Roman legion
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The Roman legion, the largest military unit of the Roman army, was composed of Roman citizens serving as legionaries. During the Roman Republic the manipular legion comprised 4,200 infantry and 300 cavalry. After the Marian reforms in 107 BC the legions were formed of 5200 men and were restructured around 10 cohorts, the first cohort being double strength. This structure persisted throughout the Principate and Middle Empire, before further changes in the fourth century resulted in new formations of around 1000 men.
Depiction of Roman legionnaires
An historical reenactor in Roman centurion costume
Reenacters portraying Roman legionaries of Legio XV Apollinaris
Roman army
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The Roman army was the armed forces deployed by the Romans throughout the duration of Ancient Rome, from the Roman Kingdom to the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, and its medieval continuation, the Eastern Roman Empire. It is thus a term that may span approximately 2,206 years, during which the Roman armed forces underwent numerous permutations in size, composition, organisation, equipment and tactics, while conserving a core of lasting traditions.
Levy of the army, detail of the carved relief on the Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus, 122–115 BC.
Gaius Marius, to whom later historians would misattribute putative reforms of the Roman army
Roman auxiliary infantry crossing a river. They can be distinguished by the oval shield (clipeus) they were equipped with, in contrast to the rectangular scutum carried by legionaries. Panel from Trajan's Column, Rome
Roman relief fragment depicting the Praetorian Guard, c. 50 AD