We're there any specialist jobs in the Roman army?

by Cornholio543

Were there any organizations such as military intelligence, signal, etc., or were soldiers all immediately assigned basic infantry positions?

Little_Corporal

Short answer: Probably.

The Curae (duties) of the troops of the Roman Army were diverse. The recruits who brought their civilian skills with them were known as immunes ("the exempt") or optiones, and were exempt from the more traditional duties of the camp.

Many immunes were to be found at the valetudinarium, or field hospital. Injured or ill soldiers were treated by medici led by an optio valetudinarii, the civilian doctor in charge of the hospital. In addition, a discens (a term for any soldiers training to be immunes) or more would be available to help if needed. Medical students were also on standby, and more specialized doctors such as a surgeon (medicus chirurgus) or two could be found as well. After all, the field hospital was the best place for experience in that age, and served as a sort of medical school for aspiring doctors.

In addition, the workshop or fabrica of the camp would be staffed by any artisans or craftsmen present, and would attend to the camp's "practical" needs such as armor repairs, construction of siege engines, or any miscellaneous affairs.

Other specialist positions included buglers that delivered orders on and off the battlefield, surveyors and architects that would assist in the construction of the camp, and engineers that would plan sieges. Military Police, temporary drill instructors, and clerks/secretaries all held coveted positions, and ordinary soldiers often bribed their way to them.

Other than these, the normal duties of a soldier would involve backbreaking digging and mind-numbing sentinel duty, as well as rotating throughout the camp performing odd jobs such as pitching the tribune's tent or guarding the legate's.

So yes, there were most likely specialized positions in the Roman Army, but not really comparable to say, the American Armed Forces of the present, in that there were less formal and involved mostly skills already present as opposed to taught.

edit: bad link