CLIVE WARD
- Jun 1, 2021
- 2 min read

WHAT WAS THE PUNISHMENT FOR A ROMAN SOLDIER SLEEPING ON DUTY?

Updated: Jul 2, 2021

The punishments handed out back when I was in the Army, and indeed nowadays, are nothing to what those Roman soldiers had to put up with. I decided to do a little research to find out what the punishments were, back in Roman times.

AWOL Stoned or beaten to death in front of assembled troops.

THEFT Placed in a sack of snakes and thrown into a nearby river or lake.

INSUBORDINATION Hit by a centurion with his staff.

STRIKING A HIGHER RANK Gladiator school…being sent to Gladiator school was basically a death sentence.

SLEEPING ON STAG? Flogged with the short whip.

Using a well-known Monty Python quote. “What have the Romans ever done for us?” Well, they gave us discipline, although a little harsh back then.

The Romans may have considered themselves to be civilised, especially the wealthy, the educated and the elite, as did even the plebs (the lower classes) but many aspects of their society would be unacceptable in the modern world today. We used to moan about carrying out the bullshit orders that came from above but can you imagine serving under some of this lot? No wonder discipline was a little harsh back then, it came from the top.

37-41AD: Caligula, The Evil Emperor, who proclaimed himself a god. When it came to campaigns, he achieved little, including an abortive invasion of Britain, he blamed it on the sea god, Neptune. It is said he told his troops to attack the waves with their swords and gather seashells as booty. He even claimed that he could make anyone consul, even his bl**dy horse. Caligula once said he couldn’t be toppled…You can’t topple me, I’m a God. Or so he thought, Caligula was assassinated in his palace.

‘Proclaimed himself a god’…Would have made a great PTI

‘All of you get down and give me 20.’

‘What, in the waves staff?’

‘Yes, you heard me… f**king Neptune’s fault this!!’

More on Roman Emperors in Bullies and Bull Shit… by Clive Ward Veteran. www.clivewardauthor.com