05-07-2009, 03:41 AM
Quote: To add a bit to what Matt Amt said, at this time soldiers were all property-owning citizens, who purchased their own equipment.
But this is contrary to the primary sources which clearly indicate the State supplied the equipment. The following references by Dionysius confirm the soldier’s armament was State issued:
III 57 (between 578 and 535 BC), “But King Tarquinius, having for the ensuing year armed all the Romans and taken as many troops as he could get from his allies, led them out against the enemy.” V 44 (503 BC), “the other consul, Menenius, having armed all the men of military age, marched out with them in good order and discipline to the assistance of those upon the hill.” VIII 16 (488 BC), “Spurius Nautius and Sextus Furius, raised as large an army as they could from the register of citizens…They also got ready a great quantity of money, corn and arms in a short time.” IX 18 (477 BC), “Then at last the Romans thought themselves safe and arming the youth that were in the city, they took the field.” XI 24 (450 BC), “Appius and Spurius supplied their colleagues who were in the field, with arms, money, corn and everything else of which they stood in need.”
Livy is also forthcoming with references of State issued armament: III. 7 (463 BC), “Quintus Fabius was in command of the city; all men of military age were, by his instructions, armed.” III. 14 (460 BC), “the consuls were in a dilemma: to arm the people and not to arm them...they did finally distribute arms, though on a limited scale.” III. 18 (460 BC), “troops were enrolled and arms issued.” III. 20 (460 BC), “Valerius armed the people for the recovery of the Capitol.” (III 15) The consuls were afraid either to arm the plebeians or to leave them without arms. Arms were however, distributed, not indiscriminately, but only, as it was an unknown foe, to secure protection sufficient for all emergencies. (III 17) He ended his speech by saying that he was taking up arms, and he summoned all the Quirites to arms.…The tribunes had better order arms to be taken up against P. Valerius the consul, as they forbade them to be used against Appius Herdonius. (III 18) They decided that help should be sent, the men of military age were enrolled, arms were distributed. (III 20) At the time when P. Valerius supplied the people with arms for the recovery of the Capitol, they all took the oath to muster at the consul's orders, and not to disband without his orders. We, therefore, issue an order that all of you who took that oath appear under arms, tomorrow, at Lake Regillus. III. 42 (449 BC) “the senate…decreed a supply of arms to be sent to Tusculum to replace those that had been lost.” V. 39 (390 BC) they decided that the men of military age and the able bodied amongst the senators should…withdraw into the citadel…after getting stores of arms and provisions. VI. 2 (389 BC), when he (Marcus Camillus) had completed the enrolment and equipment of the army, he formed it into three divisions. VI. 6 (387 to 386 BC), You, Quintus Servilius, are to mobilise and equip a second army and keep it encamped in the city, ready for action…A third army must be recruited by Lucius Horatius…Lucius Horatius is to provide arms, missiles, corn and everything else to meet the demands of the situation.
In addition to the references cited above by Dionysius and Livy, both Gellius (Attic Nights XVI X 12), and Valerius Maximus (II 1), mention the distribution of “public arms.”
Now there are numerous more for most periods and sadly I have not been collecting them all but I think I better start again.
Quote:Therefore, one's wealth and one's taste affected one's armor and weapons.
So therefore you propose the legion did not have a homogeneous array of weapons, but everyone turned up with what he liked? How would this impact on tactics and training?
