Roman \'Special Forces\'?

[Quintius Clavus]

The Batavians come to mind as troops who had a particular skill the Roman army utilized, but... that does not mean that they were some sort of separate elite/special forces unit like US Navy Seals or US Army Rangers who ARE separate special forces units. The Batavians' skills were a function of their tribal homeland on the lower Rhine and thus are noted for amphibious operations -swimming their horses across rivers.
However, in actions like Suetonius Paulinus' assault on Mona, I know that auxiliaries were sent across the strait to the island by swimming their horses, but, I would have to dig out my Tacitus to see if the particular units are mentioned. The rest of the time, the Batavians functioned just like all the other auxiliary units - such as garrison at Vindolanda - with nothing to set them apart from any othe auxiliary unit. Several auxiliary units continued to draw recruits from their home areas - likely the Batavians (as they were not formally part of the Empire, but had close ties and formal oblgations to provide troops) or Hamian and other eastern archers. But that, again, does not make them "special forces" as we think of them today. The skills these had were part of their respective cultures.