03-14-2024, 04:49 PM
I know this is an old thread, but as a new user I figured I'd throw my hat into the ring on the subject of late Roman unit sizes (also I tried to post a new thread but it hasn't appeared yet, so I'm hoping it will appear hear). Based on the 1245 officers and men listed on the Perge Inscription, and the fact the legion has 2 Tribunes and 20 Ordinarii as opposed to the 6 Tribunes and 60 Centurions of the Principate Legions, my guess is that the new Legions that were fielded post-Constantine were 1/3rd the size of the predecessors.
The 120 Augustales and 200 Flaviales can be divided with 6 and 10 per century respectively; these could be divided into two contubernia of 3 Augustales and 5 Flaviales each. The 136 Torquati can be divided into 17 8-man Contubernia, with all but the last 3 centuries having one, while the 256 Bracchiati can be divided into 32 8-man Contubernia, with each century containing at least one. Adding the 59 Munifices, this gives us 771 officers and men accounted for with 829 remaining. The 20 Armaturae Semissales could be added to the ranks with the other '1.5 annona men' (ie Torquati, Bracchiati), and 9 more can be found by adding the Beneficarii, Mensores and Librarii, and the remaining 800 can be added to the 59 on the inscription to give us 859 Munifices.
The Ordinarii and Armaturae Duplares would be assigned at a rate of 1 each per century, while the Optiones, Signiferi, Imaginiferi and Vexillarii could be assigned at a rate of 1 each per 2 centuries, giving us 10 'maniples.' This leaves a Legion 'staff' of 2 Tribunes, 8 Cornicines, 4 Tubicines, 2 Buccinators and 1 Praeco, plus the 73 Clerici et Deputati, the 50 Veredarii and the 225 Veredarii Alii. The Veredarii Alii could be divided into 5 Turmae of 45 men divided into 5 9-man files, while the Veredarii can be divided five ways with 10 per Turmae; 5 Veredarii could be assigned as 'file leaders' giving us 5 10-man files per Turmae, with the other 5 Veredarii being a headquarters group with a Decurion, 2 deputies, a standard bearer and a musician.
Organizing the Veredarii into 5 Turmae would allow a Clerici/Deputati to be assigned to each Turmae, and the remaining 68 can be assigned to the rest of the Legion at a rate of 2 per Ordinarius and Optio. and 4 per Tribune. Excluding supernumeraries, this Legion can be organized into 20 80-man centuries, 10 160-man 'maniples', and 5 320-man cohorts, with the 5 Turmae allowing each cohort to be supported by it's own squadron of cavalry if necessary. The 2 Tribunes can also divide the Legion equally between them, into two 800-man units of 5 'maniples' each.
The 120 Augustales and 200 Flaviales can be divided with 6 and 10 per century respectively; these could be divided into two contubernia of 3 Augustales and 5 Flaviales each. The 136 Torquati can be divided into 17 8-man Contubernia, with all but the last 3 centuries having one, while the 256 Bracchiati can be divided into 32 8-man Contubernia, with each century containing at least one. Adding the 59 Munifices, this gives us 771 officers and men accounted for with 829 remaining. The 20 Armaturae Semissales could be added to the ranks with the other '1.5 annona men' (ie Torquati, Bracchiati), and 9 more can be found by adding the Beneficarii, Mensores and Librarii, and the remaining 800 can be added to the 59 on the inscription to give us 859 Munifices.
The Ordinarii and Armaturae Duplares would be assigned at a rate of 1 each per century, while the Optiones, Signiferi, Imaginiferi and Vexillarii could be assigned at a rate of 1 each per 2 centuries, giving us 10 'maniples.' This leaves a Legion 'staff' of 2 Tribunes, 8 Cornicines, 4 Tubicines, 2 Buccinators and 1 Praeco, plus the 73 Clerici et Deputati, the 50 Veredarii and the 225 Veredarii Alii. The Veredarii Alii could be divided into 5 Turmae of 45 men divided into 5 9-man files, while the Veredarii can be divided five ways with 10 per Turmae; 5 Veredarii could be assigned as 'file leaders' giving us 5 10-man files per Turmae, with the other 5 Veredarii being a headquarters group with a Decurion, 2 deputies, a standard bearer and a musician.
Organizing the Veredarii into 5 Turmae would allow a Clerici/Deputati to be assigned to each Turmae, and the remaining 68 can be assigned to the rest of the Legion at a rate of 2 per Ordinarius and Optio. and 4 per Tribune. Excluding supernumeraries, this Legion can be organized into 20 80-man centuries, 10 160-man 'maniples', and 5 320-man cohorts, with the 5 Turmae allowing each cohort to be supported by it's own squadron of cavalry if necessary. The 2 Tribunes can also divide the Legion equally between them, into two 800-man units of 5 'maniples' each.
