THE ROMAN ARMY

The legions in Britain helped Romanise the remote province and guarded its northern border

Like elsewhere in the territories controlled by the Roman Empire, the soldiers in Britannia were sorted into legions and subordinate auxiliary units. The former were composed of roughly 5,500 Roman citizens, almost all of whom were infantry and had joined for a fixed 25-year term of service.

The legionaries were then supplemented by numerous units of auxiliaries, which were made up of non-citizens drawn from the many non-roman peoples around the empire. However, at the end of their terms of service the lower-paid auxiliaries were entitled to Roman citizenship. By the middle of the 2nd century CE, there were around 40,000 auxiliaries in Britain alone, garrisoned all over the province, and auxiliary horsemen comprised a large proportion of the cavalry.

Three legions provided the bulk of the Roman legionary presence in Britain during the 1st and 2nd centuries CE: II Augusta, VI Victrix and XX Valeria Victrix. The legions had their main bases at Isca (II Augusta; Caerleon, Wales), Deva (XX Valeria Victrix; Chester, England) and Eboracum (VI Victrix; York, England), with each fortress strategically placed to enable the Romans to control the surrounding territory.

Britannia was knit together by sturdy, Roman-built roads that linked the army’s many bases and made movement across the province faster and easier. The presence of the legions helped to speed the process of Romanisation in Britain, as they were often equipped with cutting-edge facilities. For example, legionary fortresses contained heated baths, which were popular among Roman soldiers and civilians alike.

Protecting the border