Auxilia Palatina

[Robert Vermaat]

Firstly that there is no evidence, that I am aware of, to positively suggest that a later Field Army Auxilium Palatina was not simply a normal 6 century/3 maniple cohort in size; although there is textual evidence (principally Ammianus) that could well suggest that the Auxilia units themselves were commonly paired (possibly a later use of maniple and meeting the common phrasing used of 'units being drawn up in their centuries, cohorts and maniples').

Not maniples. But indeed, they were probably as strong as each other new legio, up to 1000 I think. Pairing was normal for new-style infantry regiments.

Secondly, that it had long been the practice to name auxiliary units from their point of origin and/or with 'descriptive names' and there is no evidence to suggest that this had changed either. The conflicts were, in the West, mostly confined to the warlike tribes of the Germanic and Danubian frontiers and it would appear that this continued to be the source. What better way to reduce the fighting power of your nearest possible enemies than take their warriors into your own army and keep them busy.

Indeed. But as I argued earlier, it's difficult to speculate about those origins.