Roman army
| Exercitus Romanus | |
|---|---|
Vexillum and aquila displaying SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanus) | |
| Active | 753 BC–AD 1453 (2,206 years) |
| Country | Roman Kingdom Roman Republic |
| Size | Legions: 28–50 |
| Headquarters | Aquincum Bonn Lauriacum Isca Augusta Alexandria Singara Regensburg Novae Busra |
| Motto(s) | 'Gloria Exercitus' (lit. 'Glory of the Army') |
| Engagements | See: list of Roman external wars and battles and list of Roman civil wars and revolts |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-chief | Emperor (de facto; 27 BC–AD 1453) Consul (de jure; 509 BC–AD 887) King (753–509 BC) |
| Notable commanders | Marcus Furius Camillus Scipio Africanus Gaius Marius Julius Caesar Germanicus Flavius Stilicho Flavius Belisarius |
The Roman army (Latin: exercitus Romanus) served ancient Rome and the Roman people, enduring through the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC), the Roman Republic (509–27 BC), and the Roman Empire (27 BC – AD 476/1453), including the Western Roman Empire (collapsed AD 476/480) and the Eastern Roman Empire (collapsed AD 1453). It is thus a term that broadly spans approximately 2,206 years, during which the force underwent numerous permutations in size, composition, organization, equipment and tactics, while conserving a core of lasting traditions.[1][2][3]
- ^ The Complete Roman Army, Adrian Goldsworthy Thames & Hudson, 2011
- ^ Companion to the Roman Army, Paul Erdkamp, John Wiley & Sons, 31 March 2011
- ^ Southern, Pat (2007). The Roman Army: A Social and Institutional History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-532878-3.