Custos armorum

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The custos armorum , which could be translated as master- at- arms , was responsible in the Roman legion for the repair of armaments and hand weapons and, to a limited extent, their production. This office was entrusted either to men who had been trained as blacksmiths prior to joining the Legion , or to volunteers who lived on the Legion's site and were recruited as day laborers . The custos armorum was very high in the legion's hierarchy , as the soldiers in battle depended on the quality of his work. His pay was one and a half times that of the average legionnaire. But he also had to pay for the equipment of the smithy and the fuel himself. The mass production of weapons and armaments was done by large workshops in the recruitment centers of the Roman Empire (mainly in present-day Italy ).

The weapons control room also made innovations in the equipment of the soldiers. The rail armor ( lorica ) was introduced in the middle imperial period. This tank also shows the influences from other armies into Roman military equipment, which may also be due to the recruitment of non-Roman blacksmiths.

The pilum was also a testimony to the collaboration between the Custos armorum and the generals. Since its iron shaft according to Julius Caesar , unlike the point, was not hardened and bent on impact, or later only a wooden pin was inserted into the second connecting hole, which splintered on impact, the spear became unusable for the opponent. After the battle, it was easy for the blacksmiths to restore the collected Pila.

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