Each army was called a legion. It consisted of 5,000 men and was commanded by an officer called a legate.
The soldiers of the legion were called legionaries.
Each legion was split into smaller parts of 480 men called a cohort.
- Legion: A legion was the main unit of the Roman army, usually composed of 4,000 to 6,000 soldiers.
- Cohort: Each legion was divided into 10 cohorts (480 men).
- Century: Each cohort was further divided into 6 centuries.
- Centurion: Each century was commanded by a centurion, who was an officer.
- Contubernium: The century was further divided into contubernia (8 men each), sharing a tent or barrack space.
Prior to the Roman attack on Jerusalem in 70 AD, the Roman army's Legio VI Ferrata was stationed at a permanent military base near Tel Megiddo in northern Israel. This base, one of the only two permanent Roman legionary camps found in the region, housed over 5,000 soldiers and was occupied for over 180 years, beginning around 117-120 CE.
- Legio VI Ferrata:
The Sixth Ironclad Legion was stationed at the Megiddo base.
- Permanent Base:
The Megiddo base was a large, well-planned camp with features like a main road (Via Pretoria), a semicircular podium, and stone-paved areas.
- Strategic Location:
The base served as a strategic location for the Romans, likely to maintain control over the region and potentially as a staging ground for future operations.
Roman Legion Camp Unearthed in Megiddo, 'Site of Final War' Discoveries revealed in camp excavation of legion that destroyed ancient Israel. Remarkable new discoveries have been unearthed from an excavation of a Roman legion camp in Tel Megiddo, located in northern Israel and hailing from the days of Roman occupation of the "province of Judea" nearly 2,000 years ago. The excavation began in 2013, and saw the Jezreel Valley Regional Project join forces with archaeologist Yotam Tepper to dig just south of Tel Megiddo, where they discovered the camp. During the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian (117-138 C.E.), two imperial legions were stationed in the province of Judea: Legio X Fretensis in Jerusalem and Legio VI Ferrata in the north. The latter was deployed between the First Jewish Revolt (67-70 C.E.) and the Bar-Kokhba rebellion (132-136 CE), and remained stationed in Judea through most of the 3rd century. Based in the Jezreel Valley somewhere near Tel Megiddo, the Legio VI Ferrata, or the Sixth Ironclad Legion, was situated to control imperial roads, with direct access to the Galilee and inland valleys of northern Palestine - important centers of the local Jewish population. Until recently, the exact location of the military camp of the Sixth Legion had not been confirmed, but textual evidence placed it in the Jezreel Valley along the road from Caesarea to Beth Shean in the vicinity of Megiddo. As part of his Ph.D. research at Tel Aviv University, Yotam Tepper identified areas of Roman material culture remains, including coins and roof tiles stamped with the name of the Sixth Legion, concentrated in and around a large agricultural field near Tel Megiddo. Aerial photographs and satellite imagery indicated the presence of a large rectangular structure just beneath the surface surrounded by depressions, leading Tepper to identify the field as the most likely location of the Sixth Legion’s headquarters. On the basis of this preparatory work, Tepper joined up in the summer of 2013 with the Jezreel Valley Regional Project and began excavating the long-lost camp of Legio VI Ferrata. The team uncovered defensive trenching earthworks next to the foundations of a great wall about 6 meters (20 feet) wide. Inside the wall, the team exposed rooms likely belonging to one of the barracks areas of the camp containing numerous ceramic roof tiles with the legion's mark, coins, fragments of scale armor, and more. They also located what was probably the camp's Via Principalis, or Main Street. This summer's excavations uncovered remains of the streets running through the imperial camp, as well as water pipes and sewer channels. The excavations also uncovered a large building, possibly the residence of the commander of the fortress. The camp, about 300 meters by 500 meters (984 feet by 1,640 feet) housed about 5,000 Roman soldiers. As the only Roman military camp of its kind uncovered in the eastern half of the Roman Empire, the recent finds contribute to a better understanding of Roman military architecture and engineering. Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
32 “TRULY I TELL YOU, THIS GENERATION WILL CERTAINLY NOT PASS AWAY UNTILL ALL THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Interesting connection to what Christ said about calling for more than 12 legions of angels!
Jesus Arrested
MATTHEW 26
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
"During the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the Roman army under Titus consisted of four legions, which would have totaled approximately 24,000 soldiers. Auxiliary troops and other forces would have increased the total number of Roman troops involved to around 48,000."
A legion consisted of 4000 soldiers. 48,000 soldiers would be 12 legions.
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