The Roman Legion   The ancient Romans loved the ornate and glittery, but their armor - in spite of what you might have seen in the movies - most probably did not shine.   Some armor was made of leather, with metal on the inside, probably against a backing of linen, to make three layers. Some was made of cloth sewn in circular links.  Still, the army was quite a sight! The army was organized into legions. Each legion has 5000 men. Each legion has its own leader, its own banner, and its own number. Each also had its own nickname.  The legion moved camp every night. Men would wander the new campsite, visiting and drilling. The men could always find their way back to their own legion. They simply looked for their legion banner. Once they found that, they looked for their fighting group banner. Each legion was broken into several fighting groups. Camp was very colorful.   A legionary's uniform included a rectangular shield, a short sword, a dagger, a metal jacket, a belt, a helmet, a kilt, a shirt, and hobnailed sandals. The legion wore special hob-nailed sandals. Unless they wanted to sneak in quietly, a legion on the move was impressive!  Their hobnailed sandals were designed to make a loud noise as they marched. They were also accompanied by trumpets and other noise makers. Add the many colorful banners waving above their heads, and you can probably understand why an approaching legion was an impressive sight and sound.   The legion was very organized, and very successful. When the legion marched into a new region, some people gave up with a fight. The legion's fighting power was that famous! Each legionary served for 25 years. If they lived through their service, they could retire. They were given land and a pension so that they live comfortably. The land they were given was located in the provinces. This was very clever of Rome. It gave their retired military men a place to call home that they would defend. This system placed loyal military men all over the provinces.    The Roman Army Roman Army - Where did they live?  What did Roman soldiers wear?  Dress the Roman Centurion Investigate a Roman Soldier The Roman Army The Roman Legions The Roman Legion Explore Ancient Rome Free Powerpoints  Free Games Free Video Clips  Free Clip Art Return to Ancient Rome for Kids Main Menu  All Rights Reserved    Clip Art Credit: Phillip Martin Have a great year!