Roman History & Society Key Figures, Politics, and Warfare Practice Test

Think about the scale and organization of the Roman army. A legion was the central, large unit of Roman land forces, typically about 5,000 soldiers. It was organized into ten cohorts, with the first cohort often larger and more prestigious, and each cohort divided into centuries led by centurions. The legion functioned as a complete fighting force with its own support and, at times, cavalry detachments, designed to operate independently on campaigns. This makes the term legion the best fit for a large military formation around five thousand men. The other terms refer to weapons or political divisions: a pilum is a throwing spear, a gladius is the short sword, and provinces are administrative regions of the empire rather than military formations.