‘Semper paratus’ – how the organisation of the Roman army made it always ready for war

We find that the Romans owed the conquest of the world to no other cause than continual military training, exact observance of discipline in their camps, and unwearied cultivation of the other arts of war.
– Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, Roman military historian of the late fourth century

At the height of its military might, the Roman empire was nothing if not prepared for battle, structuring its armies with mathematical precision that might astound even the most assiduous modern bureaucrat. Originally produced for an exhibition at the Vindolanda Museum in the north of England, this short video stylishly explores the structure of ancient Roman armies, including how non-citizens could secure full citizenship for themselves and their lineage through 25 years of honourable military service (if they made it that long, of course).