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Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Zames - 10-27-2013

Hi there,
with this thread I want to share with you a list of military units' names that I found in recent works of Giorgio Ravegnani, an important italian scholar about roman army from Justinian to Maurice.
We can find them attested in ancient documents and epigraphs, some also in Procopius.
I hope it could be useful for someone who wants to recreate, like me, a specific VI-VIIth century historical unit.

A note for the units of that time, belonging especially on Maurice's "Strategikon": the unit were generically called "numeri" (singular "numerus"), but we can make a distinction between cavarly units, called "tagmata" (singular "tagma") or "banda" (singular "bandon"), and the infantry units, called "arithmòi" (singular "arithmòs"), which actually is the greek word for "numerus".
At that time, units were composed by 200-500 men, with a maximum of 256 men for infantry regiments.

Numidae Iustiniani, unit of 508 men attested by an egyptian document in year 539.

Numerus Hispanorum, regiment placed in Bosporo in year 528, after a hunnic unrest.

Lanciarii, a infantry regiment placed in year 518 Constantinople.

Sesto Dalmatae, a cavalry regimen placed in year 518 Costantinople.

Vandali Iustiniani, four cavalry units created after the Vandalic War and placed in some Eastern cities in year 534, composed by captured Vandals.

Quartoparthi, a previously limitanei regiment stationed in Syria in year 586.

Tertio Dalmatae, an ancient vexillatio (cavalry unit) placed in Phoenicia in year 530.

Theodosiaci, maybe a ballistari regiment, who stationed in Nessana castrum in Palestine in year 530.

Leones Clibanarii, or Leontoclibanarii, a heavy cavalry force in Arsinoe (Egypt).

Transtigritani, a previously limitanei regiment, in Arsinoe.

Daci, an ancient palatine legion moved in Rome at the beginning of the VIIth century.

Salonitae, a regiment we know only from a papyrus' fragment in Oxyrhynchus (Egypt).

Equites Mauri Scutarii, stationed in Hermopolis until year 538 (and maybe merged with Numidae Iustiniani).

Macedones, stationed in Antaiopolis and maybe before in Memphis as limitanei.

Bis Electi, maybe created in Africa in Hippo Regius and then moved to Egypt after the Vandalic War.

Schytae Iustiniani, a palatine regiment attested in Antaiopolis and Apollonopolis Magna.

Paratonitae Iustiniani, stationed in Libya, their name come from the city of Paratonio, it should be one of the new units created by Justinian.

Libyes Iustiniani, placed in Libya, it should be one of the new units created by Justinian.

Numerus dromonarium, attested from an epigraph in Cagliari (Sardinia), probably a naval unit.

Regii, an infantry unit which took part in the Gothic War since year 535 (they were also in Rome when it was besieged by the Goths).

Primi Theodosiani, stationed in Florence in year 547, probably a unit created before VIth century.

Persoiustiniani, a cavalry regiment created in 541 composed by Persian prisoners, it fought near Verona and it was placed in Grado.

Cadisiani, probably composed by Persian prisoners, attested in year 579 in Grado.

Mediolanenses, attested at the end of VIth century in Ravenna, created in Milan after the Gothic War.

Veronenses, attested at the end of VIth century in Ravenna, created in Verona after the Gothic War.

Tarvisiani, a cavalry regiment attested in Grado in year 579.

Ravennates, attested in Classe in year 591.

Persoarmeni, attested in Classe in year 591.

Numerus Theodosiacus, in Ravenna at the end of the VIth century and attested in Rome in year 592.

Numerus Armeniorum, attested in Ravenna at the beginning of the VIIth century.

Numerus felicium Laetorum, attested in Ravenna in the VIIth century.

Numerus felicium Illyricorum, stationed in Genoa in year 591 (the numerus on the epigraph has been also read as "felicium laetorum", in this case it should be the numerus I mentionted before).

Schola armaturae, attested in Concordia in the VIth century and later in Ravenna.

Schola Gentilium, maybe moved from Constantinople or what remained (with no military duties) of a Western schola palatina, previously dissolved by Theodoric.

Argentes, stationed in Argenta's castrum (Ferrara), built at the beginning of the VIIth century.

Ariminenses, attested in Rimini in the VIIIth century but probably created at a earlier date (maybe 590).

Numerus Centumcellensis, attested in Civitavecchia only in the VIIIth century but maybe created at a earlier date.

Numerus Sermisianus, attested in Rome at the beginning of the VIIth century.

Numerus devotus, stationed in Rome in year 561.

I hope this post could be useful or, at least, interesting.

Bibliography
RAVEGNANI G. 2005, Le unità dell'esercito bizantino nel VI secolo tra continuità ed innovazione, in S. GASPARRI (a cura di), Alto medioevo mediterraneo, Firenze.
RAVEGNANI G. 2009, Soldati e guerre a Bisanzio. Il secolo di Giustiniano, Bologna.


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Flavivs Aetivs - 10-27-2013

Well the Macedones are old Legio V Macedonica, who seemed to have survived until the Sassanid conquest of Egypt in the 600's.

Here is the ND, I reccomend cross-referencing this list against that for a better understanding of these units.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/luke/ueda-sarson/NotitiaPatterns.html

Anyone know if the Hiberi survived? I planned on drawing a 6th century Byzantine of the Hiberi for international cheetah conservation day.


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Zames - 10-27-2013

Quote:Well the Macedones are old Legio V Macedonica, who seemed to have survived until the Sassanid conquest of Egypt in the 600's.

Here is the ND, I reccomend cross-referencing this list against that for a better understanding of these units.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/luke/ueda-sarson/NotitiaPatterns.html

Some VIth century regiments could be linked with the ones of the ND (and it's a fascinating subject, talking about continuity from the Late Roman Era and the Late Antiquity), but many of this list were created during and after the reign of Justinian (all the ones called "Iustiniani" e.g.), so unfortunately we couldn't find them in the Notitia.


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Flavivs Aetivs - 10-27-2013

True.

"Numerus felicium Laetorum"

I'm interested in this unit, anymore info on it?


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Zames - 10-28-2013

Quote:True.

"Numerus felicium Laetorum"

I'm interested in this unit, anymore info on it?

I'm very interested too, it should be the regiment I want to recreate.
Unfortunately we don't know too much, according to Ravegnani it could be a unit composed by the descendants of those Alamanni and Taifals settled in Emilia during the IVth century as laeti.
There is another problem too: there was an epigraph (dated to 591) in Genoa of a "miles Magnus", with the name of the regiment he served in. Well, the numerus has been read as "numerus felicium laetorum", but also as "numerus felicium illyricorum" and now I think there's a bit of confusion between scholars, 'cause recently I read that they were both stationed in Genoa, but I think that's impossible or at least not demonstrable (we have a document from Ravenna which attests the existence of the numerus felicium laetorum, but it doesn't attest that the numerus was in Genoa during VIth century).


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Flavivs Aetivs - 10-28-2013

I was interested in how the soldiers in Italy and Illyria operated, that's why. I represent the Valentiniani Felices so the "Felices" part caught my eye.


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Zames - 10-29-2013

Quote:I was interested in how the soldiers in Italy and Illyria operated, that's why. I represent the Valentiniani Felices so the "Felices" part caught my eye.

What do you exactly mean with "how the soldiers operated"? The recruitment, the creation of numeri?
By the way, I don't think we can make too many links between IV-Vth century army as presented in Notitia Dignitatum with VI-VIIth century army, especially with the Western army, which actually at the beginning of Gothic War didn't exist anymore (according to Procopius, every regiment involved in the war came from Africa after Belisarius or from the Eastern part of the Empire). As said before, Justinian and his generals had to create from zero new regiments after Vandalic and Gothic wars.

Maybe we should think why (and I admit my ignorance concerning this subject) for some units was used the term "felices", that remembers me the word "felix" in the name of some "classical" legions, such as the Legio IIII Flavia Felix. It could have had a special meaning.


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Flavivs Aetivs - 10-29-2013

I wasn't implying that the Valentiniani continued to exist. I just saw Felices and am used to seeing that term.

Anyways, I am interested in the appearance of the 6th century army. What would have a standard professional heavy infantryman looked like? I don't know much about the era, outside historical accuracy mods for RTW.


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Zames - 10-29-2013

Quote:I wasn't implying that the Valentiniani continued to exist. I just saw Felices and am used to seeing that term.

Probably I badly explained myself, sorry, I didn't mean you were implying the later existence of Valentiniani. But now I'm curious about "felix" and "felices", I wanted to know why these terms were used to name specific regiments.

Quote:Anyways, I am interested in the appearance of the 6th century army. What would have a standard professional heavy infantryman looked like? I don't know much about the era, outside historical accuracy mods for RTW.

That's not sure, we unfortunately lack reliable iconographical sources (apart from the plate of Isola Rizza, which shows a probably romano-byzantine heavy horseman) and the two manuals we have (Peri Strategikes by an anonymous and Strategikon by Emperor Maurice) could be a useful source but we should consider the content as something the authors wanted to see on the battlefield, not necessarily what they saw.
The more widespread helmet of the period, according to archaeological finds, was the Spangenhelm-Baldenheim in its variants (4-6 spangen, chainmail neck guard), recently divided in romano-byzantine productions and later germanic productions. This kind of helmet was adorned at the top with feathers or horsehair crest. It's also a possibility that they had, as alternative, a lamellar helmet like the "typical" Longobard helmet. Even if in many moderns pictures we see them, ridge helmets weren't used.
At least first and last lines of the regiment on the battlefield should were a chainmail, but we don't know its dimensions. Maurice doesn't mention it, but the Anonymous recommends to were a himation under the chainmail, a padded jacket. We don't know if it was really worn. Also scale armors and lamellar armors were used, but I don't think an infantryman could afford them.
Shields were of oval or round shape, their dimension was probably the same of the ones from Dura Europos.
Heavy infantry was armed also with spears (akontia, the contòs was the heavy cavalry spear ), but they probably were more similar to javelins: Maurice infact recommend to the men of the first lines to throw their spears as soon as possible and to use swords.
Swords. This is a great problem to me. In Peri Strategikes they were not mentioned, in the Strategikon infantry should have the "sword used by the Heruli", but unfortunately we don't know which kind oh sword these germanic people used. A possibility is that they used a kind of scramasax (which, according to my latest readings, such as articles of M. Kazanski, could be a weapon of eastern origin), rest of which were found in the castrum of S.Antonino in western Ligury. Talking about spathae, the more widespread type of the period was the Type 4 classified by E. Oakeshott.
Last, but not least, heavy infantrymen were armed also with plumbatae/martiobarbuli.


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Michael Kerr - 10-29-2013

I think Stategikon is a good source on how soldiers & their horses should be attired for battle or campaigns, armour & weapons as well as tactics & training used to fight various enemies in 6th century. Edward Luttwak in his book Grand Strategy of Byzantine Empire covers a chapter on Stategikon & he described Strategikon below. :-)
Quote:The Strategikon of Maurikios is the most complete Byzantine field manual in spite of its brevity. The author modestly claims limited combat experience but it is obvious that he is a competent military officer describing the training and tactics that could allow one man to defeat three, the author himself used one word where other writers might have used three. It was certainly the most useful of all books for Byzantine military chiefs down the centuries, and is not entirely useless even now. Behind a veil of sometimes sanctimonious Christian ceremoniousness, the Byzantines were very Roman in their sheer practicality, nowhere more so than in the Strategikon, which begins by invoking “our Lady, the immaculate, ever-virgin, Mother of God, Mary”before immediately turning to the training of the individual soldier, the right starting point for any serious field manual then as now.
Regards
Michael Kerr


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - AMELIANVS - 10-29-2013

I did similar list in the past but I lined up the units also by their recorded place of service:

ITALY
-Regii(infantry present in 536 while defending Rome frome Goths.Probably the same unit with regiment first mentioned in 4 cebtury.).
-Primi Theodosiani and numerus primus Theodosianorum(probably both are the same unit)Garrisoned in Florencia in 547.
-Equites Perso-Iustiniani (Cavalery of Phoederati or comitatenses, created newly by Justinian from Persian defectors and captives,I think Procopios mentions that they had 3000 man,also year of their establishment is probably possible to extract from the same source.They first served in gothic war and probably stayed in army of Italy because they are again mentioned for years 571-9 as garrison of Grado, northern Italy).
-Felices Perso-Armenii (Cavalery probably also Justinianic creation,present at Ravena in 591).
-Numerus Cadisianus-garrison of Grado in 580
-Numerus Persoiustinianorum-probably the same unit with Perso-Iustiniani.They are mentioned there on a mosaic.
-Numerus Felicum Theodosiacus(in Ravenna around 600 AD,it is possible they were created by crown prince Theodosius oldest son of Emperor Mauricius)
-Numerus Theodosiacus-Rome 592-likely the same with Numerus Felicum Theodosiacus
-Numerus Invictorum-in exarchate of Ravena-their possible origin is from Invicti iuniores unit of aux.palatiny nfrom the split of 4/5stol in ilyria possibly the same with Bandus invictus z let 710-711.
-Numerus Sermisianus-beggining of 7cent.Possibly soldiers originaly defending sirmium
-Numerus Dacorum beginning of 7cent.Probably originaly legio palatina Daci from 4.century-originaly they probably served on Danunbe.
-Felices Laetorum
Theodosiaci a Victores-both units are probably the same with 4/5.century regiments.They are still mentioned during expedition to italy in 935!!!

EGYPT
-Numerus Isaurorum(they were garrison of Alexandria at least to 491)originaly likely legio I Isaura Sagittaria,but maybe new creation
-Leones clibanarii-Leontoclibanarii :we have around 20 mentions obout them from the years 487-546,garrison of Arsinoe at least from 487
-Numerus Transtigritani originaly infantry of legio pseudocomitatensis from Arsinoiton polis in the years 406-538 mentioned at last in 12 different papirus writings garrison of Aarsinoe at least from 498
-Numerus daci-in Arsinoe Fayyum,central Egypt in 531
-Mauri garrisoned in hermopolis in the time of Justinian came to throne, they were replaced here by Numidai/dae Iustiniani around 533
-Numidae Iustiniani-probably the same as above mentioned replacment at Hermopolis
-Scythai/ae Iustiniani in Apollonopolis Magna
-Bis Electi Iustiniani in Antaiopolis
-Numerus Pharanitai beggining of the 6th century at Bau monastery(Pbow)in upper Egypt.
-Armigeri, almost certainly Equites Armigeri Seniores Orientales garrisoned in Oxyrhynchus in 488
-Primi Felices Iustiniani
-Legio Quinta Macedonica-vexilations of this legion are mentioned in egypt,in various rather slang names until beginning of 7th century to the thirties.I know at least 3 depictions from this age where soldies have on their shield what seems to be design of Quinta Macedonica known from ND.

NORTH AFRICA
-Libyi/es Iustiniani-known from mosaic inscription from Qsar Lybia
-Primi Felices Iustiniani-known also from Egypt
-Paraetonitae Justiniani
-Equites Tertio Dalmatae
Sýria and Palestine
-Numerus Theodosiacorum-palestina in 512
-Theodosiaci balistarii in Nessana in palestine
-Numerus devotissimi Theodosiaci in Nessana(maybe the same with previous ones) they were garrisoned here at least during years 505-596
-Equites Tertio Dalmatae( comitatenses cavalery)
-Vandali Iustiniani(cavalery of comitatenses or foederati)
-Likokranitai-limitanei created in 531
-Voluntarii(maybe rests of what was once VIII.Voluntiarorum)garrison of Gaza in palestine v 637/39-They were likely completely anhilated by the arabs that year.
-Scythy((former IV.Scythica?)-by garrison,year a by its fate the same as previous unit.
Legio Quarta Parthica-Quartoparthoi-they were part of magnificent victory over Persians at the battle of Solachon in 586.At that time unit was garrisoned in Beroia-Aleppo modern Halaf.

CONSTANTINOPLE
-Lanciarii(very likely lanciarii seniores) mentioned still in 518
-Lanciarii iuniores listed in Ulmetum 556-557 in Moesia Inferior, one of the areas of operations of the Roman army in wars against the Avars
-Mattiarii are mentioned in 457 and they likely still existed while Justinian was in power.
-Toxoto-dalmatae present in 541-archers
-Excubitores
-Primoscutarii
-Spatharii-
-and rest of palace units of Diokletianic-Constantine era.

--Numerus Armeniorum-known from Justinian reign but its regional placment is unknown to me.
-At Crymea he sended new creation known as Hispani


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - AMELIANVS - 10-29-2013

And artwork (not mine this time) made for the small Byzantine museum in Crecchio in Italy.It shows reality of equipment of 6th century roman soldier :


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Zames - 10-29-2013

Excellent list Pavel! Which sources have you used to write it up?


Quote:And artwork (not mine this time) made for the small Byzantine museum in Crecchio in Italy.It shows reality of equipment of 6th century roman soldier :

If I can say my opinion, there are some things in this image with which I don't agree, but that's only because I'm really annoying Tongue , such as the chainmail (the leather parts I think were introduced later, are there any archaeological sources for them?, and pteruges that we can see in some iconography are probably only a classical convention). Also, the torque is correct but only if the soldiers depicted belongs to an élite force, if I am not wrong. Unfortunately the spatha I don't think is very realistic, it could be better if the hilt was on of the 4 types enlisted by Oakeshott, and its sheath doesn't fit archaeological finds, if I am not wrong.
By the way, I have to say that image give a rather good impression of a soldier of that time.


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Agraes - 10-29-2013

Nice discussion Smile

Quote:If I can say my opinion, there are some things in this image with which I don't agree, but that's only because I'm really annoying Tongue , such as the chainmail (the leather parts I think were introduced later, are there any archaeological sources for them?, and pteruges that we can see in some iconography are probably only a classical convention). Also, the torque is correct but only if the soldiers depicted belongs to an élite force, if I am not wrong. Unfortunately the spatha I don't think is very realistic, it could be better if the hilt was on of the 4 types enlisted by Oakeshott, and its sheath doesn't fit archaeological finds, if I am not wrong.
By the way, I have to say that image give a rather good impression of a soldier of that time.

Pavel will give precisions on what were his thoughts when he did this drawing, however I think about several points:
- the leather (?) armor harness is already visible on earlier sources, firstly on the 3rd century execution fresco of Dura Europos mosaic, on the leading officer (which already shows a good deal of artistical convention), aswell on an early 5th century depiction of the imperial court at the Domus of via Dagana, and on another 5th century amazonomachia mosaic (see http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg113/scaled.php?server=113&filename=6amazomachiegrosplan5mhga6.jpg&res=landing )
- pteryges or poedones are mentionned in mid-6th century De Magistratibus by Iohannes Lydus as part of the globae used by the roman soldiers of the past, but the author says that in his time the roman soldiers dress like barbarians and barbarians like roman soldiers, only the palace guards are the exception
- the scabbard (and indeed the rest of the drawing) seems inspired by a figuration from bishop Maximianus throne:
http://www.lecardiologue.com/IMG/png/CoupdecoeurJosephJacob.png

The soldiers here have 'persian' trousers, only their helmets may be unrealistic at first glance, or a conventionnal rendering of a spangenhelme.

Maybe stuff like harness and pteryges were restricted to palace guards and senior officers?


Roman regiments of the VIth century. - Zames - 10-29-2013

Quote:Pavel will give precisions on what were his thoughts when he did this drawing, however I think about several points:
- the leather (?) armor harness is already visible on earlier sources, firstly on the 3rd century execution fresco of Dura Europos mosaic, on the leading officer (which already shows a good deal of artistical convention), aswell on an early 5th century depiction of the imperial court at the Domus of via Dagana, and on another 5th century amazonomachia mosaic (see http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg113/scaled.php?server=113&filename=6amazomachiegrosplan5mhga6.jpg&res=landing )
- pteryges or poedones are mentionned in mid-6th century De Magistratibus by Iohannes Lydus as part of the globae used by the roman soldiers of the past, but the author says that in his time the roman soldiers dress like barbarians and barbarians like roman soldiers, only the palace guards are the exception
- the scabbard (and indeed the rest of the drawing) seems inspired by a figuration from bishop Maximianus throne:
http://www.lecardiologue.com/IMG/png/CoupdecoeurJosephJacob.png

The soldiers here have 'persian' trousers, only their helmets may be unrealistic at first glance, or a conventionnal rendering of a spangenhelme.

Maybe stuff like harness and pteryges were restricted to palace guards and senior officers?

In didn't know about an earlier use of the "harness", thanks (even if in that mosaic is not totally clear). Pteryges I still think were a classical convention, we see them also in later byzantine pictures when they weren't almost certainly no longer used.

About the trousers, I don't think (wow, how many "I don't think" I've written up to now in this discussion? What a skeptical person I am Tongue ) they were strictly persian, look the (magnificent) plate of Isola Rizza:
http://ilpalazzodisichelgaita.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/az-isola-rizza-i-ezc3bcsttc3a1l5-6-szc3a1zad.jpg we can see very similar trousers worn by the two barbarians (the horseman should be quite for sure a romano-byzantine heavy cavalryman, even if it has been also identified as a Longobard nobleman by some scholars).
Helmets, well, in the iconography of the late antiquity we see ancient helmets (one of the most depicted is a pseudo-attic one), but we haven't archaeological finds to support their existence, so I think they should be considered only as a classical convention. For sure, spangenhelm-baldenheim and lamellar helmets were used.
The most reliable sources for weapons and armors of the period are archaeological finds and, with a bit caution, the "Strategikon", which I consider really superior to the "Peri Strategikes" (if you wanna read this manual, you will find it in G.T.Dennis' "Three byzantine military treatises")...and also with these resources, we have a lot of troubles in recreating a romano-byzantine soldier of the period: many archaeological finds in Italy are not identifiable as surely Romano-byzantine or Longobard, for example, and it makes things a bit more difficult.