Quote Originally Posted by Gleemonex View Post
So many other soldiers work(ed) better on the battlefield in reality too. The Roman Army's true claims to fame were/are basically modularity, adaptability and logistical mastery.

-Glee
The Romans had a uniform army that was exceedingly skilled with the Roman sword-fighting techniques, the most effective in the world. Each piece of their equipment was specially designed for a specific purpose. Their sword, the gladius, was not too long, both slashing and thrusting, but primarily used for thrusting, which inflicts the most damage. Their shield, scutum, was very large and practical, being rectangular, with curved edges to better deflect blows. The shields were relatively light but yet strong, with an iron boss. The helmets, specifically the Coolus and Imperial Gallic type were masterpieces of their own, especially with the front ridges, to protect from overhead slashing strokes and with the large ear/cheek pieces that covered most of the face. Similar things can be said about the armour as well. In general, Roman equipment outclassed the enemies'. The enemies of Rome possessed very few select units that were superior to, the early imperial legionaries, for example. The Romans, on the other hand had legions and legions of their standardised soldiers in addition to the supplemental auxilia, which was often just as numerous. Even if the enemies did happen to have superior soldiers, the Roman fighting style (as well as tactics for that matter), in my opinion, far outclassed anything their enemies used, especially the more individualistic fighting styles of the northern barbarians.