The Roman army was divided into legions, each containing 6,000 men called legionaries. Each legion was divided into smaller units of 100 men, each commanded by a centurion. Legionaries were all men of Rome. Soldiers from the provinces were called auxiliaries.

All Roman soldiers had body armour and weapons far superior to any enemy. They were also trained to work as a unit. For example, they would defend themselves from a hail of arrows by putting their shields up into the air in a formation called a testudo, or tortoise.

They had long javelins and swords and daggers for close-combat work. They also had armour plating around the chest and a plated helmet. Most other armies at this time wore leather as a protection.

Legionary life was hard, but pay was good. This pay was the main reason the legionaries stayed loyal.