11-03-2016, 05:31 AM
Thank you to everyone for the responses. It has cleared up the issue for me. I have two sizes for a numerus, of which one was calculated on being a rounded number. I’ve been switching between these two numbers for years and it is just now that I have found the answer (for me), that would explain what a numerus was.
These are my personal views. As Ammianus is aware that there were cohorts, centuries and maniples, his reference to the term numeros means the existence of another legion organisation. My question was why another organisation. I found the answer some years ago to this but dismissed it as I thought it would be making the legion rather overly organised. However, after re-examining this idea, it makes sense and is very logical.
My take is the numerii organisation comes into effect when the legion is not at full strength. When you reduce the size of the cohorts, the numerii organisation now comes into play as it compensates for the reduction in the size of the cohorts. The system appears to have its roots in the time of the principate. So those two quotes from Ammianius indicate enough men are selected from the numerii to form a new numerus.
My support for this is Zosimus’ (6 82) six tagmata of auxiliary soldiers numbering four myriads and Sozomen’s (9 8) six arithmoi of about 4,000 men. Sozomen has about (amphi) 4,000 men, which means that Zosimus has rounded his figure. Second the ratio of men is 10:1. The disparity between the two authors is Zosimus has multiplied the total number of centuries by 100 men per century, whereas Sozomen has the correct number of men for each century.
So in Ammianus two references, I believe whole centuries are being chosen to form those 300 men, rather than selecting individual soldiers.
These are my personal views. As Ammianus is aware that there were cohorts, centuries and maniples, his reference to the term numeros means the existence of another legion organisation. My question was why another organisation. I found the answer some years ago to this but dismissed it as I thought it would be making the legion rather overly organised. However, after re-examining this idea, it makes sense and is very logical.
My take is the numerii organisation comes into effect when the legion is not at full strength. When you reduce the size of the cohorts, the numerii organisation now comes into play as it compensates for the reduction in the size of the cohorts. The system appears to have its roots in the time of the principate. So those two quotes from Ammianius indicate enough men are selected from the numerii to form a new numerus.
My support for this is Zosimus’ (6 82) six tagmata of auxiliary soldiers numbering four myriads and Sozomen’s (9 8) six arithmoi of about 4,000 men. Sozomen has about (amphi) 4,000 men, which means that Zosimus has rounded his figure. Second the ratio of men is 10:1. The disparity between the two authors is Zosimus has multiplied the total number of centuries by 100 men per century, whereas Sozomen has the correct number of men for each century.
So in Ammianus two references, I believe whole centuries are being chosen to form those 300 men, rather than selecting individual soldiers.