Double Duty
The Vigiles had duties as both policemen and firefighters. These duties included patrolling the streets at night looking for fires, catching thieves and also fighting fires. Historians can find no definite record of what a Vigile's uniform consisted of, but it is generally accepted that it would have been similar to a Roman soldier and would have consisted of a tunic, a helmet, a short sword and shield.
This graphic shows the uniform of a Roman soldier. Historians believe a Vigile's uniform would have been similar to this. The short sword may seem odd, but Vigiles also had policing duties in Rome and would have needed a weapon.
