Auxiliaries were non citizen soldiers who joined up for 25 years service after which they became Roman citizens. They were paid less than the Legionary soldier. There were as many Auxiliaries as Legionaries in the Roman Army. Auxiliaries would serve in a cohort of 480 or 800 men known as the Cohors Quingenaria and Cohors Milaria respectively
The equipment was simpler than that of the legionary and included a mail shirt, a bronze helmet, oval shield, a gladius and stabbing spear
Auxilia means ‘helper’ in Latin and they would perform a variety of roles assigned to light infantry including scouting ahead for ambushes, taking part in preliminary skirmishing, shooting arrows and slingshot at the enemy and then entering into close quarter fighting.
The Auxilia provided specialist military support to the Legions including Sarmatian cavalry, Syrian archers, Balearic slingers and even camel cavalry
