06-21-2017, 05:59 AM
Nathan wrote:
There's also something quite 'Vegetian' about the unit breakdown
Perge document list the Bracchiati semissales at 256 men, and the story of Saint Meletius an officer in the Roman army lists 252 of his soldiers put to death. So following your analogy, I could say that the Perge document is “something quite martyrdom about the unit breakdown.”
Nathan wrote:
But in what way does this relate to the information in the Perge lists?
Just showing how difficult the problem is and also information passed on for someone else (killing two birds with one stone).
Nathan wrote:
A unit of Equites was called a Numerus Equitum or a Vexillatio Equitum - the terms were synonymous. So these are not different-sized units.
I have been following the ND, which lists titles such as Equites, Numerus, Vexillation etc. Why would they have distinct titles when the terms are synonymous? It would be illogical.
Nathan wrote:
A cuneus may be different again, but the only clear distinction is between the old-style ala (still known in the limitanei) and the new-style vexillatio (aka numerus equitum).
You speak with authority that a vexillation is a numerus. What proof can you provide? Or is this just one of your theories?
Nathan wrote:
Lydus, as you know, gives an ala 600 men and a vexillation 500 men (de mag 1.46) - which does not help us much!
It would be helpful had Lydus provide the time frame for the unit size.
Marcel wrote:
Regardless of how it actually was, the unit cannot - at least to my opinion and research - be a template for other units.
Agreed. The information is too fragmented.
There's also something quite 'Vegetian' about the unit breakdown
Perge document list the Bracchiati semissales at 256 men, and the story of Saint Meletius an officer in the Roman army lists 252 of his soldiers put to death. So following your analogy, I could say that the Perge document is “something quite martyrdom about the unit breakdown.”
Nathan wrote:
But in what way does this relate to the information in the Perge lists?
Just showing how difficult the problem is and also information passed on for someone else (killing two birds with one stone).
Nathan wrote:
A unit of Equites was called a Numerus Equitum or a Vexillatio Equitum - the terms were synonymous. So these are not different-sized units.
I have been following the ND, which lists titles such as Equites, Numerus, Vexillation etc. Why would they have distinct titles when the terms are synonymous? It would be illogical.
Nathan wrote:
A cuneus may be different again, but the only clear distinction is between the old-style ala (still known in the limitanei) and the new-style vexillatio (aka numerus equitum).
You speak with authority that a vexillation is a numerus. What proof can you provide? Or is this just one of your theories?
Nathan wrote:
Lydus, as you know, gives an ala 600 men and a vexillation 500 men (de mag 1.46) - which does not help us much!
It would be helpful had Lydus provide the time frame for the unit size.
Marcel wrote:
Regardless of how it actually was, the unit cannot - at least to my opinion and research - be a template for other units.
Agreed. The information is too fragmented.
