Children in the Roman Legions
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- Опубликовано: 17 окт 2024
- Roman legionaries typically enlisted in their late teens or early twenties, as evidenced by countless epitaphs. However, a handful of exceptional cases stand out - young men who entered the legions at the remarkably young age of 14.
These inscriptions offer a fascinating glimpse into the lives of these uncommon recruits. One soldier from Legio II Adiutrix, whose name is lost to time, died at the age of 25 after serving for 11 stipendia, or years of paid service. This suggests he enlisted at 14, dedicating his entire young adulthood to the legion.
Another example is Quintus Postunius Solus, a Spaniard who defied the norm of joining a local legion. Despite his young age of 14, he enlisted with Legio XX Valeria Victrix stationed far away in Britain. His tombstone, commemorates his 21 years of service, highlighting his commitment that began in his early teens.
Caecilius Donatus, from Thrace, represents another instance of a provincial youth joining the legions young. He enlisted in the legions at 14 and served for a remarkable 26 years. Sadly, his tombstone, suggests he died just before receiving his honorable discharge, a tragic end to a long career that began in his adolescence.
The reasons behind these early enlistments remain unclear. Perhaps these young men were orphaned or came from impoverished families, seeking the stability and structure the legions offered. Military service could have provided a sense of purpose, training, and a chance to earn a living, especially for those with limited prospects.
The Roman army likely valued these early recruits for their potential. Starting their training at a young age could instill a strong sense of loyalty and discipline, molding them into ideal legionaries. Additionally, their youth and physical resilience might have been seen as assets in the demanding world of a Roman soldier.
While uncommon, these young legionaries represent a unique aspect of Roman military recruitment. Their stories offer a glimpse into the lives of those who chose, or perhaps were forced, to dedicate a significant portion of their youth to the legions, forever shaping their destinies within the Roman military machine.
SOURCES:
www.worldhisto...
www.britannica...
ROMAN LEGIONARY AD 69-161 by ROSS COWAN
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MUSIC : by Alexander Nakarada
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**casilius donatus dies**
another roman soldier: it was his last day before retirement
The commander patting the young legionary's head is so wholesome
Thankyou!
Not sure if it would apply in that period but, as late as the 1800s, young men were recruited into European armies as drummers and fifers in the bands. I also knew one soldier in the Canadian Army who'd enlisted in the 1950's at the age of 15 but he had been going into the supply trade rather than a combat role.
Even younger in the navy!
And boys on ships, in the 20th century we now have child soldiers.
I like how you put your video scriot in yout description! Makes me understand the context more. Awesome content
Thankyou! Yeah it's an old trick that I picked up from one of my fav RUclips channels growing up. Just makes a lot of sense if you ask me
So when can you talk about the Roman Foreign recruitment system known as Auxiliaries?
That has been talked about ALOT on other places.. frankly i prefer how he talks about things that i and most people don't know about.. but hey i can't control what you want.. btw he has a back log of ideas, like years, when i subed over a year ago he said he had videos planed for the rest lf that year, and i gave him a big list of ideas, im geussing others have been giving ideas and hes had his own so who knows jow long his back log of ideas is
I'll cover that at some point
@theromanorder i have so many scripts written
For most adult hood for boys started at about 14 when they became men,onlt in more modern western cultures did that change to 18. So the starting age of them is no surprises to me
There's a possibility that the Legionaries who enlisted at 14 came from military families like having a father and grandfather who were Roman Soldiers which is how they got into the Army in the first place
100% a possiblity!
They weren't the first and they weren't the last
Well the cavalry needs men to feed their horses and sweep and clean the stalls. All legions need men to do menial tasks while the legion is away.
Love Rome, it sure also have dark sides, but its the old age, so thats obvious.