The helmet was bowl-shaped with a neck guard. The Roman helmet was made of iron, bronze, or brass. The Roman soldier dressed in a helmet, mail breastplate, leg and arm guards, belt, tunic, and boots. Fighting was easier than all the marching and camp work. The soldiers were always looking for a fight. This protective wall of wooden stakes was useful when marching through enemy territory. The stakes were often carried from camp to camp. Next the soldiers put up a wall of stakes on the pile of dirt. The extra dirt from digging the camp was thrown around the outside of the camp. This consisted of digging a ditch around the outside of the camp. After a long day's march the men would have to make camp. Marching with so much to carry was hard on the men. Soldiers had to carry a huge amount of gear.
At times months would go by without any booty to share. Meat was so rare that many of the soldiers didn't even like to eat it.Īt times soldiers were paid, but often they were given no money except for their share of the booty. The soldiers also ate porridge and what vegetables they could find.
Unleavened bread was made without yeast so it was flat. While traveling, the diet of a soldier consisted mostly of unleavened bread.
The general could even have a soldier beheaded for not following orders. The life of a Roman soldier was very difficult.
