Fashion Roman Army Attire

Fashion Roman Army Attire

Roman Army Near the beginning of republic, Rome did not have a specialized professional army; the reason is why because in times of war, all male citizens were projected to fight.

The men had to present their own weapons and equipment and then return home when the fighting was over. By the time of the empire, however, the Roman army had become an extremely efficient fighting force. Soldiers were well-paid professionals who wore regulation armor and weapons. The Roman army was divided into legions—groups of around six thousand men.

Within the legions, most men fought as legionaries, or foot soldiers, while a smaller group of mounted soldiers formed the cavalry. Marching at the head of the legion was the standard-bearer. Roman legionaries wore short tunics and leather sandals studded with nails.

They fought with daggers, swords, and javelins and carried a large wood and leather shield. An iron helmet protected their head and they also wore a breastplate made from metal strips. Standard-bearers led their legion into battle, so they had to be easy to spot.

As well as their basic armor, they wore a dramatic headdress made from the head and front paws of a lion, and carried a tall staff topped by a golden emblem of an eagle. He blew battle signals, using a large, circular trumpet, and wore a striking costume made from a bear’s head and skin.

Each Roman legion was divided into many smaller groups, and each group had its own commander. The most important commander was the legate, who was in charge of the whole legion and wore a golden helmet topped with eagle’s wings.

The least important was the centurion, who commanded a group of around eighty men.