Dr Simon Elliott

And the Romans have probably got about 30 at this point, but they're all equipped the same.

They're all equipped the same way.

Two pillums, Gladys Hispaniensis, Lorca Hamata, Gallic Helmet, Scutum Shield, all equipped in exactly the same way.

1,800 of them are engineers.

who do things like they're woodworkers, they are stonemasons, they can do everything, and they're soldiers as well.

And in addition, every legionary is also trained to engineer as well.

So you have the experts fighting and the Roman legionaries who can be engineers fighting.

You don't need a siege train behind you.

You don't need a supply chain.

It's all within that one unit.

And he allows them to be recruited from the poor.

So they become ultra loyal to the warlord.

I call them warlords in my books, the warlord who recruits them.

So Sulla recruits his own legions, Marius recruits his own legions, Caesar recruits his own legions.

They are ultra, ultra loyal.

And that's why you effectively get these independent warlords as you cascade into the first century BC, who basically they can do whatever they want.

It's probably because it's quite thinly stretched.

And also, remember, at the same time, the draw of the East.

So they've been drawn into Anatolia already.

They're going through Asia.