Late Roman Legion size based on the Perge Inscription

[FlaviusB]

FlaviusB wrote:
the Legions varied in size based on available manpower and campaign demands.

I disagree. The size of the legion was fixed, and the number of legions and vexillations in a campaign varied. This informs me that you have not done an intensive investigation of the data in the primary sources for the principate, but are quoting the general view of academia.

FlaviusB wrote:
Since the Legions at this time comprised 4 different classes of troops (Velites, Hastati, Principes and Triarii), it makes no sense to try to apply their figures numbers one-to-one to the Legions of the Late Republic onwards, when we know that those four classes no longer existed by that point.

The property class system for the levy of the legions did not become a requisite in the late republic, but did the Romans actually abolish the property classes in the tribal system that dictated the size of the legion? That is a question that has not been asked by academia. So, how was the size of the legion determined? Under the principate, a legion has 4,800 infantry and the cavalry has 16 cavalry squadrons. Later, a legion has 6,000 infantry and 600 cavalry. Following the premise that the 600 cavalry (minus officers), were organised into squadrons of 30 cavalrymen, this produces 20 cavalry squadrons. This shows a growth of 1,200 infantry and 120 cavalry (4 squadrons), since the principate, and indicates that behind the scenes, a system, which I have discovered, is generating the size of a legion for a specific period.

https://www.academia.edu/12646553/The_Ro...erspective

Having the whole working tribal system at my disposal to the year 297 AD, has given my greater insights into the Roman army, that is unprecedented. And the designer of the Roman tribal system, was Pythagoras, of which the evidence is overwhelming, and has been vetted by two universities. By applying Pythagorean mathematical methods, I can give the dates on when every legion reform was undertaking, and it was connected to some very strong religious practices, that the Romans adhered to, of which much has been written about by the ancient sources. One huge reform, occurred in 387 BC. Now depending on the calibration date employed, if it gets rounded by one year to an even number (the calibration point), you arrive at 388 BC.

FlaviusB wrote:
Tacitus' account of a mutiny in AD 14 where a Primus Pilus received 60 lashes for every century in the Legion; your math on 5200/60 is correct, and 5600/60 doesn't work either.

Is the figure of 5,600 a rounded number?

FlaviusB wrote:
388 BC is the Early Republic and is a year before 387, so there's no way that adding 4 new tribes the year after could account for a Legion having 6000 infantry and 600 cavalry the year before.

Generally, the Romans do their reforms in June, so whether it is 387 or 388 BC, is inconsequential. Lydus and Servius must have had a source that stated 60 centuries, and believing a century had 100 men, arrived at 6,000 infantry. Actually, the number of cavalry give the game away, but alas, as I tried to explain about the cavalry on this forum, and got shouted down I was wrong, I have no interest in explaining it again. And yet, understanding it is so obvious and simple, that is remains hidden due to people’s perspectives getting in the way. 20 years ago, I decided that everything I knew about the Roman legion was bs, so I decided to flush my brain out and start with a blank sheet, and most importantly, went with the data in the primary sources without any prejudice.

Hyginus (3) also writes that “if the legions received are odd [in number], that is three, two First Cohorts will have to camp on the sides of the praetorium.” “Whenever five or six cohorts are received, two First Cohorts will have to camp on the sides of the praetorium. Hyginus (4) “No more should be subtracted from them than the 500-man infantry cohorts next to the First Cohort.” Hyginus (40) “Those who should camp near to the First Cohorts are the banner carriers. Hyginus (24)

Hyginus’ mention of two First Cohorts can imply that Hyginus has confused two First Cohorts camped together as one First Cohort. As mentioned in those reference above, Hyginus is explaining the camp layout from three to six legions. Confusion will arise and the numbers get muddled. Where does other data, including army numbers as found for the principate, support a double first cohort on the battlefield?

Hyginus’ claims a century has 80 infantry, which means his figure of 760 infantry being part of a 1,000-man mounted cohort does not work as 760 infantry divided by 80 infantry equals nine point five centuries. Hyginus gives 1,600 banner carriers for three legions, which would allocate each legion 533-point 333 banner carriers. Hyginus also gives the 500-horse wing 16 squadrons, which would allocate each squadron 31-point 25 cavalry.

Hyginus (27) writes that “the 1,000-man mounted cohort has 10 centuries of soldiers.” Here, Hyginus has allocated each century 100 men, as 1,000 divided by 10 = 100. So, if he believes a century had 80 infantry and 20 cavalry, there should be 800 infantry and 200 cavalry, not as he claims 760 soldiers and 240 cavalry. As is obvious, all of Hyginus’ figures are rounded numbers. His 760 infantry has been arrived at by deducting his 240 cavalry from his 1,000-man mounted cohort. Here Hyginus has made a catastrophic mathematical miscalculation, which I have covered in my research. I believe Hyginus has gotten himself confused due to his usage of the word “soldier” instead of using the terms infantry or cavalry.

The writings of Dio, Paterculus and Tacitus provide references to veteran soldiers and veteran cohorts accompanying the army or acting independently of the army. When in camp, where were the veterans, who were organised into cohort of 500 men, billeted?

I never claimed the size of the Legion wasn't fixed... in the Principate. As my full quote says, "The Suetonius quote comes from a fragmentary source, but the 5200-5600 figure aligns with Polybius' and Livy's statements that Republican Legions between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC rose from 4-4200 to 52-5600, and that the Legions varied in size based on available manpower and campaign demands." I was speaking of the early Republic, not the Principate, but thank you for misquoting me!

Whether or not 5600 is a rounded number is inconsequential when we have Tacitus stating that there were sixty centuries in a Legion, which alongside Hyginus' claim of 80 milites to a century gives us 60x80 = 4800. We also have the five ranks of centurion (Primus Pilus, Princeps Prior and Posterior, Hastatus Prior and Posterior) from Vegetius, with a sixth being known (Pilus Posterior) thanks to inscriptions uncovered from Legio II Parthica:  https://www.livius.org/pictures/germany/...-parthica/

It doesn't require a huge logical leap to conclude that if there are 60 centuries in a legion and 6 centurions are grouped together in a cohort, then 60/6 gives us 10 cohorts.