page_title: Roman infantry tactics
section_title: Post-deployment commands
hierarchical_section_title: Roman infantry tactics / Battle / Post-deployment commands
caption_attribution_description: English: Picture uploaded by the author. Taken on May 15, 2005. Roman re-enactors demonstrate a testudo formation (The Tortoise)
context_page_description: Roman infantry tactics refers to the theoretical and historical deployment, formation, and manoeuvres of the Roman infantry from the start of the Roman Republic to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
  The focus below is primarily on Roman tactics – the "how" of their approach to battle, and how it stacked up against a variety of opponents over time. It does not attempt detailed coverage of things like army structure or equipment. Various battles are summarized to illustrate Roman methods with links to detailed articles on individual encounters.
context_section_description: Whatever the deployment, the Roman army was marked both by flexibility and strong discipline and cohesion. Different formations were assumed according to different tactical situations.
  Repellere equites ("repel horsemen/knights") was the formation used to resist cavalry. The legionaries would assume a square formation, holding their pila as spears in the space between their shields and strung together shoulder to shoulder.
  At the command iacite pila, the legionaries hurled their pila at the enemy.
  At the command cuneum formate, the infantry formed a wedge to charge and break enemy lines. This formation was used as a shock tactic.
  At the command contendite vestra sponte, the legionaries assumed an aggressive stance and attacked every opponent they faced.
  At the command orbem formate, the legionaries assumed a circle-like formation with the archers placed in the midst of and behind the legionaries providing missile fire support. This tactic was used mainly when a small number of legionaries had to hold a position and were surrounded by enemies.
  At the command ciringite frontem, the legionaries held their position.
  At the command frontem allargate, a scattered formation was adopted.
  At the command testudinem formate, the legionaries assumed the testudo (tortoise) formation. This was slow-moving but almost impenetrable to enemy fire, and thus very effective during sieges and/or when facing off against enemy archers. However, the testudo formation didn't allow for effective close combat and therefore it was used when the enemy were far enough away so as the legionaries could get into another formation before being attacked.
  At the command tecombre, the legionaries would break the Testudo formation and revert to their previous formation.
  At the command Agmen formate, the legionaries assumed a square formation, which was also the typical shape of a century in battle.
caption: Roman re-enactors demonstrate a variant of the Roman testudo formation
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