 DATE: Roman soldiers are shown carrying long spears slung across  their shoulders. Spears of this kind were only carried by auxiliary  units in the Roman legion; the legionnaires themselves carried  several pila, short throwing javelins, and the gladius, a short  sword used for thrusting. Long spears would have been indicative of  the Greek phalanx style of fighting, which the Romans had long since  made obsolete.