Roman Soldiers...

[Agrippa]

I was reading the Gladiators topic (I even responded to the Secutor), so I decided to make my own one...hahaha. Same rules apply: One person calls out a military unit name (From any country if you like), and the next person responds to what weapons/armor they wore, then names another one, and repeats.

 

Okay...Phalanx!

[Eckner]

A phalanx,

 

Usually had a round shield that covered from their knees to the brim of their shield. Leg guards to cover their lower legs and ankles. Short sword, called, erm, i dont exactly remember. 20 ft long spear equipped to all when in the phalanx battle formation. And the standard Greek helmet. Little eye slits and long wide face guards, main purpose was to strike fear into the enemy. That sounds about right, also a lightly armored chest plate, usually made of copper and then iron.

 

Lets see, Im going to go with the Roman Preatorian Guard.

[Valens]

20 ft long spear equipped to all when in the phalanx battle formation.

 

 

This only pertains to the style of phalanx known as the Macedonian phalanx. And to be more specific, the pikes didn't grow to be this long until well into the Hellenistic Age, Alexander the Great's phalangites usually carried sarissa about 2-5ft smaller than these Hellenistic sarissa.

 

And the standard Greek helmet. Little eye slits and long wide face guards, main purpose was to strike fear into the enemy.

 

 

This describes the very popular Corinthian type of helmet. However, there were many othe common helemt types: The Lakedaimonians started using the pilos-helmet on a wide scale in the 5th Century BC, many troops developed a Corinthian helmet with earholes, and the Macedonian phlamgites used Phrygian helmets for the most part.

 

That sounds about right, also a lightly armored chest plate, usually made of copper and then iron.

 

 

Actually, they were usually made of bronze. Also, ther was a growing trend to wear a very light breastplate(or in many cases, no breastplate at all) from the mid 5th century to the 360s(BC).

[Spurius]

Roman Preatorian Guard

 

Well, their equipment was the same as the basic legionaire, except probably...spiffy. That would have been:

- the normal Galea (Helm) with whatever style was in fashion,

-Lorica Segmentata or Hamata (iron bands or chainmail) though some satrists mentioned Preatorians looking like officers in Greek tragedies...implying lots of use of Musculata.

- Sporran (apron covering groin)

- Scutum (shield)

- Gladius/Drusus or Spatha later (sword)

- Pugio (dagger/knife)- though most legionaires didn't carry it, the Preatorians usually did.

- Pilum (javelin)

-Caligae (heavy sandals)- famous for Caligula "little boots"

 

The Preatorian Guard went through a couple evolutions after Augutus formed them. First king makers, then becoming an elite unit after Severus disbanded them and their reconstitution under other emperors. Finally the guard was effectively wiped out and disbanded after Milvian Bridge in 312 CE.

 

Next unit- Cataphract (any nationality)

[Eckner]

Well, Valens, Im not perfect, and Im not exactly the most intelligent on this topic. But thank you for clearing that up. I was reffering to the Corinthian helmet, and as a slip of speech, I did mean to say bronze, not copper. But thanks.

[Valens]

Next unit- Cataphract (any nationality)

Hmm, I'll do a Parthian Cataphract(from the mid 1st Century BC):

 

The Parthian and his horse are covered in ronze or iron scales(many wore mail), save for on the limbs, on which he was covered by leather(though metal appeared later on). The rider would carry a long spear called a kontos, a sword or axe, and often times, a bow.

 

Next: Chaeonian Guard

[Favonius Cornelius]

Chaeonian Guard-

 

The Chaeonian Guard was formed from one of the three tribes in the Epirus region and served as a personal guard to Pyrrhus. Their function was flexible depending on what was needed: they could take up pike and form a Macedonian phalanx, or if speed and maneuverability were desired, more commonly they could take on a more classical phalanx form with shorter spears.

 

Typical armament would include a hoplites full set of heavy armor, with cuirass, helmet, greaves and shield. Armed with a short sword and a pike or javelins and a spear.

 

 

Next: The Persian phalanx at the Battle of Issus

[phil25]

Skipping back - when on duty in Rome itself. members of the Praetorian Guard would have worn civil dress - probably the toga - in line with the tradition that arms were not worn within the pomerium of the City.

 

Forget Hollywood films.

 

Phil

[Northern Neil]

Skipping back - when on duty in Rome itself. members of the Praetorian Guard would have worn civil dress - probably the toga - in line with the tradition that arms were not worn within the pomerium of the City.

 

Forget Hollywood films.

 

Phil

 

... and in addition, they would not have worn black armour or purple cloaks to look mean to a film going audience! Sorry, I have no knowledge of the Persian Phalanx at Issus...