After attending the cadet school at Sankt Pölten, he entered the Theresian Military Academy and graduated on April 4, 1879, and served as a lieutenant in the 21st Feldjäger Battalion.

In 1900, Roth was transferred to the 76th Infantry Regiment in Graz for a short period of time, and on May 1, 1901, he was promoted to colonel and was head of the newly established "General Staff Office for Instructional Work and Exercises".

At the Battle of Limanowa, he succeeded in preventing the Russian forces from breaking through between the 4th and 3rd Imperial and Royal Army and the threatening encirclement of Kraków to fend off at.

[1] Promoted to general of infantry on September 1, 1915, Roth was ordered to the Italian front, where he was assigned to the Tyrolean Defense Command.

[1][2] He was not given a higher rank however because his direct superior, Archduke Eugen of Austria, despite considering him to be an excellent general, classified him as too soft and considerate in dealing with his subordinate units.

After the success of the Battle of Caporetto, the defensive front in the Dolomites was over and the army high command looked for a new use for Roth.

Chief of Staff Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf, who agreed with Archduke Eugen in his assessment of Roth, added: "A decent, chivalrous character, more reserved than energetic, albeit fearless and brave, he does not seem suited to taking command of an army.