Military units in Italy

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Hello,

A(nother) question about the "herculaneum soldier". What are the military units present at the Pompei area at the time of eruption? I think there were'nt legiones. A vexillatio? A auxiliar garrison?

Any sugestion are welcome! Thanks

[Carlton Bach]

Neither is really terribly likely. There is no evidence for auxiliary troops stationed in Principate Italy, and none for legions before the Severan era. The troops regularly present in Italy were the Ravennate and Misene fleet, the Urban cohorts, vigiles, and Praetorian guards, and the frumentarii details. Herculaneum could conceivably have had a fleet presence - it was close enough to Misenum. But if we don't want to assume that the soldier was there on a specific mission (or furlough - Misenum is quite close), my guess would be a regular non-garrison presence. This was a lot more ccommon than we would think at first glance. Soldiers acted in all kinds of official capacities - he could have been the equivalent of a modern police officer, courier, defense department procurement official, tax collector, or bodyguard to someone with business in the town. There is no reason to assume that Herculaneum had a regular military garrison to explain his presence.