Free Legions of Rome by Stephen Dando-Collins

the four night watches, one for each, to ensure all were present and awake. [Ibid.] This system of watches and roundsmen, as described by Polybius in the second century BC , was still in use 550 years later. [Vege., III ]
    IV. WATCHWORDS AND TRUMPET CALLS
    A new watchword was issued at sunset every day by the most senior officer in camp, and anyone approaching the camp at night would be challenged for the watchword. The tribune of the watch had to pass on the new watchword to each tesserarius for distribution to the guard posts for the coming twenty-four hours. Watchwords also applied in Rome, where they were issued by the emperor, or, in his absence, by a consul. Nero once chose “The best of mothers.” Claudius often gave quotes from Homer.
    Legionaries’ daily lives were dictated by trumpet calls. “All guards are mounted by the sound of a lituus and relieved by the sound of a cornu,” said Vegetius. [Vege., III ] Legionaries rose and went to bed to the sound of trumpet calls. When “Prepare to march” was sounded for the first time in camp, legionaries struck their tents and those of their officers, then assembled the baggage and stood by it. At the second trumpeting of “Prepare to march,” the baggage train was loaded. When the call was sounded a third time, the first maniples in the order of march led off out of the camp gate. [Jos., JW , 3, 5, 4]
    There was a long list of trumpet calls that legionaries had to recognize and towhich they had to promptly react on the battlefield. According to Arrian, battle signals included: “Forward march,” “Turn right,” “Turn left,” “Wheel right,” “Unfold,” “Reform,” “Reform straight,” “Double up by depth,” “Return to formation,” “Spears up,” “Spears down,” “Optio straighten century,” “Optio maintain intervals.” [Arr., TH , 31–2]
    V. ON THE MARCH
    On the march, legionaries proceeded in “marching order,” each man with a helmet slung around his neck, covered shield on his left arm, and baggage pole over his right shoulder. From the pole were suspended his rolled woolen cloak, bedroll, rations, dolabra, sickle, turf-cutter, wicker basket for earth-moving, mess tin and a water bucket which also served as a kettle, helmet crest and personal items such as decorations. Javelins and camp palisade stakes were strapped to the pole. Heavier items such as tents and millstones were carried on the pack mule allotted to each squad.
    The order of march was frequently determined by units drawing lots. Josephus described the order of march of Vespasian’s army. Auxiliary light infantry and archers went first, to reconnoiter. Then came the army’s first legion, accompanied by heavy cavalry. The surveying party followed, together with a large body of legionaries assigned to road building and leveling the next campsite. Behind them came wagons carrying the personal baggage of the commander and senior officers, with a strong cavalry escort. [Jos., JW , 3, 6, 2]
    Vespasian himself came next, with the cream of his auxiliary cavalry and hand-picked legionaries, plus auxiliary spearmen of the general’s bodyguard. They were followed by troops of legion cavalry, then the main baggage train, carrying artillery and siege equipment. Then came the other generals, camp-prefects and tribunes, with a bodyguard, followed by a legion’s standards surrounding the eagle, preceding the men of the legion, who marched six abreast in their centuries with their centurions. Then came the next legion, and the next. The non-combatants followed, with the rest of the baggage train, pack mules, and other beasts. Last of all came allied troops and a rearguard of legionaries and auxiliary cavalry.
    Marching legions covered 18 to 20 miles (29 to 32 kilometers) a day. More than 30 miles (48 kilometers) in a day, achieved by an army of Vitellius in Italy during the AD 69 war of succession, was considered praiseworthy. A column’s speed was dictated by the speed of the