Roman Legion in late Antiquity

[Frank]

The standard Legio Comitatenses, however, is a direct development of the often equally standard 2 cohort vexilation of previous years, but now permanently detached - and retains the 2 cohort/12 century structure and almost exactly 1,000 strength (83 x 12 = 996 + a few more?).

If we look to the structure of the old legion and of auxilia cohorts acting independently (Domaszewski et al), this tribune should have a central, personal staff consisting at least of 1 cornicularius tribunis, 1 beneficarius tribunis and a few librarii. Double this, if this new 2-cohort-legion was really led by 2 tribunes. One of them of superior rank, the other his deputy.

However according to the research of Breeze, such staff personell was propably on the payroll of the centuries, Perhaps the tribune himself had no account and processes to pay and administrate them. So here again the question is about supernumerii or not. But honestly, no commander with a brain, let his cornicularius fight and risk his death. So I vote for supernumerarius. Finally 1000 sounds very reasonable.