Legionaries were professional soldiers in the Roman army during the late years of the Roman Republic and onwards throughout the Roman Empire.

They enlisted for 25 years of service, during which time they were required to keep to a strict training regimen. Legionaries typically trained for 8 hours a day, and all that practice paid off. In battle, the Roman legionaries used careful crafted military formations and strategies -- usually with devastating success. Enemies often found themselves poorly prepared to face an onslaught of legionaries.

A legionary used a good deal of armor and weapons: they wore a helmet (galea), and armored chest and shoulder protection (lorica segmentata); carried a sword (gladius), and carried a large shield (scutum) with which to protect themselves.

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Text: Adam Sewall; Image: Jenny M Buccos