When the Romans invaded Britain, their army was so good that it took on armies 10 times its size and won!Most soldiers in the Roman Empire came from countries outside Italy. There were soldiers from Africa, France, Germany, Spain and the Middle East.The man in chatge of a century was known was a 'centurion'.Artillery soldiers fired giant catapults called ‘onagers’. These machines fired rocks or balls of burning tar.The legionaries were the elite (very best) soldiers. A legionary had to be over 17 years old and a Roman citizen. Every new recruit had to be fighting fit - anyone who was weak or too short was rejected.

After a long day’s march, Roman soldiers had to build a camp, complete with a ditch and a wall of wooden stakes. The next day, they had to do it all again!

A Roman soldier almost always followed orders. Anyone who didn't faced tough punishments. If you fell asleep on duty, you could be sentenced to death.

Roman soldiers weren't always at war - they spent most of their time training for battle. They practised fighting in formation and man-to-man. Legionaries also patrolled their conquered territories and built roads, forts and aqueducts (a bridge which carried water).