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LEGIONARIUS SPECIALLY EQUIPPED FOR TRAJAN'S DACIAN WARS

An extract from The Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome
by Phil Barker & Ian Heath


5.      LEGIONARIUS SPECIALLY EQUIPPED FOR TRAJAN'S DACIAN WARS

Trajan's Column shows troops in the latest pattern equipment on general issue. Another monument to the same campaign, built by the army themselves at Adamklissi, not only shows that much obsolete equipment was in use, but that an attempt had been made to equip men especially to meet the Dacian battle-scythe called Falx. This involved reissuing long mail corslets instead of the shorter Lorica Segmentata, providing undergarments with Pteruges and issuing all ranks with the bronze greaves recently withdrawn from Centuriones Unlike the earlier Greek types, these were not sprung an but fastened with straps. The swordarm was specially protected with a laminated defence which could have been of iron, bronze or leather, possibly confiscated gladiatorial armour, and the helmet was given iron reinforcing bands. It is very unlikely that such equipment could have been provided on a very large scale. It is of course possible that some of the eastern Legiones involved in the campaign were still using mail, but greaves and arm defences must have been in very short supply. Most likely each Legio or possibly each Cohors had a small detachment to take on bands or Falxmen when they appeared.