Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:03 pm (PST)

"JAMES MANTO" <mantofam@...> wrote:
>Since legionaries bought their own kit there's strong arguments for
no uniformity at all.

Hmm, I would question this for the republic period. There are numerous
references to the State supplying the equipment. This has been going on
since the Servian constitution was introduced. All soldiers paid a war
tax for the equipment. So Class I paid a higher war tax and got better
equipment. Therefore with the State supplying the equipment, it would
have been standardised and basic.

If academics study the primary sources they will find numerous
references to the State arming the army. But all we get served up with
is the one old theory everyone bought their own equipment, which every
acacademic follows without question.

Regards

Steven
_____________

Yes, I believe I suggested that the citizens got their kit to a standardized
pattern. But as we can see from the armies of the Principate the Roman army
had a pretty broad interpretation of what was 'standardized'. Sure you
aren't going to have some guy show up in hoplite kit, but his armor and
helmet may not be exactly the same as the gregarius beside him.

Wasn't there a big hullabaloo in the Senate over using State funds and arms
to equip the Slave legions during the 2nd Punic War and then again to arm
the head count when Marius reformed the army? Even though the legionaries
then had the costs deducted from their pay?

James