Legatus Legionis:
A Legatus Legionis
Usually coming from a wealthy or important family, the Legatus Legionis* were ex-praetors* or former Tribunes and assigned as generals of a legion. This post was usually appointed by the emperor and they could hold the post for three or four or even more years if they wanted. However, sometimes, if one legion occupied a province, then the Legatus Legionis was the govenor of the province while mainly under supreme command by the Legatus Augusti pro-praetore*. And if the province held mutiple legions, then the legions still had their Legatus Legionis while a provincial govenor (ex-praetors of the Senate like magistrates) controlled all of them. The power that the Legatus Legionis did have though was mandating capital punishment or death sentence of someone who created a crime.
The title of legatus legionis was given to all senior commanders of a legion after Augustus exccept for two places. These two places instead were controlled by praefectus legionis* from the equestrian* rank: Egypt and Mesopotamia.
However, there were usually two generals that controlled a legion: the Legatus Legionis or overall general and then the Tribunus Laticlavius*, the person second in command. Even though the Tribunus Laticlavius was less experience and quite younger than the Tribuni Angusticlavii*, the second in command person was normally elected by the Senate or emperor also. As you can tell, it's obvious that if the Legate wasn't there, the Tribunus was suppose to take control until the Legate returned from any duties he had been carrying out. The Tribunus Laticlavius was very important.
The title of legatus legionis was given to all senior commanders of a legion after Augustus exccept for two places. These two places instead were controlled by praefectus legionis* from the equestrian* rank: Egypt and Mesopotamia.
However, there were usually two generals that controlled a legion: the Legatus Legionis or overall general and then the Tribunus Laticlavius*, the person second in command. Even though the Tribunus Laticlavius was less experience and quite younger than the Tribuni Angusticlavii*, the second in command person was normally elected by the Senate or emperor also. As you can tell, it's obvious that if the Legate wasn't there, the Tribunus was suppose to take control until the Legate returned from any duties he had been carrying out. The Tribunus Laticlavius was very important.
Capital Punishment:
Fustuarium was one method of capital punishment
Capital punishment, or death sentence was common in the Roman Legion or just in general. One method of capital punishment was fustuarium* and it was done in public in front of everyone.
All the punishments came from a Law of XII Tables and were
The punishments, attending to the Law of the XII tables (V century b.C.), were brutal.
Such punishments under the Law of XII Tables were beheading, flogging* (whipping) until death, hanging, drowning, cutting limbs off, the stake, being thrown from the Tarpeia cliff if you were a public enemy, a slave that had stolen something from their master or culprits of false witness. Sometimes, you were buried alive. And the most common one when Christianity came along was crucifixion.
Another capital punishment was being tied to two different trees or chariots by your ankles and wrists and then pulled apart in opposite directions or decimation. This punishment was only carried out because the unit had deserted the others in battle or because of mutiny. Decimation was when the unit was divided into groups of ten. After drawing sortition (drawing lots) the tenth man on which the lot fell upon, he was put to death by the other nine soldiers. This was usually when a minor form of fustuarium came into place. However, the soilders weren't finished being punished because the rest of them were required to sleep outside camp and eat rations of barley, which was barely digestible, instead of wheat. Sometimes, they had to renew their sacramentum* or military oath. Other punishments such as having their rations were cut in half or placed as a lower ranking were put to order. or the legion stripped of honor to live their lives in disgrace, or placed as a lower ranking were put to order.
However, legions were rarely disbanded. If they were disbanded, it was only because of a mutiny or because they lost their standard in a battle or war. The punishment was being stripped of honor, the legion forced to break up and the legionaires living the rest of their lives in disgrace.
The most common punishment in the Roman Legion was flogging though. Normally, women and senators were safe from flogging and so were soilders of the legion. However, only to a certain point in the case of desertion*. If a Roman legionaire defied his commander or general, he was flogged in front of either his cohort, century or even the legion itself; depending how critical the situation was.
These are just some of the countless capital punishments put upon soilders, enemies, slaves or citizens guilty of crimes.
All the punishments came from a Law of XII Tables and were
The punishments, attending to the Law of the XII tables (V century b.C.), were brutal.
Such punishments under the Law of XII Tables were beheading, flogging* (whipping) until death, hanging, drowning, cutting limbs off, the stake, being thrown from the Tarpeia cliff if you were a public enemy, a slave that had stolen something from their master or culprits of false witness. Sometimes, you were buried alive. And the most common one when Christianity came along was crucifixion.
Another capital punishment was being tied to two different trees or chariots by your ankles and wrists and then pulled apart in opposite directions or decimation. This punishment was only carried out because the unit had deserted the others in battle or because of mutiny. Decimation was when the unit was divided into groups of ten. After drawing sortition (drawing lots) the tenth man on which the lot fell upon, he was put to death by the other nine soldiers. This was usually when a minor form of fustuarium came into place. However, the soilders weren't finished being punished because the rest of them were required to sleep outside camp and eat rations of barley, which was barely digestible, instead of wheat. Sometimes, they had to renew their sacramentum* or military oath. Other punishments such as having their rations were cut in half or placed as a lower ranking were put to order. or the legion stripped of honor to live their lives in disgrace, or placed as a lower ranking were put to order.
However, legions were rarely disbanded. If they were disbanded, it was only because of a mutiny or because they lost their standard in a battle or war. The punishment was being stripped of honor, the legion forced to break up and the legionaires living the rest of their lives in disgrace.
The most common punishment in the Roman Legion was flogging though. Normally, women and senators were safe from flogging and so were soilders of the legion. However, only to a certain point in the case of desertion*. If a Roman legionaire defied his commander or general, he was flogged in front of either his cohort, century or even the legion itself; depending how critical the situation was.
These are just some of the countless capital punishments put upon soilders, enemies, slaves or citizens guilty of crimes.
Vocabulary:
Legatus Legionis: General of a legion (Legate)
Praetors: Commander of a legion
Legatus Augusti pro-praetore: Official title of a govenor of imperial provinces. Latin meaning is literally: envoy of the emperor acting Praetor
Praefectus Legionis: Equestrian legionary commander
Equestrian: Knights or cavalry
Tribunus Laticlavius: Second in command of the legion behind the Legate (Legatus Legionis)
Tribuni Angusticlavii: Military tribune that is a military officer of the Roman Legion and an official of the Rome Senate
Fustuarium: Being stoned or clubbed to death. Minor fustuarium occured in the punishment of decimation
Flogging: Whipping (Whipped in the back and if you were condemned to death with flogging, it was 40 lashes since it killed.)
Sacramentum: Military oath
Desertion: Withdrawal of support or help despite your allegiance or responsibility to something
Legatus Legionis: General of a legion (Legate)
Praetors: Commander of a legion
Legatus Augusti pro-praetore: Official title of a govenor of imperial provinces. Latin meaning is literally: envoy of the emperor acting Praetor
Praefectus Legionis: Equestrian legionary commander
Equestrian: Knights or cavalry
Tribunus Laticlavius: Second in command of the legion behind the Legate (Legatus Legionis)
Tribuni Angusticlavii: Military tribune that is a military officer of the Roman Legion and an official of the Rome Senate
Fustuarium: Being stoned or clubbed to death. Minor fustuarium occured in the punishment of decimation
Flogging: Whipping (Whipped in the back and if you were condemned to death with flogging, it was 40 lashes since it killed.)
Sacramentum: Military oath
Desertion: Withdrawal of support or help despite your allegiance or responsibility to something