The equipment used by the Roman armies are part of what made them so successful for centuries. The Roman gladius and pilum were the two main weapons used by the Romans for a long period of time, which allowed them to shock their enemies and dominate in close combat. The Romans used a few different varieties of body armor, each with their own trade offs. They also utilized a few different pieces of artillery for both open combat and siege operations. However, as the Roman Empire expanded and faced new challenges, these well known weapons were phased out.