The most shameful punishment in the Roman army (6 photos)

It was feared no less than physical violence.





The Iron Legions of Rome were famous for their order and discipline. They were a symbol of the empire and its power, covering territories from the Iberian Peninsula to the Caucasus.

Of course, the Romans also suffered defeats, sometimes horrific ones. For example, in the massacre in the Teutoburg Forest, the massacre at Cannae, or in the Parthian campaign of Marcus Crassus. But there were many more victories, especially at the peak of Rome's development.



And the basis of order in the legions, which the commanders were so proud of, was not only constant drill and rewards, but also a system of punishments. The same decimation - when soldiers drew lots and every tenth of them was beaten to death by their own comrades in arms. But it was used extremely rarely: in cases of mass desertion or something similar.





But there were punishments that were feared no less than decimation - they were considered the most shameful.

Each legion had a standard - an aquila. This was an eagle on a pole and the soldiers treasured it as a relic. And the capture of the eagle by the enemy was an indelible shame for each warrior. After this, the legion was disbanded, although the soldiers could still transfer to serve under another commander.



And the greatest humiliation was to lead the army under the yoke. Here the legionaries were deprived of weapons and armor, they lost all rights and from now on they were forbidden to engage in military affairs. So the yoke was worse than the loss of the aquila.



Well, as for the lost eagles of the legions - the soldiers were ready to fight to the end, just to get the lost relics. After the same massacre in the Teutoburg Forest, the Romans took a break for several years, gathered strength, returned to the place of their defeat and returned the eagles. Later they were sent to the capital and honorably placed in the temple.



They did not forget about the humiliation of Marcus Crassus - the princeps Octavian Augustus gathered several legions and sent them to Parthia under the leadership of his friend and legate Agrippa. The Parthians wisely decided not to mess with them a second time and returned all the aquilae. These trophies were greeted in Rome with such ovations, as if the warriors had won a great victory.