Roman army

‎Imperial Roman Army (30 BC – AD 284)

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	==Imperial Roman Army (30 BC – AD 284)==		==Imperial Roman Army (30 BC – AD 284)==
−	During this period the Republican system of citizen-conscription was replaced by a standing professional army of mainly volunteers serving standard 20-year terms (plus 5 as reservists), although many in the service of the empire would serve as many as 30 to 40 years on active duty, as established by the first [[Roman emperor]], [[Augustus]] (sole ruler 30 BC – AD 14). Under Augustus there were 25 legions, consisting almost entirely of heavy infantry, with about 5,000 men each (total 125,000). This had increased to a peak of 33 legions of about 5,500 men each (c. 180,000 men in total) by AD 200 under [[Septimius Severus]]. Legions continued to recruit [[Roman citizens]], mainly the inhabitants of Italy and [[Roman colony|Roman colonies]], until 212. Regular annual conscription of citizens was abandoned and only decreed in emergencies (e.g. during the [[Illyrian revolt]] 6–9 AD). Legions were now flanked by the [[auxilia]], a corps of regular troops recruited mainly from ''[[Peregrinus (Roman)|peregrini]]'', imperial subjects who did not hold Roman citizenship (the great majority of the empire's inhabitants until 212, [[Edict of Caracalla|when all were granted citizenship]]). Auxiliaries, who served a minimum term of 25 years, were also mainly volunteers, but regular conscription of ''peregrini'' was employed for most of the 1st century AD. The ''auxilia'' consisted, under Augustus, of about 250 regiments of roughly [[Cohort (military unit)|cohort]] size, that is, about 500 men (in total 125,000 men, or 50% of total army effectives). Under Severus the number of regiments increased to about 400, of which about 13% were double-strength (250,000 men, or 60% of total army). ''Auxilia'' contained heavy infantry equipped similarly to legionaries, and almost all the army's cavalry (both armoured and light), and archers and slingers.	+	During this period the Republican system of citizen-conscription was replaced by a standing professional army of mainly volunteers serving standard 20-year terms (plus 5 as reservists), although many in the service of the empire would serve as many as 30 to 40 years on active duty, as established by the first [[Roman emperor]], [[Augustus]] (sole ruler 30 BC – AD 14). Under Augustus there were 28 legions, consisting almost entirely of heavy infantry, with about 5,000 men each (total 125,000). This had increased to a peak of 33 legions of about 5,500 men each (c. 180,000 men in total) by AD 200 under [[Septimius Severus]]. Legions continued to recruit [[Roman citizens]], mainly the inhabitants of Italy and [[Roman colony|Roman colonies]], until 212. Regular annual conscription of citizens was abandoned and only decreed in emergencies (e.g. during the [[Illyrian revolt]] 6–9 AD). Legions were now flanked by the [[auxilia]], a corps of regular troops recruited mainly from ''[[Peregrinus (Roman)|peregrini]]'', imperial subjects who did not hold Roman citizenship (the great majority of the empire's inhabitants until 212, [[Edict of Caracalla|when all were granted citizenship]]). Auxiliaries, who served a minimum term of 25 years, were also mainly volunteers, but regular conscription of ''peregrini'' was employed for most of the 1st century AD. The ''auxilia'' consisted, under Augustus, of about 250 regiments of roughly [[Cohort (military unit)|cohort]] size, that is, about 500 men (in total 125,000 men, or 50% of total army effectives). Under Severus the number of regiments increased to about 400, of which about 13% were double-strength (250,000 men, or 60% of total army). ''Auxilia'' contained heavy infantry equipped similarly to legionaries, and almost all the army's cavalry (both armoured and light), and archers and slingers.
	==Late Roman army (284–476 AD) continuing as East Roman army (476–641 AD)==		==Late Roman army (284–476 AD) continuing as East Roman army (476–641 AD)==