Republican Army

[Tarbicus]

I agree that by itself this gravestone could lead equally well to your conclusion, but that would not be in accordance with Vegetius. But you say: 'like the third century lanciarii'. These are certainly skirmichers, so why not the antesignani?

We have the certitude the lanciarii are skirmishers? Only because the lancea is lighter of pilum?

No, because we have the grave stele of Aurelius Mucianus, discens lanchiariorum of the legio II Parthica who is shown carrying an quiver of javelins.

Are you sure you guys aren't getting tied up in trying to pin a name on a unit type, where the name may have had wider application over the centuries?

This might be useful, where the paper's author states they are a mounted unit of 9 turmae in this instance:
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