Legionnaires

Legionnaires are members of a legion, the principal military unit of the ancient Roman army. The term derives from the Latin legio, designating a large formation that typically included thousands of legionaries along with auxiliary troops. In the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, legions formed the core of Roman military power and were commanded by senior officers such as legates and tribunes. A legion was usually organized into ten cohorts, each containing six centuries of infantry, and was supported by cavalry, artillery, and engineers. Equipment commonly included the gladius (short sword), pilum (javelin), and scutum (shield), along with armor. Legions were renowned for discipline, mobility, and organizational flexibility, and played a central role in Roman campaigns and territorial expansion.

Over centuries, the concept of the legion persisted as a symbol of organized military force. In modern times, the term is used as a formal unit name in several countries and is a common element in the names of veterans’ organizations, such as the French Foreign Legion and the American Legion. In French, a legionnaire refers to a member of the French Foreign Legion.

Legionnaires’ disease is a bacterial pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila, first identified in 1976 during an outbreak at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia. The disease is typically contracted by inhaling water aerosols from contaminated sources. Prevention focuses on proper maintenance and inspection of water systems in large buildings to reduce the growth and spread of Legionella bacteria.