The smallest unit has one man, and that is trivial. The next is two men, the prostate as senior in odd ranks, and an epistate as junior in even ranks.
The first formal unit is the enomotia (sword band), the smallest formal unit. An enomotia is a unit with 4 men or 5 men in Sparta (4 men for the other city states) in each age group conscripted. Most military would conscript only the youngest age group, so an enomotia is as little as 4 men (4 or 5 men for Sparta), but could be as many as 12 age groups for 48 men (48 or 60 men for Sparta). The enomotarch commands an enomotia.
The next smallest formal unit is the dimoiria (two bands) or hemilochion (half file). This unit formally translate to platoon or subdivision, and it is exactly two sword bands. The dimorites or hemilochites is a platoon commander. Note that many platoons only have 8 men, while the largest have 96 men. Sparta instead has pentekostys, units made of 4 enomotiai, with each enomotia made of 5 men from 8 age groups for 40 men, but limited to approximately 50 combatants (technically 48) from those 160 men.
The third formal unit is the synomotia (warband) or lochos (ambush), which is a troop, single company, or division. The lochagos is the company commander (file head), and a ouragos is the executive officer (file tail). The company could be as little as 16 men (12 during the byzantine) and as large as 240 men for non-Sparta city states. The Spartan lochos is made of 4 pentekostyes, so there are 200 combatants, and 640 men in all. The cavalry form is also called lochos.
The forth formal unit is the dilochia (two warbands), which is a squadron, double company, or grand division. The dilochagos command such a unit. There are as few as 32 men, and as many as 480 men. Sparta does not have dilochia.
The fifth formal unit is a tetralochia, tetrarchia, or mora (Spartan). This battalion is made of four files as its alternative name says. The commander is a tetrarch (quadruple captain) or polemarch (warlord). There are as few as 64 men to as many as 960 men. Polemarch was originally equal in rank to strategos. The cavalry form is called ile.
The sixth formal unit is the taxis (rank) or tagma (order). This regiment is made of two battalions. The commander is a taxiarch. There are as few as 128 men to as many as 1920 men. The cavalry form is called epilarchia.
The seventh unit is the ditaxis (two ranks). It is made of two taxeis as its name indicates. The ditaxiarch is commands this unit. There are as few as 256 men to as many as 3840 men. The cavalry form is called tarentinarchia.
The eighth unit is the syntaxiarchia (war rank) or syntagma (war order). There are as few as 512 men to as many as 7680 men. The cavalry form is called hipparchia.
The ninth unit is originally called apotome keratos (parts of wings) or phalangarchia (phalanx corps), but shrink to chilarchia. The minimum number of men is 1024, and the term chiliarchia fixes this number of men and all units to their minimum amount in the later period. The chiliarch lead these 1000 men brigades. Theoretically could be as large as 15360 men. The cavalry form is called epihipparchia.
The chiliarchia occured during the Byzantine empire, and the thousand man cohort. The fixed size units are clearly imitating Roman units. Chiliarchia/Chiliostia (1.000 men unit) copies the cohors. Pendakosiarchia (500 men unit) copies the ordo. There's a skip over the manipulus. Ekatondarchia (100 men unit) copies the centuria. Pentekostes/Pentekostia (50 men unit) copies the turma. There is a skip over viginturia. Dekas/Dekania/Dekarchia (10 men unit) copies the decuria. Pentas/ Pempas (5 men unit) copies the manus.
The tenth unit is originally called keras (wing) or diphalangia (two phalanx corps), but became merarchia. The merarch usually translate to division general. These units typically have at least 2048 men, with a theoretical max size of 30720 men. Commonly, a hypostrategos becomes the leader of a merarchia while the merarchia is a deputy. The cavalry form is called telos.
The eleventh unit is originally called tetraphalanhia (four phalanx corps) or phalanx, but becomes the new apotome keratos, or phalangarchia. This unit used to be commanded by a strategos. It ranges from 4096 men to 61440 men.
The twelfth unit is called keras or diphalangia. Its size is 8192 men.
The thirteenth unit is called tetraphalanhia or phalanx. This unit could only be command by a strategos. Its size is 16384 men.
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The Romans start with the manus (hand). Like fingers, there are 4 or 5 men in this unit. The leader is a decurio secundus.
The second unit is the decuria (unit of 10), a unit of 8 to 10 men. The leader is a decurio.
The third unit is the viginturia (unit of 20), a unit of 16 to 20 men. The leader is a decurio princeps.
The forth unit is the turma (unit of three tribes), a unit of 3 mêlée decuriae and 1 range decuria. The elite mêlée and range forms one viginturia, and the two remaining mêlée forms the other viginturia. The leader is an optio. During the kingdom ear and early republic, some units do not have range decuria as part of them, so the elite counts double as viginturia for the decuria.
The fifth unit is the centuria (unit of 100). A centuria is made of one turma during the kingdon era and early republic, two centuriae for the non-elite units during the mid republic and late republic, and two centuriae for all units after the Marian reforms. Additionally, a decuria of siege and a decuria of cavalry is attached to the unit. A centurio commands (captain) this unit.
The sixth unit is either a manipulus (hands) or a vexillum (banners). A manipulus is two centuriae with range combatants. A vexillum is two centuriae without range combatants. A centurio prior (field officer) commands this unit.
The seventh unit is an ordo (order). The order is a battalion level unit. The principes and rorarii centurio priores commands the antepilani (hastati and principes manipuli) and postpilani (accensi and rorarii vexilla) ordines respectively.
The eighth unit is the cohors. This unit is made of one triarii (aka pilani) manipulus/vexillum, one antepilani ordo, and one postpilani ordo.
The ninth unit is the vexillatio. This unit is made of two cohortes. One cohort is commanded by a Tribunus Angusticlavius, and the other cohirt is commanded by an Optio Tribuni Angusticlavii.
The tenth unit is the legio. This unit is made of three to six vexillationes. In addition, the cavalries group together to form turmae, and the artillery grouped together to form centuriae. The commander consists of Legatus Legionis, Tribunus Lrgionis, or Praefectus Legionis. The second in command is a Tribunus Laticlavius. A third in command as a Praefectus Castrorum. An Optio Tribuni Laticlavii is renamed to Magister Peditum.
The eleventh unit is the exercitus. It is made of two legiones, and two socii alae. Each socius ala is made nearly identical to a Roman Legion, but made on social ally citizens. This unit provides Equites Centuriones and Equites Optiones to the cavalry. An Equites Centurio Exercitatus holds greater authority than a Tribunus Angusticlavius. The Tribunus Celerum holds greater authority than the Tribunus Laticlavius. An Optio Tribuni Celeres gets renamed to Magister Equitum. A celerum (swift) is a unit of two or three equites centuriae. The Tribunus Celerum and Optio Tribuni Celeres controls part of a celerum. An exercitus would have six to ten celeres.
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