Roman legionary feats of fitness

[geala]

The last of the reported feats sounds all very credible. What would set the first example apart was the long duration of the march with so many kilometres per day.

Would the combat equipment of a legionary be any heavier than the field kit and weapons and ammo of a US soldier in 1943? I'd have thought not particularly, and Romans didn't smoke either.

I don't know what the GIs had to bear but normally the burden of soldiers from the 18th to 20th c. AD was higher or at least as high as that of the Romans. Nevertheless, 15 days and about 70 kilometres a day, that is a very hard task even if the legionaries wore no armour and just carried their weapons and shields. Of course the will can master a lot...