Soon after the Caudine Forks fiasco in 321 BC, the tactical formation adopted by the Roman Army underwent a radical change. Introduced as part of the Servian reforms, the legion had originally operated as a Greek-style phalanx. Now, however, the Romans adopted the manipular system, whereby the legion was split into distinct battle lines, each consisting of tactical subunits, the maniples. Even though still a citizen militia, recruited from property owners supplying their own war gear, it was the manipular legion that faced Pyrrhus and his elephants, the Gauls and their long swords, Hannibal and his tactical genius and the Macedonians and their pikes to name but a few of its formidable opponents. This book looks at the recruitment, training, weapons, equipment and experiences of the legionary at the epoch of the middle Republic, which opens with the last great war with the Samnites (Third Samnite War, 298–290 BC) and closes with the Republic at the height of its imperial glory after the victory in North Africa (Iugurthine War 112–105 BC).

Illustrated by: Seán Ó’Brógáin