08-03-2013, 11:23 AM
Nathan is probably right. I suggested 80-100 because I had heard it's possible Septimus Severus tried to increase the size of the Century.
As for the Legions... well 6000 is true and untrue. Many Comitatenses/Limitanei units had formed their own identities, especially by the time of the Notitia, and were no longer associated with whatever parent unit they may have originated from. There were still a handful of units, notably V Macedonica and XI Claudia, who maintained their identity across the empire. But I doubt they still numbered 6000 men, e.g. V Macedonica had 3 detachments - one Limitanei Ripensis garrison in Oescus, numbering approximately 500, one Legio Comitatenses in Syria, numbering between 800 and 1200 men, and one Legio Comitatenses in Egypt, numbering about the same as Syria. There may be another garrison I forgot to account for.
New units, or old legions that had lost their identity, remained at about 1000 men in strength individually. A 40-60 man century could mean that it was divded into 3-4 cohorts, not 2. Newer ones may have used a Manipular unit size with a Ducenarius in command, so instead of 3 cohorts you had more or less 8 maniples.
Legio Palatinae were usually units from the 3rd century reclassified into the new system, they seemed to have numbered about 1000 men and as Nathan said, oftentimes had detatchments. However, the total size of these units still varied. Newer ones probably used a Manipular-like system, while the ones granfathered in were likely using a cohortal system of some kind.
Auxilia Palatinae were a different story. Some, like the Cornuti, were brought into the new system during the reign of Constantine and were made out of the old style Auxilia. They somehow became Elite units instead of Limitanei (I have no Idea how) and were probably organized in the same way Auxilia Quingenaria cohorts were. Some more notable units may have been Milliaria cohorts, as they were then divided into Junior and Senior (Cornuti Iuniores and Cornuti Seniores). Furthermore, the new units seemed to be Milliaria. Take for example the Placidi Valentiniani, raised in 419-425, with two detatchments. The Placidi Valentiniani Felices Seniores in Illyria (listed simply as the "Valentinianenses Felices") and the Placidi Valentiniani Felices Iuniores in Gaul (listed simply as the "Valentinianenses Iuniores). Total they numbered 1000, but operated independently of each other like most late-era units. Raised in the new style they probably had a Ducenarius system with Maniple-sized regiments on top of their centuries. So they were 1 cohort of 3 maniples (or something like that).
Cavalry... actually I don't know much about late era cavalry organization. It was different than Principate or Dominate though.
I will note my reference to "Maniples" is due to lack of a better term, although Numerus could be suggested in its place based on later manuals like the Strategikon.
As for the Legions... well 6000 is true and untrue. Many Comitatenses/Limitanei units had formed their own identities, especially by the time of the Notitia, and were no longer associated with whatever parent unit they may have originated from. There were still a handful of units, notably V Macedonica and XI Claudia, who maintained their identity across the empire. But I doubt they still numbered 6000 men, e.g. V Macedonica had 3 detachments - one Limitanei Ripensis garrison in Oescus, numbering approximately 500, one Legio Comitatenses in Syria, numbering between 800 and 1200 men, and one Legio Comitatenses in Egypt, numbering about the same as Syria. There may be another garrison I forgot to account for.
New units, or old legions that had lost their identity, remained at about 1000 men in strength individually. A 40-60 man century could mean that it was divded into 3-4 cohorts, not 2. Newer ones may have used a Manipular unit size with a Ducenarius in command, so instead of 3 cohorts you had more or less 8 maniples.
Legio Palatinae were usually units from the 3rd century reclassified into the new system, they seemed to have numbered about 1000 men and as Nathan said, oftentimes had detatchments. However, the total size of these units still varied. Newer ones probably used a Manipular-like system, while the ones granfathered in were likely using a cohortal system of some kind.
Auxilia Palatinae were a different story. Some, like the Cornuti, were brought into the new system during the reign of Constantine and were made out of the old style Auxilia. They somehow became Elite units instead of Limitanei (I have no Idea how) and were probably organized in the same way Auxilia Quingenaria cohorts were. Some more notable units may have been Milliaria cohorts, as they were then divided into Junior and Senior (Cornuti Iuniores and Cornuti Seniores). Furthermore, the new units seemed to be Milliaria. Take for example the Placidi Valentiniani, raised in 419-425, with two detatchments. The Placidi Valentiniani Felices Seniores in Illyria (listed simply as the "Valentinianenses Felices") and the Placidi Valentiniani Felices Iuniores in Gaul (listed simply as the "Valentinianenses Iuniores). Total they numbered 1000, but operated independently of each other like most late-era units. Raised in the new style they probably had a Ducenarius system with Maniple-sized regiments on top of their centuries. So they were 1 cohort of 3 maniples (or something like that).
Cavalry... actually I don't know much about late era cavalry organization. It was different than Principate or Dominate though.
I will note my reference to "Maniples" is due to lack of a better term, although Numerus could be suggested in its place based on later manuals like the Strategikon.
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