Gens was considered a group of families in ancient Rome claiming descent from a common ancestor and united by a common name and common ancestral religious rites. The gens was an important social structure in ancient Rome and throughout Italy especially during the period of the Roman Republic. Being part of a Gens usually meant […]
Legio IIII Flavia Felix, a Vespasian’s legion
The fourth legion, also known as Legio IIII Flavia Felix was a legion of the Roman Imperial army initially stationed in modern day Croatia. The legion was founded during the year 70 AD on the remains of Legio IIII Macedonica. Macedonica played a major role in suppression of the Batavian Revolt (69-70 AD). Macedonica was […]
Contubernium – a Roman squad
Contubernium was the smallest organized unit of the Roman army. It included 8 fighting men led by a Decanus. Two more auxiliary servants were usualy added to support the contibernum regarding food and tools. These eight soldiers shared a tent during campaigns or a room in the barracks while stationed in the Castrum. Decanus, as […]
Diocletian’s Palace – retirement home built as Roman castrum
Diocletian’s Palace is ancient Roman palace situated in Split (Spalato), Croatia and was bult by the Roman Emperor Diocletian between 295 and 305 AD. The Palace was actually Emperor’s place of retirement (he renounced the imperial crown in 305 and lived in Split until his death in 316). Diocletian’s Palace has features of castrum (military […]
Centuria – 80 men strong tactical unit
Centuria comes from latin word centum which stands for a hundred. It’s name implies a total number of personnel that served in this Roman unit. So, a total of 80 soldiers and 20 auxiliary servants made Roman centuria into a mighty force. After Marian reforms of 107 BC, when Roman army adopted new standards, centuria became […]
Gladius – Short sword of the Roman legionnaire
Gladius is a Roman short sword widely used by Roman light infantry from the beginning of the 1st until the end of the 2nd century. It was mostly made from steel. A fully equipped Roman legionnaire was armed with a shield (scutum), javelin (pilum), a sword (gladius), often a dagger (pugio), and, perhaps in the later […]
Legion – Roman war machine
Legion was the largest unit in the Roman army that had the strength of 3000 personnel in the early times up to 6000 personnel in later periods of Roman empire. It was the most advanced military unit in the Ancient world (well, in Europe at least) that played a major role in Roman expansion throughout Western and […]