Fear and Suggestion in the Republican Roman Army: Insurrection as a Reaction

Authors

  • Rubén Escorihuela Martínez Universidad de Zaragoza

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53351/ruhm.v9i19.687

Keywords:

Republican Roman army, physical traumas, psychological traumas, discipline, insurrection

Abstract

Greatest ruler of its time, one of the characteristics that defined Roman civilization was its military brilliance. The Roman army was much more than an instrument of conquest and territorial expansion: it became a means to spread the Roman culture and values. Its efficiency and strategic superiority made Roman legions a highly effective machine from a military perspective, as well as a lifestyle and one of the main symbols of the Roman world. Thus, together with the impulse of new techniques and combat tactics, the idea of a Roman soldier’s unbreakable discipline, loyalty to his general, to Rome, soon spread. However, to what extent was it true? Was the Roman army really so disciplined or, rather on the contrary, a rebellious army? Traditionally, discipline has been one of the main virtues assigned to the Roman army, to the point that authors such as Valerius Maximus, Flavius Josephus or Vegetius have considered it the ultimate reason why Rome ended up becoming an empire of universal dimensions. This idea, far from being restricted to classical times, has been reproduced to this day, casting the image of a brave, reckless and loyal soldier; a soldier who would definitely give up his life with a Roman weapon in his hand. But what price did Roman soldiers have to pay? What was the impact of war? Taking these and other questions as a reference, via a critical reading of authors such as Polybius, Cicero, Titus Livius, Plutarchus, Tacitus, Suetonius, Appianus or Dion Cassius, the potential impact of fear and suggestion, as well as other physical and psychological traumas affecting Republican Roman soldiers, will be assessed as a possible source of conflicts and insurrectionary episodes. To this purpose, a series of unfavorable military situations will be used as a basis in order to, on the one hand, analyze the behavior of the Republican Roman army in an adverse military context and, on the other hand, value the role played by insurrections as a resource through which Roman soldiers may have defended both their interests and their lifes.

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Author Biography

  • Rubén Escorihuela Martínez, Universidad de Zaragoza

    Graduado en Historia por la Universidad de Zaragoza, Rubén Escorihuela Martínez es contratado predoctoral en el Área de Historia Antigua del Departamento de Ciencias de la Antigüedad de la Universidad de Zaragoza, así como miembro del Grupo de Investigación Hiberus y de la Red Libera Res Publica. Actualmente, se encuentra realizando su tesis doctoral bajo la dirección del Dr. Francisco Pina Polo. El tema central de la misma es el estudio de la disciplina y la insurrección en el ejército romano republicano. Su actividad investigadora le ha llevado a presentar varias comunicaciones en diferentes congresos y seminarios de carácter científico, así como a coorganizar y coeditar las IV Jornadas Doctorales en Ciencias de la Antigüedad de la Universidad de Zaragoza. Recientemente, ha realizado una estancia de investigación en Roma y ha colaborado activamente con el Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità de la Università degli Studi “La Sapienza” di Roma.

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Published

— Updated on 2020-12-14

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 19 (2020): Fear, Trauma, and Violence in the Wars of Antiquity

Section

Dossier

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How to Cite

Fear and Suggestion in the Republican Roman Army: Insurrection as a Reaction. (2020). Revista Universitaria De Historia Militar, 9(19), 77-97. https://doi.org/10.53351/ruhm.v9i19.687