ABSTRACT
Rome naturally had an army from its earliest days as a village on the Tiber bank. At first it consisted of the king, his bodyguard and retainers, and members of clan-groups living in the city and its meagre territory. The army included both infantry and cavalry. Archaeological finds from Rome and the vicinity would suggest circular or oval shields, leather corslets with metal pectorals protecting the heart and chest, and conical bronze helmets. It must, however, be emphasised at the outset that we have very little solid evidence for the organisation of the early Roman army.
