Taelactin

I've been searching for as many primary sources as I could find regarding the Roman Empire's invasion of Britain during the reign of Claudia (only finding three passages by Cassius Dio, and some sparse passages from Tacitus and Seutonius), but I can't seem to find any place that confirms that the commonly accepted four invading Legions of Britain were indeed the four legions that invaded Britain. Legio II Augusta Legio IX Hispana Legio XIV Gemina Legio XX Valeria Victrix How do we know that these were the four Legions that invaded Britannica in 43 C.E.? I'm sure it has to do with some archaeological evidence--but what archaeological evidence? Any citations for further reading that actually explains the theories behind why these were the four legions that took part in the campaign would be greatly appreciated.

I was just wondering whether anyone knew about the process of enlistment. For example, when Crassus was getting his nine legions prepared for the battle at Carrhae, he began to use the 'Press Gang' in order to recruit soldiers since there was not enough volunteers to accomodate his needs. Were farmers simply taken from their homes, and taken to training? The places OF training, I remember reading about something from Vegetius, but I'm not 100% sure, were the training sites in Rome if the recruits were taken from Italy...? Or were training areas simply set up wherever needed (for example, just pitching a training site in the middle of a gigantic open field)? I read about 'three military tribunes' that were in charge of enlisting the soldiers... or something... can anybody confirm this...? Thanks in advance! -Taelactin

Sorry for all these questions... but also, anybody know where I can find a good map for Roman Roads? Particularly ones in Asia Minor. Thanks! -Taelactin

Finally found pretty much the answer to all my questions embedded in one paragraph of Plutarch's biography of Crassus. He did indeed follow the same path as you said he probably would've! But one question I still have, and I **think** it should be one that I could find somewhere but I can't, maybe in Vegetius' text about the roman army or something... when legions travelled around, did they make a lotta stopovers at the cities they passed? Or did they generally always build a camp outside the city walls, or something like that...? Thanks again! -Taelactin

Thanks a lot for the help! Do you know any links where I can read up more about that? I can't find it anywhere... I have some other questions I was wondering about now as well... primarily about Crassus and Syria, where did he hang out in Syria before deciding to attack Parthia? When legions moved from, for example, the city of Appolonia (I'm guessing that's the port they came to after leaving Brundisium) to whatever place in Syria they went to, did they make a lotta stop overs at the cities on the way? Or did they just generally march straight and pitch camps a lot? And where can I find a good map of the ancient mediterranean WITH the names of important cities at that time??? Sorry about the detail of my questions... I'm just writing something and want to try to be as realistic as possible... Thanks! -Taelactin

I was just wondering, kinda a practical question... When Carrhae was given orders to govern Syria, how did he probably get there? Probably by boat, right? But just wondering, if he DIDN'T go by boat, how else would he have gotten there? I'm wondering the same thing with the seven legions he had. I doubt he enlisted them all from Syria, and probably got a couple of the 20,000 legionaires from some of the other areas under the control of the Roman Republic at the time (Italia, Sicily... Gaul maybe?) So when these legionaires were being enlisted, I'm thinking something like they just went to the Roman Headquarters in their town, enlisted, were then sent to Syria and THEN trained at Syria, then they were off to be crushed by the Parthians... But if they had no boat to get to Syria... could the fellas being enlisted from Italy take a short boat trip to Africa, then walk through all the provinces up there to Syria? For example, would they be able to go through Egypt? I just want to know more about this entire enlisting process if citation of it exists, and just more specifically-- would the legions from Italy be able to go thru Africa and walk all the way up to Syria? Sorry if I'm being confusing... Thanks in advance! -Taelactin

Man, I seriously wasted too much time searching the internet trying to figure this stuff out when I should have just came here first... thanks a lot for the help! -Taelactin

Thanks a lot for the quick reply! Been searching forever on the internet for answers to these questions-- Guess I should have came here first! -Taelactin

Just trying to understand how the Roman Ranking works... 'cuz I'm getting a lotta contrasting views from different places... But here are my questions ordered out: 1) What's the difference between a Decurion and a Decanus? They seem to both be in charge of a Contubernium... but are they a member of the ten party group...? 2) Does the contubernium consist of ten or EIGHT legionnaires? I know this differs because then a century (consisting of 10 contubernium) would be either 100 legionnaires... or 80... so which on is it? 3) Miles Gregarius = Legionnaire... yes? 4) Does a legion NEVER gain new recruits? I read somewhere that the legion's size would keep shrinking and would never generally be the full 6000... which is why Julius Caeser's legions were generally in the 3000's... etc. Does a legion's size just keep shrinking until there's nobody left??? 5) I have heard that centurions are given rank by the cohort that they are in... so basically first cohort first century is the primus pilus... and the last rank would be the Decimus Hastatus Posterior of the 10th cohort 6th century... but what confuses me is that the cohorts are all mixed up, so... as I read from unrv.com (this is just an example of what confuses me): the 4th cohort would have the weakest units, the 10th cohort would have "the good troops" So now, does that mean the centurion of the WORST ranks would be leading 'the good troops' and the 4th cohort... containing WEAK troops would be lead with centurions of decent ranking??? I don't get it... but is that how it seriously worked? Thanks for the help!

OK... I'm writing a story, and I need some help trying to make it as non-fictional as possible... I just was wondering whether or not the legions Crassus took to Carrhae before they were massacred by the Parthians had any names... roman numerals... anything... I read some place that some commanders would supply everything to their own legions themselves, therefore the legions were basically theirs and not the senates... so the legions were more loyal to them... etc. I'm guessing this was the case with Crassus since he was the richest hombre in Rome at the time... If there are no specific names to the legions that went into Carrhae (there were seven... right?) What would be some good names to make up for them? I have no idea how the Romans would label their legions back then... maybe based on place or something... I don't know... One last question... after 100 BCE... were ALL the legions using the cohort system...? Or were some still using maniples? Thanks for the help! -Taelactin