page_title: Military of ancient Rome
section_title: International stance
hierarchical_section_title: Military of ancient Rome / International stance
caption_attribution_description: English: So-called “Grande Ludovisi” sarcophagus, with battle scene between Roman soldiers and Germans. The main character is probably Hostilian, Emperor Decius' son (d. 251 CE). Proconnesus marble, Roman artwork, ca. 251/252 CE. Français&#160;: Sarcophage dit «&#160;Grande Ludovisi&#160;» représentant une bataille entre soldats romains et Germains. Le personnage principal est probablement Hostilien, fils de l'empereur Dèce († 251 ap. J.-C.). Marbre de la Proconnèse, œuvre romaine, vers 251/252 ap. J.-C. Italiano: Sarcofago detto “Grande Ludovisi”, con scena di battaglia tra soldati Romani e Germani. Il personaggio principale al centro è probabilmente Ostiliano, figlio del imperatore Decio (morto nel 251 d.C.). Marmo proconnesio, opera romana, 251/252 d.C. ca.
context_page_description: The military of ancient Rome, according to Titus Livius, one of the more illustrious historians of Rome over the centuries, was a key element in the rise of Rome over “above seven hundred years” from a small settlement in Latium to the capital of an empire governing a wide region around the shores of the Mediterranean, or, as the Romans themselves said, ‘’mare nostrum’’, “our sea". Livy asserts:
  ”... if any people ought to be allowed to consecrate their origins and refer them to a divine source, so great is the military glory of the Roman People that when they profess that their Father and the Father of their Founder was none other than Mars, the nations of the earth may well submit to this also with as good a grace as they submit to Rome's dominion.”
  Titus Flavius Josephus, a contemporary historian, sometime high-ranking officer in the Roman army, and commander of the rebels in the Jewish revolt describes the Roman people as if they were "born readily armed."
context_section_description: Rome was established as a nation by making aggressive use of its high military potential. From very early on in its history, it would raise two armies annually to campaign abroad. The Roman military was far from being solely a defense force. For much of its history, it was a tool of aggressive expansion. The Roman army had derived from a militia of main farmers and the gain of new farmlands for the growing population or later retiring soldiers was often one of the campaign's chief objectives. Only in the late Empire did the preservation of control over Rome's territories become the Roman military's primary role. The remaining major powers confronting Rome were the Kingdom of Aksum, Parthia and the Hunnic Empire. Knowledge of China, the Han dynasty at the times of Mani, existed and it is believed that Rome and China swapped embassies about 170 CE.
caption: Third-century Roman soldiers battling barbarian troops on the Ludovisi Battle sarcophagus (250-260).
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