write two characteristics of soldiers in Rome empire
Answers
Explanation:
The Roman Legion was a very well-trained, cohesive military unit that was extremely effective on the attack, and practically unstoppable on open ground.
If you can break up that formation and engage the Roman soldiers one-on-one, then you have a better chance against them.
In 9 B.C.E., the young son of a conquered Germanic chieftain named Arminius was sent to Rome. While there, he received an education and military training. The idea was that these young princes would become “Romanized”, and then be sent back to their tribes to help facilitate the “Romanization” of their own people.
Unfortunately for Rome, Arminius’ loyalty to his own tribe still remained true.
In 9 C.E., a well-respected Roman general named Publius Quinctilius Varus had command of three legions: Legio XVII, XVIII, and XIX. Arminius fed him a false story about a local uprising, so Varus took all three of his legions out to quell it.
Why Varus decided to take three whole legions (approximately 17,000 heavy infantry plus cavalry) out on a punitive expedition is unclear. However, it would prove to be disastrous.
Arminius, who knew and understood Roman tactics and their fighting system, set Varus up for an ambush. Varus was warned many times what the Germans were planning. However, he repeatedly ignored these warnings.
Arminius took Varus on a route through the Teutoburg Forest which was unfamiliar to the Romans. He was leading them to an area which would be a prime spot for the ambush. As it began to get dark, the Romans noticed that their German Auxiliary troops had suddenly slipped away. Then it began to rain. Shields got heavy, being soaked with rain and water-logged. Horses and wagons got bogged down in the mud.
Then the Germans attacked from all sides. Since the Romans were stretched out on a road through the forest, there was no time to properly form the legions; In fact, they weren’t able to do so anyhow, as they were deep in the woods and not on open ground.
In the waning daylight, confusion and panic, the Germans were able to easily cut the Romans down. Only a few hundred Romans were able to keep their heads and fight their way out.
When Varus saw that all was lost, he committed suicide rather than be captured.
Any prisoners that the Germans captured were put into wicker cages and then burned alive.
In just one battle, Rome lost about 10% of her professional army. The loss was so great and disturbing that the numbers XVII, XVIII, and XIX were retired out of mourning for them. These numbers would never be used again for any legionary designation