Troop Type: Regular heavy cavalry
Armour: Metal helmet, metal breastplates and/or mail lorca (upper body covering) and metal greaves (shin guards)
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function:Could skirmish but main role was to frontally charge light and loose formation troops.
The cavalry was originally drawn exclusively from the aristocracy; the "first class."
As the expansion of Rome's empire demanded an ever expanding military, more cavalry was needed.
The upper echelons of the common people were permitted to volunteer.
It was an expensive form of service, however. The cavalry man was expected to purchase his own horse and equipment.
Troop Type: Regular light cavalry
Armour: Metal helmet
Weapons: Javelin, shield
Function: Charging away enemy light troops and skirmishers
The Equites were largely Socii - drawn from Rome's Latin allies.
They were light and manoeuvrable. Their main function was to charge and retire, ready to charge again to deal with enemy skirmishers and light troops.
They were not equipped to remain in combat, in melee, after charging, as were the heavy cavalry.
Troop Type: Light infantry
Armour: None. Animal skin headdress often worn to distinguish them from other troops.
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function:To skirmish and throw javelins.
The velites (and before them the leves) were the poorest and youngest troops in the Roman infantry.
They were used to drive off enemy skirmishers and, after the Pyrrhic Wars, played a role in the Roman tactics for dealing with enemy elephants.
Troop Type: Regular heavy cavalry
Armour: Metal helmet, metal breastplates and/or mail lorca (upper body covering) and metal greaves (shin guards)
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function:Could skirmish but main role was to frontally charge light and loose formation troops.
The cavalry was originally drawn exclusively from the aristocracy; the "first class."
As the expansion of Rome's empire demanded an ever expanding military, more cavalry was needed. The upper echelons of the common people were permitted to volunteer.
It was an expensive form of service, however. The cavalry man was expected to purchase his own horse and equipment.
If the horse was killed, however, the state would reimburse its cost.
Troop Type: Regular Loose Medium Infantry
Armour: Helmet and leather armour, some metal breastplates and greaves (shin guards)
Weapons: Javelin, shield
Function: Fought in a looser formation than the Legions. Able to operate better in rough terrain, could also skirmish.
These troops later became the Auxilia of the Late Roman Imperial armies.
They were citizens of Italian cities previously conquered and brought into the Roman confederation.
Troop Type: Regular Medium Infantry
Armour: Helmet, metal and leather armour, some metal breastplates and greaves (shin guards)
Weapons: Heavy throwing weapon (pilum), shield.
Function: Fought in close formation, shoulder to shoulder. Originally developed as a counter to Greek hoplite and Macedonian pike phalanx formations.
The legions were the backbone of a Roman army. The fought in three ranks:
Hastati in the front rank - armed with the pilum.
Principes in the second rank also armed with the pilum.
Triarii in the rear rank - veterans armed with long thrusting spears.
Troop Type: Regular heavy cavalry
Armour: Metal helmet, metal breastplates and/or mail lorca (upper body covering) and metal greaves (shin guards)
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function:Could skirmish but main role was to frontally charge light and loose formation troops.
The cavalry was originally drawn exclusively from the aristocracy; the "first class."
As the expansion of Rome's empire demanded an ever expanding military, more cavalry was needed.
The upper echelons of the common people were permitted to volunteer.
It was an expensive form of service, however. The cavalry man was expected to purchase his own horse and equipment.
Name: Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio
Escort: Regular heavy cavalry
Armour: Metal helmet and breastplate
Weapons: Javelin, shield
Function: Commander in Chief
Gnaeus was nicknamed "Calvus" meaning "the bald" to differentiate him from his uncle of the same name. The uncle was nick named "Asina," "the donkey."
Gnaeus "the bald" was brother of Publius Scipio and uncle to Scipio Africanus.
Troop Type: Regular Medium Infantry
Armour: Helmet, metal and leather armour, some metal breastplates and greaves (shin guards)
Weapons: Heavy throwing weapon (pilum), shield.
Function: Fought in close formation, shoulder to shoulder. Originally developed as a counter to Greek hoplite and Macedonian pike phalanx formations.
The legions were the backbone of a Roman army. The fought in three ranks:
Hastati in the front rank - armed with the pilum.
Principes in the second rank also armed with the pilum.
Triarii in the rear rank - veterans armed with long thrusting spears.
Troop Type: Regular Loose Medium Infantry
Armour: Helmet and leather armour, some metal breastplates and greaves (shin gaurds)
Weapons: Javelin, shield
Function: Fought in a looser formation than the Legions. Able to operate better in rough terrain, could also skirmish.
These troops later became the Auxilia of the Late Roman Emperial armies.
They were citizens of Italian cities previously conquered and brought into the Roman confederation.
Troop Type: Irregular Loose Medium Infantry
Armour: Metal helmet, leather torso armour
Weapons: Heavy throwing weapon (pilum), javelin, shield.
Function: Like light infantry, able to pin the enemy with missile fire and control rough or wooded terrain, but also able to charge with great impact, shatter dense infantry formations with their pila before dealing out terrible punishment with their falcata - the short sword which the Romans copied to make the gladius.
They fight in a loose formation, giving each man room to wield his weapons with the greatest effect.
These were men from the the Ilerergetes, Bargussii, Ausetani, Aernosii, Andosini and Lacetanian tribes living north of the Ebro River.
Troop Type: Irregular Light Infantry
Armour: None, possibly a helmet
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function: Skirmishing, pin the enemy with missile fire, control of rough or wooded terrain.
These were men of of the Spanish tribes north of the Ebro River: the Ilerergetes, Bargussii, Ausetani, Aernosii, Andosini and Lacetanians.
The light infantry was usually made up of the younger and/or less well off members of the tribes.
Troop Type: Irregular Medium Cavalry
Armour: Leather on torso
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function: Similar to light cavalry but more able to charge frontally into contact. Vulnerable to more heavily armoured cavalry and projectiles, however.
These were the nobles of the Spanish tribes north of the Ebro River (the Ilerergetes, Bargussii, Ausetani, Aernosii, Andosini and Lacetanians).
Troop Type: Irregular Light Cavalry
Armour: None
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function: Scouting, skirmishing, keeping the enemy pinned down; charging only other light troops or at an advantage (eg behind the flank)
These were light cavalry of the Ilergetae group of tribes - the Ilerergetes, Bargussii, Ausetani, Aernosii, Andosini and Lacetanians - living north of the Ebro in the hinterland of the Greek cities of Emporion and Tarraco.
Influenced by the Greeks of these cities, these local Spaniards were willing to be recruited by the Romans to fight against the Carthaginians unlike the Spaniards from further south.
Name: Hanno Barca
Escort: Regular heavy cavalry
Armour: Metal helmet and breastplate
Weapons: Javelin, shield
Function: Commander in Chief
There is considerable debate about whether the Hanno commanding at Cissa was Hannibal's brother (Hanno was a common Carthaginian name).
For a full discussion of the reasoning behind the conclusion that this was Hannibal's brother, click on this link.
Troop Type: Regular medium infantry
Armour: Metal helmet, leather breastplate
Weapons: Long thrusting spear, shield
Function: Close formation troops capable of withstanding a fierce attack and pushing the enemy back.
These were large, dark skinned men of north Africa - made to look even larger by the plumes worn atop ther heads.
They were the backbone of the Carthaginian army throughout both Punic Wars, stolid in defence and fierce in attack.
After the battle of Lake Trasimine (217 BC) they equipped themselves with armour taken from slain Romans and became even more formidable.
Troop Type: Irregular loose medium infantry
Armour: Metal helmet, leather breastplate
Weapons: Pila (heavy throwing weapon), javelin, falcata (short sword) and shield
Function: Charging and fighting in melee
The Celtiberians were the wild tribes from the rugged country of central Spain.
They were long term allies of Carthage against Rome, fighting with Hannibal's father in Sicily during the First Punic War.
They refused to join the other mercenary groups (Libyans, Numidians and Gauls) in their revolt against Carthage after that war; the Truceless War, remaining loyal to Carthage and the Barca clan in particular.
Troop Type: Irregular light infantry
Armour: None
Weapons: Javelin shield
Function: Control of difficult terrain, skirmishing, driving off enemy light troops
Wiry, brown skinned soldiers from north Africa, tough and fast
Skilled with the javelin both as a missile weapon and in hand to hand combat..
More than a match for the Roman or Greek light infantry of their time.
Troop Type: Regular heavy cavalry
Armour: Metal helmet and breastplate
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function: Charging and fighting in melee
As in all armies of this period, the cavalry was drawn from the upper echelons of society; those who could afford to supply their own horse and equipment.
Carthage was one of the most democratic city states, however, where hereditary title did not feature as much as in Rome, for example. The cavalry would have been drawn from the sons of wealthy merchant families as well as professional warrior clans like the Barca family.
Troop Type: Regular heavy cavalry
Armour: Metal helmet and breastplate
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function: Charging and fighting in melee
As in all armies of this period, the cavalry was drawn from the upper echelons of society; those who could afford to supply their own horse and equipment.
Carthage was one of the most democratic city states, however, where hereditary title did not feature as much as in Rome, for example. The cavalry would have been drawn from the sons of wealthy merchant families as well as professional warrior clans like the Barca family.
Troop Type: Irregular Light Cavalry
Armour: None
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function: Skirmishing, scouting, pinning the enemy, charging to capitalise on an opportunity.
The Numidians were the best light cavalry in the world in their day.
They were the fastest, most manoeuvrable, disciplined and effective cavalry force in the Mediterranean throughout the Punic Wars.
Troop Type: Irregular Light Infantry
Armour: None
Weapons: Sling, shield.
Function: To shoot the enemy using metal and stone projectiles hurled by their slings.
These men came from the Balearic Islands - some 300km to the east of Spain. They were famous for their skill with the sling.
It was said that Balearic mothers would put bread on a post and their children were not allowed to eat it until they had shot it from the post with a sling.
Their slings were made from fibre woven from a particular type of rush or reed.
Troop Type: Irregular Medium Cavalry
Armour: Leather on torso
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function: Similar to light cavalry but more able to charge frontally into contact. Vulnerable to more heavily armoured cavalry and projectiles, however.
These were the nobles of the southern and central Spanish tribes.
Troop Type: Irregular Light Cavalry
Armour: None
Weapons: Javelin, shield.
Function: Scouting, skirmishing, keeping the enemy pinned down; charging only other light troops or at an advantage (eg behind the flank)
These were light cavalry of the Spanish tribes from central and southern Spain.
Not being influenced by the Greeks and their surrender to the Romans, these people of Iberian and Celtic descent remained suspicious of Rome and allies of Carthage in her fight against Roman expansion.