About us

It is inherently difficult to present, in a credible manner, a legion from a period of the Empire’s near-epic glory within a small group. Scale assumes fundamental importance in this context. We believe, however, that we have succeeded—at least in part—in conveying the spirit and the aesthetic of Rome’s military machine.
Legio XXI Rapax is one of the largest groups in the world dedicated to the reconstruction of Roman military units. It was founded in 2008 as a Polish-German initiative by two leaders: Cezary Wyszyński (Marcvs Rebivs Cacaivs Asellio) and Łukasz Czerwiński (Primvs Fabivs Lvcianvs Bibvlvs).
Our legion comprises approximately 160 fully equipped legionaries—the equivalent of the first century of the first cohort, historically assigned to guard the sacred golden eagle. This unit traditionally operated at double the manpower of a standard imperial century.
In addition, the group includes individuals reconstructing various civilian roles. The majority of our members come from Poland; however, in other regions—primarily within the former provinces of the Roman Empire—an additional comparable number of armed members and numerous civilians remain ready to respond to a legate’s call.
The distinctive shields of Legio XXI Rapax, bearing the Capricorn (capricornvs) emblem, can also be observed in our official sub-units established in Germany, Romania, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Hungary. Furthermore, we have individual members in the Netherlands, France, and Italy.
All members of our group are united by a shared fascination with ancient Rome. Although we come from diverse professional backgrounds and not all possess formal academic training in the field, our ranks include specialists in ancient military studies, the history of Greece and Rome, and teachers of Latin.
We draw upon the legacy of the historical unit—Legio XXI Rapax (“the Twenty-First, the Predatory”). The legion was formed during the reign of Augustus in the 30s BCE, most likely in Hispania. It disappears from historical records at the turn of the 80s and 90s CE, when it was either disbanded as punishment by Domitian or destroyed during campaigns in Pannonia. It was primarily stationed in the provinces of Upper and Lower Germania.
The legion earned renown through participation in, among others, the conquest of Raetia (15 CE), the mutiny of the Rhine legions and subsequent punitive campaigns led by Germanicus against Germanic tribes (14–16 CE), the civil war of the Year of the Four Emperors (69 CE), and the suppression of the Batavian revolt (70 CE). It was likely one of the most formidable and defiant units ever fielded by Rome.

Our primary objective is the most faithful possible reconstruction of a specific segment of the ancient world: a Roman legion of the second half of the 1st century CE (primarily during the reign of Emperor Vespasian). We aim to popularise knowledge of material culture, military tactics, and the daily life of legionaries.
Legio XXI Rapax can be encountered at major historical reenactment events across Europe, at numerous local demonstrations, and even—occasionally—by chance during our marching expeditions.
Historical accuracy constitutes our highest priority. If an element lacks confirmation in sources for the given period, or cannot be convincingly substantiated, we do not employ it. A representative example is the use of whistles. In the first episode of the television series Rome, Vorenus reinforces commands using a whistle. Some reenactment groups adopt this practice, and indeed it appears both effective and visually compelling. However, there is no evidence supporting the use of whistles within Roman legions. No such artefacts have been discovered within Roman fortifications, which would at least suggest their use in combat or training. Consequently, whistles have no place in Legio XXI Rapax. There is no evidential basis.
We continuously refine our work through research, discussion, and iterative improvements to equipment. We use handwoven and hand-dyed fabrics, and our garments are sewn by hand. Our weaponry and everyday objects are constructed in historically appropriate forms, patterns, and compositions, approximating as closely as possible their ancient originals.
Modern objects are strictly prohibited within our camp, including inside tents. The camp itself is a living environment: we sleep, cook, eat, drill, and train there. Latin lessons are conducted, games are organised, and religious rites are performed. Order—day and night—is maintained by guards; administrative and medical functions are also in operation. Commands are issued in so-called restituted Latin (lingua Latina restituta), approximating the pronunciation of ancient Romans.
We do not merely display replicas—we use them. Weapons, armour, tools, clothing, footwear, tents, and utensils are tested under varied conditions: winter encampments, river crossings, forest marches, and combat demonstrations. In this way, we test hypotheses and acquire fragments of knowledge which—subject to necessary caution—may shed light on how military and civilian equipment functioned in antiquity.
Details of our work can be found in the GALLERY section.

Legio XXI Rapax is, above all, a community of dedicated, industrious, and supportive individuals bound—like the first truly professional army in history—by fraternal ties. Without them, this undertaking could not exist in its present form.
Our longstanding ambition has been to reconstruct and field a fully staffed and equipped century—the fundamental subunit of a Roman legion. Contrary to its name (centum—“one hundred”), during the Flavian period of the 1st century CE, a century nominally consisted of eighty men.
This structure includes a commanding centurion, his deputy, the officer of the watch, standard-bearers, a signaler (cornicen), associated artillery (ballistarii—infantry serving as artillery specialists), and an appropriate number of rank-and-file legionaries. We ensure that our internal structure reflects these proportions, avoiding unnecessary overrepresentation of officers.

Centuria est omnis divisa in contubernia…

Our group is divided into sections “stationed” across various cities and countries in Europe, bringing together members from nearby regions. These are referred to as contubernia—the basic eight-man organisational unit of a century. Each section organises training, participates in local events, and supports members in acquiring knowledge and equipment.
Several times a year, all contubernia assemble at major historical events, forming a full century of Legio XXI Rapax. Together, they establish an extensive camp, train, and participate in demonstrations, battles, parades, and ceremonies honouring the gods and the emperor.