The Roman army (Latin: exercitus Romanorum; Ancient Greek: στρατός/φοσσᾶτον Ῥωμαίων) is the generic term for the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the Roman Kingdom (to c. 500 BC), the Roman Republic (500–31 BC), the Roman Empire (31 BC – 395/476 AD) and its successor, the East Roman or Byzantine Empire (395–1453). It is thus a term that spans approximately 2,000 years, during which the Roman armed forces underwent numerous permutations in composition, organization, equipment and tactics, while conserving a core of lasting traditions.
Read more about Roman Army: Early Roman Army (to C. 300 BC), Roman Army of The Mid-Republic (c. 300 – 107 BC), Imperial Roman Army (30 BC – AD 284 ), Late Roman Army/East Roman Army (284–641), Komnenian Byzantine Army (1081–1204), Palaiologan Byzantine Army (1261–1453)
Famous quotes containing the words roman and/or army:
“The gale, it plies the saplings double,
It blows so hard, ‘twill soon be gone:
To-day the Roman and his trouble
Are ashes under Uricon.”
—A.E. (Alfred Edward)
“Olivia Dandridge: You don’t have to say it, Captain. I know all this is because of me. Because I wanted to see the West. Because I wasn’t, I wasn’t army enough to stay the winter.
Capt. Brittles: You’re not quite army yet miss, or you’d know never to apologize. It’s a sign of weakness.”
—Frank S. Nugent (1908–1965)