​The Roman Army

Helmets were really important for the Roman soldiers because it protected their heads from any swords, javelin or daggers. The Romans called them Galea. The commanders' helmets were surmounted by a crest which was typically made out of horse hair or feathers. It created the illusion that they were taller which helped them appear to be more powerful and commanding. They believed to have used many colors including red, purple, black, white, and yellow. There are many different types of helmets; the style changed a lot with the increase of skill, wealth, and technology. These included Montefortino helmets (4th century BC - 1st century BC, Coolus helmets (3rd century BC - 1st century AD), Imperial-Gallic helmets (late 1st century BC - early 2nd century AD) and the Imperial-Italic helmets (late 1st BC - early 3rd century AD).

 

The javelin was commonly used by the Roman army. To the Romans, it was known as the Pilum or Pila for plural. It was generally about two meters long and consisted of iron shank that was 7 millimeter in diameter and 60 centimeters long. It weighed between 4.4 and 11 pounds. The iron shank was the main reason that they were really useful. The javelin had a hard pyramidal tip, however the shank was made out of a softer iron. The softness allowed the shank to bend after impact, which meant that the enemy couldn't use it to throw back. Also, if a Roman soldier threw the javelin into a shield (which would bend), the soldier wouldn't be able to use the shield anymore; meaning he would be vulnerable to other soldiers. There are two models: heavy and light.

 

The Sword is also known as the Gladius. Early ancient Roman swords were very similar to what the Greeks used. It is used to represent the primary sword of ancient Roman foot soldiers. From the 3rd century BC, the Romans used swords very similar to the ones that the Celtiberians used. The swords were called Gladius Hispaniensis, which means the "Spanish sword". The soldiers would generally lead with their shield and thrusts with their sword.

 

The Woolen Tunics were used to proect the soldier's skin from the body armor that they had to wear during combat.

 

The shields were light enought for any soldier to hold in one hand; they were also very large in height and weight which could covere an entire soldier. To the Romans, it was known as the Scutum or Scuta for plural. Shields were really important because it could protect soldiers from getting hurt by an enemy's weapon or in any hand-to-hand combat. The shape of the shields allowed soldiers to create a packed formation to provide a efficient barrier against the enemy's missiles.

 

The sandals were heavy soled military boots. To the Romans, it was known as the Caliga or Caligae for plural. The open design allowed air to get to the feet (unlike today's military shoes). They were specifically designed to prevent blisters and other disabling foot problems. Typically, soldiers did not wear socks, however in colder weather, they wore woolen socks. Each sandal consisted of of three leather layers which formed the outer shell. They were laced at the center of of the foot and on the ankle.