03-07-2014, 01:28 PM
Quote:removing their cavalry and artillery elements, which in turn were formed into their own, separate units.
Cavalry and lanciarii (light infantry?) might be a better bet. We know that (some?) legions of c.300 had lanciarii elements (see Beatty papyrii for II Traiana), and lanciarii turn up as separate units in the ND. However, we don't know if the legion artillery ever had a dedicated 'artillerymen' - it seems that the various ballistae etc were served by the regular troops of the legion.
Quote:These new legions were then divided between the Western and Eastern halves of the Empire as was needed.
This is a bit problematic, I think - imagine the logistical nightmare of dividing all the legions of the army in half and sending half of each marching off to the other end of the empire... presumably passing the troop from the other end coming in the opposite direction! Far easier to keep the divided units together, or simply give the different names to units already stationed in the relevant part of the empire, surely?
Quote:If I put 2400 men strong "half" Legions into the Gallic army it would number 120,000 men.
Funnily enough, perhaps, the orator of Panegyric XII claims that Constantine invaded Italy with only a 'fourth part' of his total army (XII,3,3). The same orator (XII,5,1) later says that this force numbered 'fewer than forty thousand men'. If we assume this meant 30,000 (any less and he would have said half!), then the total army in Gaul could have numbered 120,000...
However, as we all know, panegyrics are not to be trusted! ;-)
Nathan Ross
