01-02-2013, 07:30 AM
There's an ongoing debate over the standard strength, if there was any standard strength, of the legions of the limitanei. Jones suggested 3,000, based largely on the number of bases some of the legions were divided among, and on a few ambiguous papyri. Treadgold suggested 1,000.
The Marian legion had 10 cohorts of 6 centuries each, and at some point the 1st cohort was increased to 5 or 6 double centuries, thus a nominal strength of 4,800 to 5,280 legionaries and according to Roth 1,200 to 1,320 camp servants, with campaign strengths falling short of that. The Augustan legion included 10 cohorts, with the expanded 1st cohort, as well as legionary cavalry. As the legions were divided along the frontiers, I think the earliest use of vexillationes from one province to support operations out of another province was an Augustan innovation.
The Marian legion had 10 cohorts of 6 centuries each, and at some point the 1st cohort was increased to 5 or 6 double centuries, thus a nominal strength of 4,800 to 5,280 legionaries and according to Roth 1,200 to 1,320 camp servants, with campaign strengths falling short of that. The Augustan legion included 10 cohorts, with the expanded 1st cohort, as well as legionary cavalry. As the legions were divided along the frontiers, I think the earliest use of vexillationes from one province to support operations out of another province was an Augustan innovation.
