Ancient Regions Research: Latium

[ahowl11]

Okay so I will start our new research project off by beginning with Latium. From my knowledge, Latium at our time (280-270BC) is dominated by Rome. The Latins are no longer independent but they do have two main cities that provide troops for Rome, and they are Tibur and Praeneste. They supplied about the equal amount of troops as Rome did at this time, if I am not mistaken and they were equipped in similar fashion as well. It's possible that we can make a few units from them. Obviously the major city in the area is Rome, and it's port is at Ostia. As far as economy and resources are concerned, I have no clue as I have never studied it. Now I know there is probably a good number of unique buildings that can be in place and or built as the game goes on, so we can look into that as well.

For Questions and information on each category, refer to the Home Thread

- Climate: Mediterranean
- Faction Ownership: Rome
- Culture: Roman; Barbarian - 0 Western Civilized - 100 Eastern Civilized - 0
- Major City: Rome
- Port: Ostia
- Minor Cities: Tibur, Praeneste
- Resources: grain, iron, olive_oil, textiles, slaves
- Farming Value: 3
- Hidden Resources: Rome (Hardcode), Italy (Hardcode), Zone01, Region01, trade_hub, farm3
- Special Features: TBD
- Ancillaries: TBD
- Unique Units: Latin Infantry

[Mausolos of Caria]

I am not sure if we should waste units slots on specific Latin units?

[ahowl11]

They were an integral part of the army, at least until the end of the first Punic War.

[Cyprian2]

Nice research there, ahowl.


I think you could throw in some barbarian population (e.g 10) to represent the less Romanized elements in Latium, like displaced Gauls. But that's up for debate.

As for whether there should be specific Latin units, I think Roma Surrectum (and perhaps Europa Barbarorum?) dealt with this by creating the "extraordinarii" unit type, which can basically represent any of Rome's Italic allies, being recruitable in several regions of Italy. Of course, the extraordinarii were something of an elite unit, so more ordinary units would be lacking.

[ahowl11]

Latium will simply feature Latin Infantry. You make a good point about the Extraordinarii but you're right they were an elite. I'd rather have local troops.

[ahowl11]

We still need to see if there should be anything special about Latium. Any buildings in Rome that we should feature?

[Mausolos of Caria]

So the Latin units are like Socii Hastati/Principes/Triarii?


Well there are countless buildings in Rome that could feature... depends how much we want to elaborate on that in terms of special buildings and their effects, and possibly creating individual city models (work was done on that before).

[ahowl11]

No, just Latin infantry. I need proof that the allies before they had homogenous equipment as the Romans were used like roman troops.

[Mausolos of Caria]

No, just Latin infantry. I need proof that the allies before they had homogenous equipment as the Romans were used like roman troops.

Your beloved Duncan Head writes in his book about the armies of the Second Punic War:


"Certainly the Latins were equipped in Roman style, but many other Italian peoples fought in their own armies in lighter equipment. Livy believed that in 217 Rome traditionally used only citizen and Latin heavy infantry (=Legionaries), which may imply that other allies retained their native lighter styles. Perhaps a gradual adoption of Roman armament took place.'' (Duncan Head 1983/2016, p. 99).


Daly (Cannae 2005) writes, that Livy's comment is ''an exaggeration'' and that other Italic socii already regularly served as heavy infantry at the time of the Second Punic War, too, but that Latin ''Legionaries'' were the most important ones. He also refers to Polyb. 2.24.10, where the author describes that, according to the census of 225 BC, the manpower pool for Latin infantry of all eligible men was 80 000 (Others write 85 000 from other sources- whatever).


Bispham (From Asculum to Actium, Oxford 2007, p. 136) underlines the importances of Latin cavalry and ''legionaries'' for the Iberian campaigns in the middle of the 2nd century BC, citing sources that indicate they made up possibly more than half of all soldiers in Spain and suffered the highest casualties- a point which is supported by Lazenby (Hannibal's War, Norman (Oklahoma) 1978/1998).

[ahowl11]

So it seems to confirm my thoughts. From the pyrrhic wars till maybe the beginning of the 2nd Punic war, they used their own equipment, (Latins being similar to Rome, allies traditional) the rest of the allies becoming more homogenous with Rome in the 2nd Punic war. I do remember reading that the Etruscans were equipped not as hoplites but as legionaries. (The Art of The Etruscan Armorer -Ross Cowan)

[Mausolos of Caria]

Livy says that Latin infantry was traditionally heavy infantry by 217 BC, so they must have been ''legionaries'' for quite a while by then. Of course it is entirely possible that they still fought in ''native'' equipment during the First Punic War, but do we have any sources for that?

[ahowl11]

I believe that the Latins were fighting just like the Romans were in the Pyrrhic wars, but that the rest of the allies werent. I don't believe the allies adopted the Roman fighting style until after the 1st Punic War. Latin Infantry can be just like Hastati/Principes.

[Mausolos of Caria]

Well, Daly seems to think other allies adopted heavy equipment earlier. Since Latins did it first and since they are the closest to Rome and it also makes sense from a supply point of view (which was always a major restriction in ancient times) that the allies which were farer away and culturally less close to Rome, especially those around Magna Graecia, adopted it much later, seemingly only in the late 2nd century BC.

[ahowl11]

Well how do you think we should do it then?

[Mausolos of Caria]

We do not have to link the reform of the Socii infantry to a certain year. We should just use a gameplay path like in RTR VII to trigger it, maybe? Something like having to conquer some regions first before a special building enables you to recruit the new ones.