02-17-2014, 06:07 AM
Nathan wrote:
The career of Aurelius Gaius is usually dated to the tetrarchy - in fact, given his wide travels, that's about the only period that fits. He was a christian - the epitaph refers to the 'resurrection' - and it's usually suggested that he was discharged around the time that Christianity was forbidden in the army by Diocletian, c.299 (he could have been dismissed - the inscription mentions that he 'suffered many hardships' after his promotion). In fact all the locations listed can be related to campaigns shortly before this date. J Albert Morales (in 'The curious career of Aurelius Gaius', Ancient Warfare VI-5, 'The Army of Diocletian') suggests that Gaius joined the army under Aurelian, but this seems unnecessarily early to me. The reference to Mesopotamia can only refer to Carus's invasion of 283 (since Gaius was apparently in Mauretania with Maximian in c.298, so Galerius's Persian war is ruled out), and this would seem acceptable as a first campaign. Gaius's entire military service therefore falls beween c.283 and c.299.
Thank you Nathan for your informative response. It is greatly appreciated. For me Aurelius Gaius’ career coincides with the 6000 man legion of Vegetius. As there is no problem the word triarius is not a corruption, then this would indicate Vegetius’ use of the term triarius for the 6000 man legion is correct, and the term is not taken from an earlier period.
Renatus wrote:
I set out below an extract from an article that I wrote some years ago concerning (inter alia) the ranks of centurions in Vegetius' First Cohort, which I hope you may find of interest: From the late third or early fourth century AD comes the career of Aurelius Gaius who held successively the ranks of optio triarius, optio ordinatus and p[rinceps ?] optio. Of these, optio triarius is the first and, presumably, the most junior. This is diametrically opposite to the position under the Republic, when the triarii were the oldest and most senior soldiers, but corresponds exactly to that appearing in Vegetius, where the triarius prior seems, from the number of men under his command, to be the most junior of the centurions in the First Cohort. Perhaps, therefore, the triarius prior should be sought sometime in the third century.
Thank you Renatus for doing this. Yes I find it very interesting and you present a very appealing theory. Is there any chance of reading the whole article? Also do you know the full inscription for AE 1981 777? From what you have written, there appears to still be three troops types (optio triarius, optio ordinatus and p[rinceps ?] optio). This reinforces my conviction old format of three troop types (example: hastati, principes and triarii) still remains with the Vegetius legion, but with differing names.
The career of Aurelius Gaius is usually dated to the tetrarchy - in fact, given his wide travels, that's about the only period that fits. He was a christian - the epitaph refers to the 'resurrection' - and it's usually suggested that he was discharged around the time that Christianity was forbidden in the army by Diocletian, c.299 (he could have been dismissed - the inscription mentions that he 'suffered many hardships' after his promotion). In fact all the locations listed can be related to campaigns shortly before this date. J Albert Morales (in 'The curious career of Aurelius Gaius', Ancient Warfare VI-5, 'The Army of Diocletian') suggests that Gaius joined the army under Aurelian, but this seems unnecessarily early to me. The reference to Mesopotamia can only refer to Carus's invasion of 283 (since Gaius was apparently in Mauretania with Maximian in c.298, so Galerius's Persian war is ruled out), and this would seem acceptable as a first campaign. Gaius's entire military service therefore falls beween c.283 and c.299.
Thank you Nathan for your informative response. It is greatly appreciated. For me Aurelius Gaius’ career coincides with the 6000 man legion of Vegetius. As there is no problem the word triarius is not a corruption, then this would indicate Vegetius’ use of the term triarius for the 6000 man legion is correct, and the term is not taken from an earlier period.
Renatus wrote:
I set out below an extract from an article that I wrote some years ago concerning (inter alia) the ranks of centurions in Vegetius' First Cohort, which I hope you may find of interest: From the late third or early fourth century AD comes the career of Aurelius Gaius who held successively the ranks of optio triarius, optio ordinatus and p[rinceps ?] optio. Of these, optio triarius is the first and, presumably, the most junior. This is diametrically opposite to the position under the Republic, when the triarii were the oldest and most senior soldiers, but corresponds exactly to that appearing in Vegetius, where the triarius prior seems, from the number of men under his command, to be the most junior of the centurions in the First Cohort. Perhaps, therefore, the triarius prior should be sought sometime in the third century.
Thank you Renatus for doing this. Yes I find it very interesting and you present a very appealing theory. Is there any chance of reading the whole article? Also do you know the full inscription for AE 1981 777? From what you have written, there appears to still be three troops types (optio triarius, optio ordinatus and p[rinceps ?] optio). This reinforces my conviction old format of three troop types (example: hastati, principes and triarii) still remains with the Vegetius legion, but with differing names.
