| When you look into military history, some
| |
| | deal with the huge savage warriors. The
|
| armies stand out well above the rest. The
| |
| | Hasta, the traditional spear, was
|
| ancient of warriors of Rome are among
| |
| | replaced with the Pilum, a throwing
|
| those elite few that did everything
| |
| | javelin to take the enemy down at
|
| right.
| |
| | distance.
|
| They were organized, well equipped, well
| |
| | But because the Romans knew close combat
|
| trained, and had the attitude that they
| |
| | won and lost battles, they adopted the
|
| deserved to win. Rome did not collapse
| |
| | Gladius (short sword) and Scutum shield
|
| because of its fighting men, but because
| |
| | that would block the long swords of the
|
| of corruption and the lack of strength of
| |
| | Celts. Riot police around the world still
|
| its policy makers. The Romans understood
| |
| | use the same shield design and formations
|
| the warrior principles of always taking
| |
| | today (the best martial arts always
|
| ground, and to never to stop fighting.
| |
| | last).
|
| They fought as a team and used superior
| |
| | Along with new weapons and armor, most
|
| tactics and strategies to overcome their
| |
| | importantly the Romans changed their
|
| enemy's superior numbers and size.
| |
| | attitude. They became more aggressive and
|
| Rome did not start out the war machine
| |
| | had the mindset that they deserved to
|
| that we know today. Rome was a small
| |
| | win, and running in fear was no longer an
|
| city-state in Italy with a military for
| |
| | option.
|
| self-defense. Like many ancient
| |
| | Training was designed to toughen soldiers
|
| militaries, Rome's male citizens served
| |
| | while teaching them the discipline and
|
| in the army part-time and wars were only
| |
| | teamwork that Rome's barbarian enemies
|
| fought in the warmer months. Like many
| |
| | lacked. Centurions, the noncommissioned
|
| untested warriors, they were confident
| |
| | officers of their day, ran recruits
|
| that they could they could defend their
| |
| | through obstacle courses and other drills
|
| city. But that belief would be shattered
| |
| | using gear that was heavier then what
|
| when the Celts crossed the Alps into the
| |
| | they used in battle.
|
| Italy.
| |
| | Sport martial arts like boxing and
|
| The Celts must have seemed like
| |
| | wrestling were encouraged to give the
|
| nightmarish monsters to the Romans. While
| |
| | troops combat conditioning. Awards and
|
| the average Roman male was around five
| |
| | promotions were given for valor in battle
|
| feet tall, the Celts averaged well over
| |
| | and as the empire expanded, veterans were
|
| six feet. In their warrior culture, every
| |
| | given land for their service. The troops
|
| Celtic warrior tried to outdo his kinsmen
| |
| | worshipped Mars the Roman god of war.
|
| and kill and maim as many enemy warriors
| |
| | If there wasn't a war, troops would be
|
| as possible. They wore little armor and
| |
| | assigned to cities and work as police and
|
| often fought naked, covered in war paint
| |
| | break up street fights as well as take
|
| and tattoos, and ran screaming at the
| |
| | part in firefighting. Even the
|
| enemy. They were a force to be reckoned
| |
| | entertainment was brutal. On their free
|
| with and had taken lands all over ancient
| |
| | time, soldiers would watch gladiators
|
| Europe.
| |
| | battle to death in the arena.
|
| The Romans marched to the North to aid
| |
| | Rome's new army struck across all of
|
| their neighbors against the Celts in a
| |
| | Italy and began consolidating territory.
|
| preemptive defensive maneuver, but they
| |
| | Though many years had passed, the Celts
|
| were little help. The Celts destroyed the
| |
| | still felt confident that they could
|
| Roman force. The Celts used their size
| |
| | defeat the Romans and had not improved
|
| and strength to break Roman lines and
| |
| | their tactics. And when the Romans
|
| their long swords shattered Roman
| |
| | clashed with the Celts in close combat,
|
| shields. The hand-to-hand combat was
| |
| | they obliterated them.
|
| fierce but one-sided, as the bigger Celts
| |
| | The armor and weapons helped, but what
|
| beat on the smaller Romans.
| |
| | really made the difference was that the
|
| Those who weren't killed outright drowned
| |
| | Romans didn't fear the Celt any longer
|
| in a nearby river. Few survived, and if
| |
| | and fought like lions. So powerful was
|
| the leadership of Rome had not bribed the
| |
| | this offensive mindset, that during
|
| Celts to leave, they would have burnt
| |
| | Caesar's invasion of Gaul, his warriors
|
| Rome to the ground. Those who remained
| |
| | often stood up to the larger Celts
|
| knew if their culture was to survive,
| |
| | man-to-man instead of in formation and
|
| they needed to fight better then any of
| |
| | still decimated their bigger, stronger
|
| their enemies.
| |
| | adversaries.
|
| In the following centuries, the Romans
| |
| | The smaller men were able to beat their
|
| began designing an army that would defeat
| |
| | larger opponents simply because they knew
|
| the Celts. First new weapons were made to
| |
| | that they had better training.
|
