The Kingdom of Rome Part 2: The Roman Army in the Regal Period (753BC-509BC)
The Roman Army as a concept was something that didn’t truly exist until 550 BC. Before 550, the Roman Army consisted of a series of clan based warbands which couldn’t have been further away from the Legionary system and professional war machine that the Roman Army would become. These warbands often operated as small raiding forces in times of peace and would unite as a singular force in periods of serious external threats to the state.
One of the main differences between the Regal Roman Army and the Imperial Army of later centuries is that the Regal Roman Army was made up of warriors where as the Imperial Roman Army consisted of soldiers. You might be asking what the difference is? Soldier implies that the individual is part of an organised military with a skilled method of fighting usually in formation. Warriors, while often skilled in the methods of war, rarely fight as part of a formation and succeed more on their own personal skill than the use of good tactics. While the men of the Regal Roman Warbands were no doubt brave, they were not professional soldiers as their descendants would become. Members of Roman Warbands would usually be lightly armoured and quick moving. The emphasis would be on lightening raids; these lightly to unarmoured Romans were ideally suited to this type of raids.
However, in the late regal era (550-509BC) the Roman Warbands would become more organised and begin to morph towards being soldiers. The most critical changes of this period were the adoption of Greek Style Equipment in the Hoplite fashion. This change was most likely adopted from the Greek Colonies in southern Italy. The introduction of heavier armour and better equipment would begin to form the wealth divide of the early Roman army. Those citizens that could afford to purchase armour and better weapons would serve as Hoplites and those that couldn’t afford to would continue to serve as lightly armoured light infantry.
During the reign of Romes’ sixth king Servius Tullius, the King reformed the Roman Army in what became known as ‘The Servian Constitution of the Roman Army’. These reform give us a clear view of the structure of the Roman Army in the middle of the 6th Century.
The Equites: These men were the wealthiest citizens and were grouped into 18 centuries. These men served as the armies cavalry and were expected to supply their own horses.
The First Class: This class was made up of 80 centuries of spearmen fully armed with helmet, cuirass, greaves and a round shield. The first class were clearly a Greek Style Phalanx.
The Second Class: This class was divided into 20 centuries of spearmen armed with helmet, greaves and the Italian shield (The Scutum).
The Third Class: This class was also made up of 20 centuries of spearmen but were only armed with a helmet and Italian shield.
The Fourth Class: This class was also made up of 20 centuries but they were only armed with a spear and shield.
The Fifth Class: This class were armed with slings and javelins and were made up of between 20-30 Centuries.
While the 1st Class were armed and fought in the Greek manner, the other four Classes armed in the Italian style are support troops. This system is similar to the Legions and Auxiliaries of the Imperial Roman Army.
