The Roman Military, Part III - The Pax Romana Podcast 046

Was the Roman military the well-oiled machine portrayed in many films and works of historical fiction? Today we conclude this short series on the Roman military by looking at discipline. We’ll explore soldiers’ training regimen, from physical conditioning to mock battles. Roman soldiers took strict oaths, endured harsh punishments and sometimes won valuable rewards. But there are plenty of sources that suggest a military plagued by corruption, laziness and even cowardice. So what should we believe? The Pax Romana seems like the peak of Roman power, but was this because of the Roman military, or in spite of it?