| Ancient Roman warfare was built on the back of the | | | | from the archers. They employed different types of |
| legion. The Roman war machine evolved around the | | | | arrowheads to perform different jobs. The well-known |
| legion like the ancient Greek's war machine revolved | | | | leaf shaped arrowhead was used to penetrate soft |
| around the Phalanx. Rome was built on the back of its | | | | targets. These would be used against lightly armored |
| legionnaires, they suffered some setbacks but overall | | | | troops. For heavily armored troops these arrowheads |
| the legions swept away any enemy that confronted | | | | were ineffective, just bouncing off the armor. |
| them in the field. And though the legions formed the | | | | To inflict damage on heavily armored troops the |
| major part of the Roman army, the Romans also used | | | | Romans would use heavier arrowheads with a |
| auxiliary troops to great effect. Among these troops | | | | tripointed end. These arrows would easily penetrate |
| were the archers. | | | | most body armour. They would also stick into shields |
| Archers were a major part of most ancient countries | | | | making them heavy and difficult to maneuver. Arrows |
| war machines. The Romans didn't use them to the | | | | were designed to be used only once. The shaft of the |
| same extent as other ancient civilizations like Egypt | | | | arrow would bend once fired and the arrow point |
| they did recognise the importance of archers in the | | | | would be damaged once it had penetrated armor or a |
| ancient battlefield and placed them with great skill | | | | shield. |
| alongside their legions. On Trajans column the auxillary | | | | Roman archers usually carried about forty arrows in |
| archers are dressed in their native clothes. Most of | | | | their quivers. As well as their normal arrows they also |
| Rome's archers were recruited from the middle east, | | | | carried small darts. Darts were fired at approaching |
| a region that had perfected the use of the bow as a | | | | enemy units to break them up and force them to lose |
| weapon of war. As Crassus, a Roman commander, | | | | their discipline. Causing confusion and fear among the |
| was to find out when he led an army to defeat at the | | | | approaching enemy. The legions would then attack the |
| hands of Persian archers. | | | | enemy units with their disciplined formations. Although |
| The conical helmets, long tunics and chain mail coats all | | | | the legion was the mainstay of the ancient Roman |
| suggest the archers came from the middle east. The | | | | army, auxillery archers played an important role in |
| Romans were experts at warfare and they turned | | | | ensuring the success of the ancient Roman army. |
| their skills to archery to get the most power they could | | | | |