08-17-2010, 08:52 PM
I really hope that I haven't developed a bad rep on this forum for asking so many dumb questions, but I have learned a lot here and plan to continue doing so!
That said, here's my next inquiry...
As far as I have seen, modern researchers ALWAYS depict Roman legionaries armed with shields, swords, javelins, and depending on the time period daggers. I understand that the dagger fell out of use and was reintroduced a few times, the shape of the shields changed, and by the 4th Century throwing spears may have given way to thrusting spears, but they seem to have used the same basic panoply up to the fall of Rome in the West.
But is there any evidence for soldiers belonging to legions fighting as archers? Or at least having archery training? I'm not talking auxiliaries or irregulars, I understand that plenty of them had archery equipment; I mean legionaries. Maybe were there small groups of archery specialists within a legion?
It would just make sense that the finest soldiers Rome had in the field would have training with every kind of weapon. Archery skills could come in handy, if nothing else, when it is necessary to catch one's own dinner
That said, here's my next inquiry...
As far as I have seen, modern researchers ALWAYS depict Roman legionaries armed with shields, swords, javelins, and depending on the time period daggers. I understand that the dagger fell out of use and was reintroduced a few times, the shape of the shields changed, and by the 4th Century throwing spears may have given way to thrusting spears, but they seem to have used the same basic panoply up to the fall of Rome in the West.
But is there any evidence for soldiers belonging to legions fighting as archers? Or at least having archery training? I'm not talking auxiliaries or irregulars, I understand that plenty of them had archery equipment; I mean legionaries. Maybe were there small groups of archery specialists within a legion?
It would just make sense that the finest soldiers Rome had in the field would have training with every kind of weapon. Archery skills could come in handy, if nothing else, when it is necessary to catch one's own dinner
Jaida :-) <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt=":-)" title="Smile" />:-)