Caesar ' s Legion Caesar ' s Legion is an autocratic , traditionalist , imperialistic slaver , and a totalitarian dictatorship . Founded in 2247 by Edward Sallow ( also known as Caesar ) and Joshua Graham , it is based on the ancient . Its legionaries are a well organized , culturally insular fighting force that mainly operate east of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon , in the former state of Arizona . Ever pushing west , their capital is the city of Flagstaff . Caesar ' s Legion is comprised mostly of reconditioned tribes and their descendants . The Legion ' s symbol is a golden bull on a red field , which is derived from ' s standard for the . Background . In the year 2246 , the Followers of the Apocalypse sent a group of nine members to the Arizona wastelands to study the region ’ s tribal languages . The group included Follower Edward Sallow , who met with the New Canaanite missionary Joshua Graham , a specialist in tribal dialects . Not long into their travels , the group was captured by the Blackfoot tribe and held for ransom . At the time , the tribe warred against seven other tribes , and suffered from a lack of skill in warfare . Against his companion ’ s wishes , Sallow aided the Blackfoots to save him and his companions from their captor ’ s enemies , giving them knowledge in gun maintenance , small unit tactics , explosive improvisation , and military strategy . The tribals admired Sallow so much that they made him their leader . With that , Sallow took the name Caesar , and began reorganizing the tribals he commanded into the Legion . Caesar established warfare policies in the Legion based on the concepts of divide and conquer and total war . The Legion defeated the region ’ s seven tribes from weakest to strongest , and completely dominated each faction ’ s land and people . The people conquered in campaigns were conscripted , enslaved , or killed . Caesar saw the tribes “ playing at war , ” and tribals viewed his tactics as foreign , as their warfare consisted of skirmishes that never escalated into major conflicts . With the combined leadership of Caesar and Graham , declared the " Malpais Legate , " the Legion led campaigns against more tribes , forming a fanatically loyal army with their captives . Eighty - six tribes had been conquered by the year 2271 , and the territory Caesar led formed the most powerful society east of the Colorado River . The Legion expanded west into the Mojave , and established Fortification Hill on the Colorado River in 2277 . The advancing forces eventually made contact with the NCR near New Vegas , and began a campaign to take the region . Under the command of the Malpais Legate , Legion forces marched against the New California Republic garrison at Hoover Dam , in an attempt to take the strategic asset and river crossing . In what became known as the First Battle of Hoover Dam , the Malpais Legate initially had the upper hand . The Legate was able to push the NCR defenders back and lead his forces over the dam . Lead elements of the NCR , including members of the 1st Recon Battalion and NCR Rangers , executed a tactical retreat west across the dam and into Boulder City , all the while using their marksmanship prowess to kill the Legion officers ( primarily centurion s and decanii ) . The Legate , unable to adapt his strategies in combat or see the deception unfolding in front of him , chose to order his legionaries to push the rangers , not knowing the NCR had booby - trapped Boulder City , packing C4 along their line of retreat and within the city itself , and drawing the Legion into a trap . When the Legion forces entered the city , the NCR detonated the explosives and inflicted severe casualties amongst them , crippling their offensive . The NCR forces then counter - attacked , pushing back and eventually routing the Legion forces who fled east back over the dam . Caesar , angered at the failure of his Legate , made an example of him . The Praetorian guard covered the Legate in pitch , set him on fire , and cast him into the depths of the Grand Canyon . Caesar forbade mention of his name , and now he is spoken of only in hushed whispers by the lowest Legionaries and slaves ; they call him the Burned Man . By 2281 , Caesar ' s Legion has re - established its power in the west , rebuilt its army , and has slowly encroached on the city of New Vegas . They continue to contest NCR over all of the region , destroying several NCR bases such as Ranger Station Charlie and Camp Searchlight , overrunning the NCR town of Nelson , and creating unease and terror across the region . Sometime before the Second Battle of Hoover Dam , the Caesar ' s Legion has conquered a new tribe under the command of centurion Gaius Magnus , bringing the number to eighty - seven . Organization . The Legion is first and foremost a slave army , the sole owner of which is Caesar . As Caesar conquers the peoples of the wasteland , he strips them of their tribal identities and merges them into his forces . There is no other tribe than the Legion itself . As a slave army , the Legion maintains a very strict hierarchy or division of roles . All able - bodied males become slave soldiers with a singular purpose : to fight for Caesar until they fall in battle . This reason for being is imprinted into each legionary during his reconditioning , or , if one was born into the Legion , upbringing and training . Legionaries become unconditionally devoted to their leader , living to fight . Contrary to expectations , experience and veterancy has no bearing on one ' s position in the Legion . While some may receive better equipment and more dangerous tasks to fulfill , at the end of the day , all soldiers remain slaves , disposable human tools that are discarded the moment they stop fulfilling their purpose . Women are given the role of , essentially , support corps . Caesar specifically forbids women from fighting , instead using them as caretakers , healers , midwives , and breeders to support the Legion ' s continuous campaign of expansion . Almost all members of the Legion express condescending and misogynistic opinions of women and their non - combat roles . While the portrayal of female slaves in " " follows standard stereotypes , it is important to reiterate that both females " and " males in the Legion are fully subjugated by Caesar - though women have the distinction of being considered ' sub - human ' instead of merely slaves , due to the Legion ' s perception of their sex . The Legion is structured after the army of the Roman Empire . The largest unit of organization in Caesar ' s Legion is the cohort , numbering at about four hundred and eighty infantrymen . Cohorts are further divided into " centuriae " , which , contrary to their name , number about eighty men ( accurate to the ancient Roman army as a " centuria " consisted of eighty professional soldiers and twenty noncombatants ) . Each " centuria " is divided into ten " tent groups " ( " contubernia " ) , making this the squad level of organization . Raiding parties also form in this size ( about eight men ) and are led by a " decanus " ( squad leader ) . Those living under the Legion ' s control are considered subjects , not members of the Legion proper . Lands under Caesar ' s protection enjoy stability and security far greater than lands outside its sphere of influence . Traders that have to cross NCR ' s territories with a guard contingent can safely travel on Legion trade routes alone , without any fear or danger of being attacked by raiders or other criminals . Caesar is considered a harsh , but benevolent lord by those who reside inside his domain but have not been enslaved into his army . According to further dialogue from travelling merchant Dale Barton , Caesar ' s territory has less taxes than the NCR . Ideology . The weakened state of mankind following the atomic blasts offers an opportunity to unite the world under one flag . By using brutal and militaristic tactics , the Legion seeks to exploit that weakness and establish one society united under Caesar . Caesar claims that the atomic bombs were sent by the God of War , Mars , for just this purpose . The ultimate goal of the Legion is to unite humanity . They see democratic societies as tools that the rich and powerful use to keep the majority of humanity in a state of constant irresponsibility and ignorance . By keeping the people addicted to consumerism , they could effectively drain citizens of their wealth while rendering them ineffective . This not only partially explains the Legion ' s disdain of alcohol and chemical stimulants , as well as pointless luxuries , it also explains why they see the majority of people as " animals , " and are so quick to use violence against them . To them , " animals " are those creatures that live only to survive . Humanity , in their eyes , is defined instead by the ability to override the fear of death and the base instinct to survive . Those who are able to face death head - on can more easily sacrifice themselves in pursuit of a greater societal and ideological goal . Caesar greatly dislikes democratic societies , especially the NCR , because of their glorification of the wealthy over the worthy . In addition , Caesar greatly dislikes sectionalism and consumerism , mainly because he believes they convert humans into " animals , " or simple beings that live only for the sake of surviving . Caesar believes that it is his opportunity and destiny to unite all humankind under one banner , ushering in an age where each human is judged by their merit , and the subsequently given power according to that perceived virtue . This way of thinking exemplifies the differences between the NCR and Caesar ' s Legion . The NCR believe that basic democratic mercantilism will eventually bring peace to the wastes . While the greedy may rule now , when peace and stability inevitably arrive , the populace eventually will acquire greater power through reform . Caesar , however , sees that as a curse , not a blessing . In his mind , it will allow humans / " animals " to be preyed upon by the greedy . While the NCR uses their significant wealth to fund research to improve the average life expectancy of citizens , the Legion believes that longer lives come at the cost of other humans , resources , and purpose ; people who blindly try to extend their lives should instead attempt to live without the fear of death hanging over them . This is why the Legion refuses to use medical sciences , except in rare cases . Given how little common ground exists between the ideologies of the NCR and the Legion , these factions will undoubtedly contest each other until one is defeated . Language . Most members of the Legion pronounce Caesar ' s name / ˈkaisar / . Wastelanders and members of NCR , as well as older Legion members use the Anglicized pronunciation / ˈsiːzər / . Legion members are fastidious about classical Latin pronunciations , such as pronouncing the traditional Roman greeting " ave " ( hail ) [ ˈaweː ] . Soldiers are called " legionaries " ( not legionnaires , which is a modern phrase and applied to the ) . Those who are liked by the Legion will be called " amicus , " Latin for comrade / friend . What isn ' t truly recognizable is the fact that the Legion mixes up different forms of Latin . This is usually noticeable in the pronunciation of names such as / ˈkaisar / and / ˈsiːzər / . Another recognizable example is the way Caesar pronounces Lucius ' s name . In the ancient language of Latin , it would have been pronounced / lukius / . Instead Caesar pronounces it / loosh : ee : us / . This shows the Legion ' s confusion of Latin changes in consonants . Religion . The Legion follows the Cult of Mars , created by Caesar in 2250 after claiming he was the Son of . Members of the Legion believe that the war god cleansed the Earth with fire so that Caesar could conquer the Earth and save it from chaos . Most members of the Legion are oblivious to their society ' s basis in Ancient Roman culture , and believe that their customs were dictated to Caesar by Mars himself . Structure . The Legion society is largely hierarchical . Anyone outside its ranks is considered to be " Dissolute " ( lacking in morals ) , while those that are both outside of it and hostile ( usually the NCR and its subjects ) are called " Profligates " ( slightly more dissolute ) . Freshly caught humans are called " Captures " and are considered the lowest of the low . Their only right is to be tested as a slave . If they do not meet the requirements , they are immediately disposed of . Slaves are one step above Captures and consist of captured humans unfit for combat duty as a Legionary . They are expected to adhere to the virtues of a slave ( " Honestas " , " Industria " , " Prudentia " - honesty , industry , and prudence ) and follow their master ' s orders without questions . They are given a new name and wear rags with a light red X painted over the chest . During the Capture stage , slaves seem to be forced to wear slave collar s . Later , when they have been " broken in " and transported deeper into Legion territory , the collars are removed as seen with the slaves at Fortification Hill . Children of slaves are taken from their parents after birth and placed in the care of priestesses , who raise them in keeping with Caesar ' s doctrine . Physically fit males are chosen to serve as Legionaries . Legionaries are the main fighting force of the Legion and form the bulk of its society . Composed of capable men conscripted into service , Legionaries are expected to demonstrate the apex of Roman values . Advancement in rank is purely merit based - if a Legionary proves himself in combat , he will be promoted . If he doesn ' t , he will be lucky to escape with his life . Military . The entire Legion military army is led by a Legate , who answers only to Caesar . In addition to this , the Legion ' s forces have two special branches , the frumentarii , who are tasked with infiltration and subterfuge , and the Praetorians , whose sole role is safeguarding Caesar . A few are also assigned to protect the Legate . According to Ranger Andy , the Legion also uses child soldiers . Unlike the NCR Army , Legionaries are not organized by rank but by direct combat experience . The most inexperienced of them , recruits ( equivalent to pre - or post - Marian auxiliary skirmishers ) , wear the simplest of garments and are usually marched in the front line . Survivors of multiple skirmishes can expect to be recognized as prime legionaries and considered for decanus status , or may simply be marched in the middle of the ranks ( equivalent to the pre - Marian ) . The most experienced of Legionaries , veterans ( equivalent to pre - Marian ) , make up the rear guard and join battle only if recruits and prime legionaries fail to meet their objectives . This practice is not a matter of rewarding elite soldiers for their service . Instead allowing the Legion to hold the best warriors in reserve , the practice forces an enemy weakened by previous waves to engage the fiercest Legionaries . The main commanders , centurion s and the Legate , are also the deadliest members of the Legion . Unlike their counterparts in the NCR or any other organization , each has reached their rank through their battlefield accomplishments , and their armor reflects that fact - it is made up of trophies taken from defeated enemies . However , they rarely enter the battlefield , as they are few in number and possess valuable leadership skills . The loss of a centurion will likely result in a dramatic loss of unit cohesion . A special post in the Legion military is the Vexillarius ( standard - bearer ) . The standard - bearers carry the sign of the Legion into battle and act as rally points for Legionaries . The discipline of legionaries is absolute . In combat , they obey every order without question and if needed , will gladly sacrifice their lives . The reason for this is simple : punishment for failure is severe . Legionaries that fail will be lucky if they escape with their lives . Those that fail will often be crucified or hacked to pieces by Praetorians in front of Caesar . It is also possible that the Legate will invoke , where every tenth legionary will be beaten to death by his comrades as punishment . Life expectancy in the Legion army is low - any Legionary who can survive extended service is a formidable opponent . While this disciplined style of warfare is extremely effective , it does create a few very exploitable weaknesses . Soldiers in the legion are trained to obey their superiors in all situations ; this often makes the Legion troops , especially recruits , slow to adapt to changing battlefield situations . If the officers and veterans are eliminated , the chain of command will be in severe danger of collapsing . With recruits unable to control the situation , the leaderless army will become disoriented and confused , ultimately rendering it easily routed or wiped out . Under the command of Chief Hanlon , the NCR demonstrated and exploited these weaknesses to great effect during The First Battle of Hoover Dam . The Legion excels at melee combat , as evidenced by their choice of weaponry - primarily , the machete , which cripples limbs . They are not averse , tactically speaking , to using firearms , but will not provide them to the lower ranked troops . They usually have to scavenge firearms , and the ones used by the Recruits are rather low quality and include . 357 Magnum revolver s , varmint rifle s , and single shotgun s . A ranked Decanus is most often armed with a submachine gun of some sort . On a whole , Prime and Veteran Legionaries prefer slower , more reliable firearms , like cowboy repeater s , . 44 Magnum revolver s , and hunting rifle s . The most high tech Legion soldiers are the Centurions , who use anti - materiel rifle s and marksman carbine s . Legion soldiers on average have more health than NCR troopers , but are less durable due to having worse armor . The Legion makes extensive use of hit and run tactics . Legion raids typically involve sending an overwhelming force to suddenly attack a town , killing everyone ( sometimes taking slaves ) and leaving before the enemy can respond . As Lanius states , their forces are much better suited at taking positions than holding them due to their up close style of fighting . While Legion raids are often very successful , it is worth noting that the number of positions the Legion actually controls over a period of time in the Mojave is very small compared to the NCR . Relations with the outside . The Legion ' s aim is to dominate the known world and unite it under its banner . In 2281 , it is locked in conflict with the New California Republic at the Colorado River . Tribes that weren ' t pressed into it are also openly hostile to the Legion , fearing that they too will become victims of its campaign of conquest , as even with guarantees of safety and independence , Caesar has gone against his word and assimilated tribes he previously promised he ' d leave alone . This causes even ruthless organizations like the Van Graffs to oppose the Legion in addition to organizations like the Desert Rangers . However while many civilized groups dislike the Legion ' s ways , they have great success in assimilating tribal groups . Tribals , with their general respect for power over anything else , typically side with the Legion over the NCR . The White Legs are firm allies of the Legion , and are used as proxies for the Legion in the War for Zion . In 2281 , after suffering an incredibly devastating defeat at Hoover Dam , the Legion has resorted to finding ways to gain the allegiance of local factions so that they can sow the seeds of their enemy ' s demise closer to home . They have allied with the Great Khans and Omertas and plan to use them to aid their plans in the Mojave before assimilating or exterminating them . Dale Barton often prefers to trade in Legion territories , saying that he finds it cheaper as he rarely has to hire protection or pay extortionate taxes , due to the effectiveness of Legion suppression of raiders and wasteland creatures . Even Rose of Sharon Cassidy has admitted to admiring Legion - controlled areas , as they attract traders , merchants , and communities in general to their high level of safety , especially when compared to NCR territories and uncontrolled regions . However , the Legion as a whole is unpopular in the Mojave due to their brutality . According to Ulysses , Caesar commanded Legion couriers not to kill another courier ( be they Legion or not ) , because many couriers in fact were frumentarii . The Legion follows a strict policy of frontier justice , wiping out all savage , chem - dependent raider gangs and tribes they deem unfit for absorption into their ranks . Technology . Caesar firmly believes that reliance on technology weakens humans , and was responsible for the Great War . As such , his Legion is mostly a low - tech organization , relying on numbers , physical fitness and discipline to achieve their objectives . A typical legionary will wear armor mimicking the Roman or , usually created from pre - War sports gear ( mostly , if not exclusively , football gear ) armored with metal plates , including the helmet , worn over a tunic . In combat , they use either simple firearms ( typically revolvers or lever - action rifles ) , s , or melee weapons in the form of s and throwing spear s , crafted from scavenged materials that mimic the ancient Roman short sword ( gladius ) and javelin ( pilum ) . However , it is incorrect to treat their technology as primitive . As simple as regular combat gear is , the Legion is capable of erecting large fortifications out of scrap ( e . g . Fortification Hill encampment ) and mass producing standardized weapons and armor for its footmen . In fact , the armor and weapons of higher ranking soldiers compares favorably to the NCR . In major battles , centurions will use rather advanced weaponry such as anti - materiel rifle s , Marksman carbine s , and s . The personal guards of Caesar themselves are equipped with high tech ballistic fist s to complement their martial prowess . While no Legion member wields energy weapons , they show interest in purchasing them from the Van Graffs . The Legion is also never shown using power armor , though pieces of what appears to be are used in centurion armor . Oddly enough , the Legion has huge amounts of . These Stealth Boys are never seen used by legion soldiers in the Mojave , but are used by the legion at Dry Wells and the legion Marked men at the Divide . A high reputation with the legion will lead to a steady cache of Stealth Boys for the Courier . The only mentioned opposition to military technology is combat robots . Caesar dislikes the thought of having robots win a war fought by men . Because of this he tells the Courier to destroy Mr . House ' s Securitron army , even if the Courier offers to use the technology to destroy the NCR . He has no problem with Lucius trying to repair a howitzer , for the purposes of suppressing 1st Recon and NCR Veteran Ranger snipers . They occupy the HELIOS One station if the player decides to activate Archimedes I , Fantastic joins the Legion as the overseer of the power plant with the comment " Hey man , when in Rome . " The Legion appears to use radios as shown at Cottonwood Cove HQ but overall opts for devices that use no power . The Legion does not need or truly desire power sources like the NCR , but at no point oppose its usage as they do with chems , alcohol and combat robots . Development . The Caesar ' s Legion concept was created by Chris Avellone during pre - production for Black Isle ' s canceled " Fallout 3 " . J . E . Sawyer then elaborated on the concept : In their the test pen - and - paper campaign run by Chris Avellone , the first fringe unit of Caesar ’ s Legion was planned to appear as a hostile enemy in the Circle Junction Train Yards . Furthermore , the Daughters of Hecate and Caesar ’ s Legion was thought as the female and male polar opposites , which was supposed to allow the player , depending on gender , to rule either one and use them to build an army , much like in the movie " " . Sharptooth , a member of Hangdog tribe , was planned to be a spy for Caesar ' s Legion , reporting to their agents in Denver ; however , this was only because Caesar holds Sharptooth ' s sister as a slave . If this became known , the other Hangdogs would demand to banish him and his family to the wasteland . Bares His Teeth would have no qualms about doing this . Before being merged by designers with the Blackfoot tribe , Hangdog ' s tribe could be planned to live in northeastern Colorado , near Denver . Appearances . Caesar ' s Legion appears only in " " . They were also to appear in Black Isle Studios ' canceled " Fallout 3 " . Caesar ' s Legion was also to play in a minor role in the canceled " " .