Description
“Rem ad Triarios redisse” or “going to the Triarii” was a Latin saying meaning to fight to the bitter end. The veteran triarii were the third line of battle behind the hastati and principes, and only fought when defeat looked likely. However, this saying excludes the supernumerary ranks of the rorarii, who stood even behind the triarii and were, when deployed, the very, very last line of defence. There is much debate over their actual role because historical detail is limited but the rorarii were light infantry armed with spears and shields. They are likely to have been a skirmisher reserve, missile support for the heavier infantry or perhaps rushed to fill any gaps that appeared in the line of triarii. It is thought the rorarii came from the poorest Romans, and were young men of little experience. They may even have been a last remnant of the old Roman phalanx-style army. During the Second Punic War, the rorarii were replaced by velites.
