What would a 3rd Century auxiliary look like??

[FlorivsVirilis]

Salvete omnes,

I've had a quick look at the story line of "Empire", a book series set in the late 2nd/early 3rd Century, and it says that the protagonist joins a unit of Tungrian auxiliaries: this prompted a question in my mind which I hadn't really thought about before: What would a 3rd Century (preferably early 3rd Century) auxiliary potentially have looked like?

From the posts on this forum that I have had a look at, and from books such as Ross Cowan's "Imperial Roman Legionary AD 161 - 284", it seems to me that there are still many many theories circulating about the appearance of soldiers in the 3rd Century.

I certainly believe the appearance of both Roman legionaries and auxiliaries greatly varied, particularly in this period, and I do know the question covers a very wide topic, but what sort of equipment, helmet-types etc. do we expect a 3rd Century auxiliary (preferably infantry) to have worn?

Thanks, I look forward to your replies!

[Paul Elliott]

Cohors Quinta Gallorum, at South Shields, near the Wall, recreate the look like this:



Their date line is 230AD for an infantry auxiliary unit. Without the pilum and the curved shield and lorica segmentata, the auxiliaries used the same kit as the legionaries. It seems the kit was trending to an auxiliary model: large oval shields since 170+, spears, cavalry spatha since 150-180, and the big cavalry helmets, the Heddernheim, Buch and Niederbieber types (from 220+ ??). Long sleeved tunics and trousers are de rigeur from the Marcomannic Wars onward. The ring buckle belts are found everywhere, including auxiliry units I think the earliest depiction is 211 AD, but I think they are associated with the Danubian armies of the 180s an 190s.

[Paul Elliott]

I recreate the look like this:



Interestingly .... I'm really interested in recreating an impression of a Tungrian auxiliary from c. 160AD.... Just need to start collecting key bits of kit, like, lots of kit!