Ethnic makeup of legionaries

[Aemilius Paulus]

Well, I've seen Gladiator, so I know that at least some of them were black...

Those were the gladiators, who came from all over the world, not the legionaries. All of the legionaries in Gladiator were white unless I am mistaken. I don't know if the Romans recruited non-Roman/non-Hellenic people into their legions. I'm sure men of mixed blood were levied into legions, but I don't know if the Romans accepted the natives, which they saw as inferior people and barbarians.

[Connacht]

I don't know if the Romans recruited non-Roman/non-Hellenic people into their legions.

Gauls, Iberians Illyrians, and Eastern soldiers, for instance.
And at a certain point of history even Germans (but this happens later IIRC).

So I don't think it's impossible they could recruit a black African.

[Chris1959]

Wasn't one of the "perks" for a Auxilary that when they had completed their 25 years service they received Citizenship. So it would be quite likely that the offspring of a veteran Auxilia would follow their father's footsteps but in the Legions. Also am I right in believing the Romans showed little prejudice based on the colour of a persons skin, more on wether that person was "civilised" or not according to their definition.

[Aemilius Paulus]

Gauls, Iberians Illyrians, and Eastern soldiers, for instance.
And at a certain point of history even Germans (but this happens later IIRC).

So I don't think it's impossible they could recruit a black African.

All of the abovementioned people were recruited in the times of the empire, not during the republic. Were there any Negroid Africans in North Africa. I am not sure if Berbers qualified as true Africans. They weren't truly black either, just dark-skinned. However, as I have already said, I am sure the romans recruited mixed-race people. Why do the historians make such a big deal about Romans recruiting barbarians in their armies during the late republic? Probably because the Romans didn't do it before. Just because a legion was recruited in Gaul, doesn't mean that ethnic Gauls made up the legion. It is more likely that mixed Romano-Gauls and Roman settler/colonists were recruited. Although I do have to admit the Romans heavily recruited auxilia from foreigners. However, the auxiliary soldiers were no "legionaries", and this thread is about the ethnic makeup of legionaries, not auxilia. The Romans would wait until the region was sufficiently Romanized before recruiting the natives.

[Megas Methuselah]

All of the abovementioned people were recruited in the times of the empire, not during the republic. Were there any Negroid Africans in North Africa. I am not sure if Berbers qualified as true Africans. They weren't truly black either, just dark-skinned. However, as I have already said, I am sure the romans recruited mixed-race people. Why do the historians make such a big deal about Romans recruiting barbarians in their armies during the late republic? Probably because the Romans didn't do it before. Just because a legion was recruited in Gaul, doesn't mean that ethnic Gauls made up the legion. It is more likely that mixed Romano-Gauls and Roman settler/colonists were recruited. Although I do have to admit the Romans heavily recruited auxilia from foreigners. However, the auxiliary soldiers were no "legionaries", and this thread is about the ethnic makeup of legionaries, not auxilia. The Romans would wait until the region was sufficiently Romanized before recruiting the natives.

If a "native" was in possesion of Roman citizenship, he could merely go enlist in the Legion as a legionary, not an auxiliary. An enlistee's ethnic background really didn't matter much, as long as he had Roman citizenship, which not only could be attained from serving the full time in the auxiliary, but could also be rewarded(or bought, for that matter).