03-26-2014, 02:14 PM
Quote:its stated it was named after Augustus, yet the text also calls it the 'Unconquered', which would make it the Legio Palatina Undecimani... There are are three legionary cohorts...
The original latin is dictaque ab Augusto legio momenque probantes invicti. Loeb translated this (as part of a list) as "the legion, too, named after Augustus, that well called the Unconquered" - suggesting these are two units, not one. 'Unconquered' is surely Invictus (not undecimani, which I'm pretty sure Evan is right about), and as the relevant list in the ND contains two units called Augustei and Invicti, I'd say these are most likely to be the ones mentioned by Claudian.
The use of 'legion' is a problem. However, I still think Claudian is using inexact terminology for poetic effect - by his day, cohorts only seem to appear in the limitanei, so the Herculiani and Ioviani are no more 'cohorts' than the Augustei are a 'legion'...
Quote:How do you define the Severan model? Size, organisation etc?
Big. 6000 men or so - Vegetius's 'ancient legion', in other words. Intregral light troops (lanciarii) perhaps, perhaps also enlarged cavalry component. I call it Severan for convenience - but it seems to have developed some time between the late 2nd and mid 3rd century. By the tetrarchy these big legions will have been whittled down significantly, but those in outlying places like Egypt they may have preserved their old structure longer.
Nathan Ross
