Roman military clothing

In the early days of Rome, a Roman legionary had to be a Roman citizen; later, any free man could join the army. The term “legionary” represents many different types of soldiers throughout history.

The role of the Roman legionary evolved over time, not only in terms of military equipment and clothing but also in terms of rights, salary, and benefits. Eventually, Emperor Septimius Severus, before his death, advised his sons Caracalla and Geta to focus primarily on the Roman army, as the soldiers had become more influential than the Senate and even the people of Rome (“Take care of the soldiers, without paying too much attention to the rest.”).

At Res Militares, you can learn about and see firsthand how Roman military clothing and the role of the legionary changed throughout history.