03-04-2017, 08:18 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-05-2017, 08:29 AM by Longovicium.)
Duncan McAndrew's article entitled 'The Milites Hypothesis: The Lost Naval Commands of the Late Roman Army' makes for some intriguing reading.
The basic thesis is that the units described in the Notitia Dignitatum which bear the descriptor 'milites' are in fact naval units distinct from the classis and barcarii units. He marshals several pieces of statistical evidence to buttress the theory and it all stacks up quite nicely as far as it goes. The conclusion is that if the units are re-conceived as naval units then the 'map' as it were of infantry to cavalry to naval ratios changes quite dramatically and also plugs several gaps in riverine, lacustrine, and estuarial defenses. His evidence rests primarily on analyses of geographic distribution, unit titles and their residual naval terms, and finally ethnic titles.
As far as hypotheses go, it makes for persuasive reading.
To my limited understanding of Late Roman history however, a number of questions arise which I wonder if anyone here can shed light on?
The first which springs to mind is the lack of epigraphical evidence in his article. In short, there is none. His hypothesis is bound to the Notitia Dignitatum and concurrent research around that document and the units it details. This led me to wonder what gravestones or inscriptions might survive which list a miles serving in any of the milites units listed in the ND? If any have survived, do any of them bear out any possible naval or riverine connection of any sort - or alternatively, dispel such a connection?
Secondly, following on from the above, can the rise of the term milites/militum as a unit descriptor be traced in the documents and historical writings in a similar manner as limitanei and comitatenses and vexillationes? If so, again, are they used in a context which might support or cast doubt on this hypothesis? ? It is one thing, I think, to argue that these units in the ND are specifically naval units as they stand but one would also need to examine the origin of that term to qualify it.
Thirdly, the diocese of Britannia, already holding a maritime command whose ultimate expression is the Comes Litoris Saxonici, and which also holds one of the few attested Barcarii units (possibly two), bears only one known 'milites' unit - the Praepositus militum Tungrecanorum stationed at Dover. If McAndrew's thesis were accurate, one would expect a similar scattering of units along the Saxon Shore as well as up along the region about Lancaster after its re-fortification in the style of the 'Saxon Shore' forts. It doesn’t. The numerus is the main unit descriptor rather than militum. Although, interestingly enough, in Gaul there are two units possibly derived from Pevensey, the milites Anderetianorum and the classis Anderetianorum possibly marking a re-deployment and/or subsequent split which the Praepositus numeri Abulcorum unit then replaced.
I think, to sum up, I am wondering if this hypothesis can be broadened out and if anyone here at RAT can shed light on the use of the militum descriptor outside its use in the ND?
Any thoughts or references would be appreciated!
The basic thesis is that the units described in the Notitia Dignitatum which bear the descriptor 'milites' are in fact naval units distinct from the classis and barcarii units. He marshals several pieces of statistical evidence to buttress the theory and it all stacks up quite nicely as far as it goes. The conclusion is that if the units are re-conceived as naval units then the 'map' as it were of infantry to cavalry to naval ratios changes quite dramatically and also plugs several gaps in riverine, lacustrine, and estuarial defenses. His evidence rests primarily on analyses of geographic distribution, unit titles and their residual naval terms, and finally ethnic titles.
As far as hypotheses go, it makes for persuasive reading.
To my limited understanding of Late Roman history however, a number of questions arise which I wonder if anyone here can shed light on?
The first which springs to mind is the lack of epigraphical evidence in his article. In short, there is none. His hypothesis is bound to the Notitia Dignitatum and concurrent research around that document and the units it details. This led me to wonder what gravestones or inscriptions might survive which list a miles serving in any of the milites units listed in the ND? If any have survived, do any of them bear out any possible naval or riverine connection of any sort - or alternatively, dispel such a connection?
Secondly, following on from the above, can the rise of the term milites/militum as a unit descriptor be traced in the documents and historical writings in a similar manner as limitanei and comitatenses and vexillationes? If so, again, are they used in a context which might support or cast doubt on this hypothesis? ? It is one thing, I think, to argue that these units in the ND are specifically naval units as they stand but one would also need to examine the origin of that term to qualify it.
Thirdly, the diocese of Britannia, already holding a maritime command whose ultimate expression is the Comes Litoris Saxonici, and which also holds one of the few attested Barcarii units (possibly two), bears only one known 'milites' unit - the Praepositus militum Tungrecanorum stationed at Dover. If McAndrew's thesis were accurate, one would expect a similar scattering of units along the Saxon Shore as well as up along the region about Lancaster after its re-fortification in the style of the 'Saxon Shore' forts. It doesn’t. The numerus is the main unit descriptor rather than militum. Although, interestingly enough, in Gaul there are two units possibly derived from Pevensey, the milites Anderetianorum and the classis Anderetianorum possibly marking a re-deployment and/or subsequent split which the Praepositus numeri Abulcorum unit then replaced.
I think, to sum up, I am wondering if this hypothesis can be broadened out and if anyone here at RAT can shed light on the use of the militum descriptor outside its use in the ND?
Any thoughts or references would be appreciated!
Francis Hagan
The Barcarii
The Barcarii
