Training Of Roman Soldiers In Swimming

[Germanicus]

A new member PM'd me for some information, and I have none. Can anyone point him in the right direction ?

[Princeps]

If you put me on the spot and I had to pluck an answer out of the air, I'd point to the various battles in which massive numbers drowned in rivers. This doesn't mean anything really (given the strengths of some rivers and all the gear they carried), so it's virtually irrelevant, and my short answer would be - no, I can't think of any sources.

 

Did ancient armies generally take the time to teach swimming? If it was common (which I doubt), I'd guess that the Romans did. Total amateur guesswork

Edited April 20, 2006 by Princeps

[Germanicus]

What do you know, there's something in Vegetius - here

[Princeps]

Heh, shouldn't have doubted. As if the mighty Roman Military Machine would neglect swimming lessons! (slaps self on wrist).

[Tobias]

Swimming eh? Now that is very interesting. I supposed that Roman marines and sailors would surely be able to swim, but i don't know too much about the land soldiers. That source from Vegetius was quite enlightening.

[Divi Filius]

I heard that one of thing the youth practiced heavily in was swimming in the Tiber.

 

Okay just read it in the link after writing this.

Edited April 21, 2006 by Divi Filius

[caldrail]

I doubt swimming was as widespread as it seems. For romans, bodies of water were obstacles they regarded with superstition. A river wasn't just flowing water. An angry god would drown you.

 

Bear in mind that a legionary in battle order probably struggled to stay afloat. Thats why bridges and fords were so important. I'm pretty sure Caesar never ordered his men to swim across the Rhine. Historically swimming is an uncommon pursuit, although a vigorous and healthy roman lad would likely view it as a manly challenge!

[Furius Venator]

It's difficult to know with Vegetius whether he's being purely theoretical (wouldn't it be great if they could all ride horses amd swim?) or reflects practise in either his own time or previously.

 

Clearly the legionaries could ride (Caesar mounted some of the Tenth), but I can't recall an instance of 'mass swimming' (though Appian relates a legionary swimming/foundering through the rising tide after single handedly rescuing Caesar and his retinue from Britons).

[caldrail]

Did he choose people who could already ride? Or did he have them trained? I'm a little suspicious that everyone was a horse-rider back then. Its not quite the same, but I recall the US Cavalry of the 19th century, who recruited people who hadn't sat on a horse in their lives before putting on uniform, and they weren't anything like John Wayne and his men.

 

Remember the modern armies employ soldiers who can't drive. They have to teach many of them.

 

I personally think Caesar had his centurions gather enough men who could already ride. Caesar was too canny to rely on amateurs, although his gaulish allies weren't as capable as he'd hoped.