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Size of Late Roman army - Jona Lendering - 10-08-2006
In his book on the Grand Strategy of the R.E., Luttwak presents five estimates of the size of the late Roman army, by Mommsen (554 000), Nischen (737 500), Jones (600 000), Várady (523 800), and Szilágy (500 000).
Are there more recent estimates? I do not own the book by Nicasie.
Re: Size of Late Roman army - Mitra - 10-08-2006
Very interesting is the count maked from Treadgold in "Byzantium and its army". The logic is too complexed to be reported but substantially the author consider the Zosimus figures for fields army of Costantine, Maxentius and Licinius how the total men on the roll. He found a interesting coincidence with the Agathias's 645000 men.
Re: Size of Late Roman army - Robert Vermaat - 10-09-2006
Quote:In his book on the Grand Strategy of the R.E., Luttwak presents five estimates of the size of the late Roman army, by Mommsen (554 000), Nischen (737 500), Jones (600 000), Várady (523 800), and Szilágy (500 000).
Are there more recent estimates? I do not own the book by Nicasie.
From my post of 12-02-2006 here: http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic. ... sc&start=0
The Notitia actually lists:
12 scholae palatinae,
146 field army legions,
42 border legions,
97 auxilia palatinae,
85 field army vexillations,
196 cohortes, auxilia and milites,
253 border units of cavalry (ale, cunei equitum and equites)
If the scholae numbered 500, field army legions 1.000, border legions 3.000, auxilia palatina 800, border infantry units 300 and cavalry units 350 (all average), the Notitia army yields an army of 450.000 men, but Nicasie thinks this must be seen as a minimum rather than a maximum, but since each unit may have been understrenght at many times this number would probably be a good guess too.
The establishment strenght could even be 650.000 if each cohort indeed was to be 500. And this number is what Agathius gives us for the 4th-c. army: 645.000 (Agath. V.13).
Re: Size of Late Roman army - Alexandr K - 10-09-2006
Hi,
you can try this article:
MacMullen, R.: How big was the Roman Imperial Army?, Klio 62, 1980, 451- 460.
I've read it long time ago, but I don't remember it already and don't have it at hand.
Greetings
Alexandr
Re: Size of Late Roman army - D B Campbell - 10-09-2006
Quote:MacMullen, R.: How big was the Roman Imperial Army?, Klio 62, 1980, 451- 460.MacMullen favours an approximate total of 400,000 men for the army of the Notitia, but questions the relevance of the figure:
"What could it explain? Its significance, that is, a rational aim for seeking it in the first place, could only appear if we also knew the total population of the empire. ... Or we could compare the Roman army size with that of its enemies beyond the frontier. ..., but, besides Roman army size, those others that would be required to yield any meaningful increase in knowledge lie beyond even approximate calculation." (p. 459)
Re: Size of Late Roman army - Jona Lendering - 10-09-2006
Thanks all! I knew there was an earlier post (Robert refers to it) but had forgotten the title and search option "late Roman army size" did really help... Thanks.