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The Auxiliary soldiers
of Rome provided much stiffening to the armies of Rome and undertook many
of the more mundane tasks such as far flung garrisons, rather than tying
up the much vaunted regulars of the Roman Army.
Auxiliaries such as this man were recruited amongst the
' barbarian ' peoples of the Empire. Gaul's, Germans,
Frisians and even Britons served in their ranks. They
were recruited and trained to fight in the disciplined
Roman manner and served a set time before retiring and
being given Citizenship.
In general they served
away from their place of origin.
He is armed with the '
gladius ' the short legionary stabbing sword hanging from a military belt,
and carries the ' hasta ' or spear as opposed to the ' pilum ' of the
legionaries. He wears a mail shirt and an old style bronze ' coolus '
helmet which may have been previously legionary issue. His shield is oval
and flat as opposed to the curved ' scutum ' of the legionaries. On his
feet are the hobnailed military sandals or ' caligae ' worn by most of
the Roman military
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