The Roman Army was a very elite and fit group of men. The main part of the Roman soldiers were called legionaries. The Roman soldiers were expected to be very fit to be able to fight well in battle and to cope with any injuries resulting from warfare. The soldiers were expected to march around 5 hours a day and to do group training. Group training consisted of javelin throwing, running, jumping and drill training. Most of the legionaries bought their own armour and weapons. A typical roman armour of legionaries were lorica sementata which were iron strips fastened to internal leather straps. A large rectangular shield with rounded corners called scutum was also required. A typical uniform consisted of greaves, an apron, marching sandels called Caligae, woolen tunic, a belt showing a soldiers rank and position and lastly a helmet called Galea. Personal weapons of a legionarie were pugio which was a small dagger and a short sword called gladius that was used for stabbing and thrusting. Finally a pilum was a specialized javelin that would bend after thrown to prevent their enemies from re-using it in battle. Dark Knight Armoury has functional Roman armour, pilums, Roman swords, tunics, Roman daggers, helmets and even Roman shields.
 |
Roman Armour |
Roman armour was the last line of defense against the enemy during battle. The most common armour that Roman wore were Lorica segmentatas. Loricas were used by the Roman Empire between 2nd and 3rd century AD. The Lorica Segmentata consisted of iron strips that wrapped around the front and back of a legionarie and were fastened together with leather straps on the inside. Other types of roman armour were leggings or greaves that protected the lower leg, an apron that was made of metal to protect the groin and muscle armour that showed the enemy from afar that these men were strong and fierce. |
 |
Roman Clothing and Roman Belts |
The Roman Legionaries wore a red coarse woolen tunic to keep them warm and to provide protection and padding from the Lorica Segmentata. The red tunic was also significant because their enemies would never see them bleed. The Romans were belts to hang their swords and daggers from as well as showing a soldier's position and rank. Roman Legionaries worn roman sandals called Caligae that were made of leather with studs on the sole. Dark Knight Armoury has a full selection of Roman clothing including Gladiator skirts, Roman sandals, Roman Belts and Baldrics and Roman tunics. |
 |
Roman Daggers |
Roman Soldiers carried roman daggers called pugio. Pugio daggers had very short but wide leaf type blade, about 7 to 11 inches long. The Roman pugio was used for stabbing and thrusting when fighting in close quarters with the enemy. Roman daggers were the basic part of the Roman army gear. Original pugios have survived in remarkably good condition in European museums and displays. Dark Knight Armoury's pugios are very functional and can be used in roman reenactments. |
 |
Roman Helmets |
A Roman soldier's helmet was called a galea. A galea helm had cheek plates and a flair in the back of the helmet to protect the neck area. The crest of the Roman helmet was made of real plumes or horse hair and represented a ranking Roman Officer in the group. The Guals influenced the design of the Roman helmet called Imperial Gallic and also introduced chainmail to the Romans. Dark Knight Armoury has other types of Roman helms like the Roman crested helms, Gladiator helm, and the Greco-Roman Helm. We are sure that you will find the right Roman Helmet for the rest of your Roman armor. |
 |
Roman Shields |
The Roman shield was called a Scutum which is the Latin word for shield. The shape of the Roman shield was retangular and semi cylindrical. This curved shape would protect the Roman soldiers in the front and sides. As time went by Roman shields took more of an oval flat shape. Dark Knight Armoury has full sized and functional Roman shields of all types. Most of our Roman shields have a boss in the center with intricate designs coming from it. |
 |
Roman Swords |
The Legionaries of the Roman Empire used a short sword called a gladius sword. The Gladius sword was an average length of 18 to 24 inches long and was made by the Spaniards. The primary function of the Roman sword was for thrusting and stabbing in close quarters with the enemy. Dark Knight Armoury carries fully functional Roman swords like the Roman Gladius Sword, Gladiator Sword, Roman Short Sword, and the Spartha sword. Roman Swords can be used for Stage re-enactments, theater, or take them to a Roman event. |
