Vegetius, writing during the reign of Theodosius I or of Valentinian III, composited a treatise from multiple earlier sources to create the model of an ‘ideal legion’ in keeping with the expectation of innovation seen in contemporary treatises. His description of legionary training, however, does not appear to be borrowed, and certain claims he makes suggest that it was contemporary to the time of his writing. He states:
The recruit should be taught the type of drill known as armatura, handed down by drillmasters (campidoctoribus). This practice even partly survives. For it is well-known that even now armaturae fight better than the rest in all battles. Hence it should be appreciated how much better is a trained soldier than an untrained, when armaturae, whatever their proficiency, outstrip the rest of their comrades in the art of warfare. The discipline of training was so strictly maintained by our ancestors that weapons instructors (doctores armorum) were rewarded with double pay, and soldiers inadequately proficient in this mock-battle were forced to accept barley instead of wheat. Wheaten rations were not restored to them until they had shown, by giving demonstrations in front of the prefect of the legion, tribunes and senior officers, that they had completed all that was contained in the military art.
– De Re Militari 1.13
