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The term came into use in Europe around the end of the 16th century, when armies evolved from a collection of retinues following knights to a more formally organized structure.

The number of soldiers in a regiment fluctuates, generally depending on casualties and the manpower of the associated army. At its creation, the typical Civil War-era American regiment contained upwards of 1,000 troops. However, at the end of the war, Confederate regiments sometimes had less than 100 troops (barely company-sized).

In the British Army, for most purposes, the Regiment is the largest "permanent" organisational unit. Above regimental level, organisation is changed to meet the tasks at hand. Because of their permanent nature, many regiments have long histories, often going back for centuries; the oldest British regiment still in existence is the Honourable Artillery Company, established in 1537, while the Royal ScotsThe Royal Scots are the oldest, and therefore most senior, infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of England. Their nickname is Pontius Pilate's bodyguard, from a legend that prior to th, formed in 1633Events February 13 Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome for his trial before the Inquisition. March 1 Samuel de Champlain reclaims his role as commander of New France on behalf of Cardinal Richelieu. Galileo Galilei is forced to recant his heliocentric views., is the oldest infantryInfantry (or Infantrymen are soldiers who fight primarily on foot, using personal weapons. They may arrive on scene in various ways, and are deployed either in formations or as skirmishers and guerillas. In the modern period, the term "infantryman" is res regiment. (These claims are contested on various points of precedence; see FAQ: Oldest Regiment in the British Army.)

The United States ArmyThe Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. As of fiscal year 2002 (FY02), it consisted of 480,000 soldiers on active duty and 555,000 in reserve (350,000 in Army National G was also once organized into regiments, but presently uses the brigadeBrigade is a term from military science which refers to a group of several battalions (typically two to four), and directly attached supporting units (normally including at least an artillery battery and additional logistic support). A brigade is smaller instead, except for cavalryAn army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry . Cavalry fight from the backs of their mounts, which most often are horses or camels. Infantry travelling by horse and fighting on foot are instead known as dragoons. Modern cavalr. Although every battalionIn military terminology, a battalion consists of two to six companies typically commanded by a lieutenant colonel. The nomenclature varies by nationality and by branch of arms, e. some armies organize their infantry into battalions, but call battalion-siz or squadron is associated with a regiment for historical purposes, the only combat regiments are cavalry regiments which are attached to a corpsThis article is about a military unit. For alternate meanings see Corps (disambiguation). A corps (a word that immigrated from the French language, but originating in the Latin "corpus, corporis" meaning body) is a large military unit. In the United State. These regiments, who are associated generally for historical purposes, can be known as " parent regiments".