Mailed soldiers on the Arch of Galerius

[markhebb]

Nathan,

Bill Leadbetter's new biography of galerius may be useful here - I'm awaiting my copy.

I've written a pretty detailed section of my thesis on bodyguard units of the 3rd and 4th Century - still not finished - but I may have some stuff in there that will assist you. I'll check.

cheers,
Mark Hebblewhite

[Nathan Ross]

Bill Leadbetter's new biography of galerius may be useful here - I'm awaiting my copy.

Thanks for pointing that out - I'll have to take a look at it.

I've written a pretty detailed section of my thesis on bodyguard units of the 3rd and 4th Century - still not finished - but I may have some stuff in there that will assist you. I'll check.

If you do come up with anything helpful, please do let us know!

More about Joviani and Herculiani:

We formerly had two legions in lllyricum [who had] supported for a long time the weight of all the wars and distinguished themselves so remarkably that the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian on their accession honoured them with the titles of Jovian and Herculean and preferred them before all the other legions.
Vegetius, De Re Militari I.17

This implies that the two legions were so 'honoured' back in 285. But for them to have distinguished themselves so signally in 'all the wars', these legions must have been in existence for some time already - so they're unlikely to have been V Jovia and VI Herculia, which must be tetrarchic creations. I suppose this is the problem Robert was referring to above. I don't know what other speculations have been made about the origins of these units (are there any long-standing Danubian legions that disappear from the record around this period?) - but it does still seem likely that the soldiers with the Hercules and Eagle+Thunderbolt shields shown on the Galerius arch are intended to represent them.

- Nathan

[Robert Vermaat]

So the Arch of Galerius probably post-dates the appearance of the Herculiani and Joviani, and could well show these soldiers as guard units. (Were you thinking of Gallienus? :wink: )

I MUST stop posting after moderating and a heavy evening..... :oops:
Yes, my mind was on Gallienus, silly me. :oops: :oops: :oops:

[markhebb]

I don't know if everyone is now over this topic but I have found a fascinating article by M. Charles called Mattiobarbuli in Vegetius' epitoma rei militaris: The Ioviani and the Herculiani - I'm happy to share this with anyone who PMs me.

I'm currently trying to finish off my chapter on imperial bodyguards and I think my head is going to blow up!!!

I've done up until the tetrarchy and am setting out the 4th century. I think there's a strong argument to be made that many emperors actually did not use the Scholae as their primary bodyguard units - but instead relied on troops who were part of their 'political powerbase'.

While I'm on this topic no-one has any views on which units formed the bodyguard of Theodosius I do they?

cheers,
Mark