle formation of a legion
aciēs triplex
60
first line
prīma aciēs
61
who was in prīma aciēs
4 cohorts of experienced soldiers
62
second line
secunda aciēs
63
who was in secunda aciēs
3 cohorts stationed 150 feet behind the
| first line
64
what was the purpose of the secunda aciēs
relieved the wounded or fallen soldiers of the first
65
third line
tertia aciēs
66
who was in the tertia aciēs
last 3 cohorts
67
trumpet
tuba
68
horn
cornū
69
shape of tuba
3 feet, straight metal
70
shape of cornu
curved metal
71
the main column of legionary troops
agmen
72
vanguard consisting of scouts, cavalry squads and lightarmed infantrymen
prīmum agmen
73
the rear guard consisted of the least experienced
novissimum agmen
74
baggage that followed the legion, carried on pack animals or
| wagons
impedīmenta
75
personal knapsack of a soldier
sarcīna
76
refers to when a soldier was wearing his sarcīna
impedītus
77
refers to when a soldier was not wearing his sarcīna
expedītus
78
average day’s march
iter
79
how long was an average day’s march
15 miles from sunrise to noon
80
forced march
iter magnum
81
how long did iter magnum cover
25 miles
82
camp
castra
83
when was castra built
after a day’s march for retreat
84
shape of castra
rectangular
85
gates at opposite ends of each street
portae
86
how many portae in total
4
87
a ditch or trench dug around the camp
fossa
88
a mound or embankment surrounding the entire camp
agger
89
rampart
vallum
90
what did the vallum consist of
agger and wooden stakes driven in at the end
91
the general’s tent
praetōrium
92
where was praetōrium
middle of camp
93
soldeirs’ tents
tabernācula
94
what was tabernācula made of
leather
95
how many in did a tabernācula hold
10
96
military password used to get into the camp
tessera
97
night watch
vililiae
98
how many watches was vigiliae divided into
4
99
1st watch
prīma vigilia
100
hours of prīma vigilia
6 pm to 9 pm
101
2nd watch
secunda vigilia
102
hours of secunda vigilia
9 pm to midnight
103
3rd watch
tertia vigilia
104
hours of tertia vigilia
midnight to 3 am
105
4th watch
quarta vigilia
106
hours of quarta vigilia
3 am to 6 am
107
attack
oppugnātiō
108
siege
obsidiō
109
sloping plane made of earth, stones and logs and sloped gradually
agger
110
what was used as a means of approach and for moving up siege machines
agger
111
a battering ram
ariēs
112
small, moveable, wooden screen used for protection
pluteus
113
– a protective screen formed by the overlapping of shields
testūdō
114
a huge, moveable, wooden tower mounted on rollers
turris ambulātōria
115
a heavy moveable shed on rollers
vīnea
116
artillery
tormenta
117
a machine for hurling heavy stones and blocks of wood
ballista
118
hurled large arrows and javelins
catapulta
119
light catapult for hurling stones and darts
scorpiō
120
a battleship propelled by oars and sails
nāvis longa
121
the “beak” of the ship
rōstrum
122
what was rōstrum used for
ramming other ships
123
most common navis longa
trireme
124
how many banks of oars did trireme have
3
125
transport ship
nāvis onerāria
126
ship propelled by only sails
nāvis onerāria
127
ship propelled by sails and oars
nāvis longa
128
characteristics of nāvis onerāria
- broader and slower than battleship
| - carried soldiers, horse, and provisions
