The Roman Military in Britain c.400

Author: * Decius Aemilius - 2 Posts on this thread out of 2,252 Posts sitewide.
Date: Nov 29, 2004 - 00:25

The Notitia Dignitatum remains the best guide to the form of the western Roman army c.395.

After the reforms of Diocletian, a legion consisted of approximately 1000 men, composed of two cohorts, each actually of 480 men plus officers. There were still "old" units, cohortes and alae, as well as "new" units, cavalry cunei and infantry pseudocomitatenses.

The “official” Order of Battle for a post-Diocletian infantry unit (in actual matters, each would be over or under strength by some amount) would be the following 501 men: 1 Tribune
1 Vicarius
1 Primicerius
1 Adjutor
6 Centurions (commanding 80 men each)
1 Campidoctor
1 Actuarius
1 Optio
1 Surgeon
2 Heralds
2 Draconarii [standard-bearer)
1 Cape Bearer
1 Trumpeter
1 Drummer
60 Decurions (commanding 8 men each including themselves)
420 Common Soldiers

Each post-Diocletian legion would consist of two cohorts organized as above, plus the Prefect who commanded the legion and at least a cape-bearer for him.

An ala, or old-style cavalry unit, would be organized as above except for the centurions and decurions. A cavalry ala would have 16 decurions commanding 30 men (including themselves) and 4 cavalry centurions commanding 120 men. The centurions were probably created by Diocletian to command detachments of cavalry, as the units were frequently broken up and distributed in smaller numbers as garrisons.

It is less clear precisely how the new units were organized but from top to bottom rank the list is:

Tribune
Primicerius
Senator
Ducenarius [‘senior centurion’]
Centenarius [‘centurion’]
Biarchus
Circitor
Semissalis [sort of a ‘private first class’]
Soldier (eques, miles) [‘private’]
Recruit (tiro)

Each Field Army and Frontier Ducate had a central HQ, containing at least:
1 senior staff officer (princepes)
1 disciplinary officer (commentariensis)
2 head accountants (numerarii)
Misc. clerks (scrinarii)
Secretaries (exceptores)

Frontier dukes also had a staff officer to transmit petitions to the civil administration (libellis)

By 395 cavalry were far more numerous among the frontier troops, whose status was markedly inferior to the field armies and whose tasks were more patrolling and policing than campaigning, although among the field armies infantry still predominated, carrying the bulk of the campaign fighting.

The Notitia Dignitatum remains the best guide to the form of the western Roman army c.395. According to it Britain contained:

1 Vicarius Britanniarum
1 Comitis rei militaris Britanniarum. (Military Count of Britain)
1 Comitis Litoris Saxonici per Britannias (Count of the Saxon Shore of Britain)
1 Dux Britannia
2 Consulars (of Maxima Caesariensis, of Valentia.)
3 Praesides (of Britannia prima; of Britannia secunda; of Flavia Caesariensis)

Under the control of the illustrious pretorian prefect of the Gauls are the dioceses mentioned below: ... the Britains.

Provinces: ... of the Britains five: Maxima Caesariensis; Valentia; Britannia prima; Britannia secunda; Flauia Caesariensis.

Under the control of the illustrious master of foot in the presence:

The counts of the frontiers mentioned below: … the Britains; the Saxon shore toward the Britains.

The ten dukes of the frontiers mentioned below: ... the Britains

In the Britains with the worshipful count of the Britains: One palatine auxilium, One legion of the line, One unclassified body.

Also squadrons of cavalry: ... In Britain with the worshipful count of the Britains. Three of the line, Two unclassified. ...

Under the control of the illustrious count of the sacred bounties: ... The accountant of the general tax of the Britains.

Provosts of the storehouses: ... In the Britains: The provost of the storehouses at London.

... Procurators of the weaving-houses: ... The procurator of the weaving-house at Winchester in Britain

Under the control of the worshipful vicar of the Britains: Consulars; of Maxima Caesariensis, of Valentia. Presidents; of Britannia prima, of Britannia secunda, of Flavia Caesariensis.

The staff of the same worshipful vicar is as follows: a chief of staff from the school of confidential agents the first class, a chief deputy, two receivers of taxes, a chief clerk, a custodian, a chief assistant, a keeper of the records, assistants, secretaries, notaries, a curator of correspondence and the rest of the staff.

XXVIII

Comes litoris Saxonici per Britanniam

[The Count of the Saxon Shore in Britain]

Othona	[Bradwell],
Dubris	[Dover],
Lemannis	[Lympne],
Branoduno	[Brancaster],
Garriano	[Burgh Castle],
Regulbi	[Reculver],
Rutupis	[Richborough],
Anderidos	[Pevensey],
Portum Adurni	[Portchester].

Sub dispositione uiri spectabilis comitis litoris Saxonici per Britanniam

[At the disposal of the Right Honourable Count of the Saxon shore in Britain]

Praepositus numeri Fortensium, Othonae	[= OTHONA = Bradwell, Essex]
Praepositus militum Tungrecanorum, Dubris	[= PORTVS DVBRIS = Dover, Kent]
Praepositus numeri Turnacensium, Lemannis	[= PORTVS LEMANIS = Lympne, Kent]
Praepositus equitum Dalmatarum Branodunensium, Branoduno	[= BRANODVNVM = Brancaster, Norfolk]
Praepositus equitum stablesianorum Gariannonensium, Gariannonor	[= GARIANNVM = Burgh Castle, Norfolk]
Tribunus cohortis primae Baetasiorum, Regulbio	[= REGVLBIVM = Reculver, Kent]
Praefectus legionis secundae Augustae, Rutupis	[= RVTVPIAE = Richborough, Kent]
Praepositus numeri Abulcorum, Anderidos	[= ANDERITVM = Pevensey, East Sussex]
Praepositus numeri exploratorum, Portum Adurni	[= PORTVS ARDAONI = Portchester, Hampshire]

XL

Dux Britanniarum

[The Duke of the Britains]

Sextae	[York],
Praesidium	[nr. Bridlington?],
Dano	[Doncaster],
Morbio	[Ilkley?],
Arbeia	[South Shields],
Dictim	[unknown],
Concangios	[Chester-le-Street],
Lauatres	[Bowes],
Uerteris	[Brough Castle],
Braboniaco	[Kirkby Thore],
Magloue	[Old Carlisle],
Magis	[Burrow Walls],
Longouicio	[Lanchester],
Derventione	[Malton].

Sub dispositione uiri spectabilis ducis Britanniarum:

[At the disposal of the Right Honourable Duke of the Britains]

Praefectus legionis sextae	[= EBVRACVM = York, North Yorkshire]
Praefectus equitum Dalmatarum, Praesidio	[?= PRAESIDIVM = nr. Bridlington, Humberside?]
Praefectus equitum Crispianorum, Dano	[= DANVM = Doncaster, South Yorkshire]
Praefectus equitum catafractariorum, Morbio	[?= VERBEIA = Ilkley, West Yorkshire?]
Praefectus numeri barcariorum Tigrisiensium, Arbeia	[= ARBEIA = South Shields, Tyne & Wear]
Praefectus numeri Nerviorum Dictensium, Dicti	[?= DICTIVM = nr. Whitby, North Yorkshire?]
Praefectus numeri uigilum, Concangios	[= CONCANGIS = Chester-le-Street, Durham]
Praefectus numeri exploratorum, Lauatres	[= LAVATRIS = Bowes, Durham]
Praefectus numeri directorum, Uerteris	[= VERTERIS = Brough Castle, Cumbria]
Praefectus numeri defensorum, Braboniaco	[= BRAVONIACVM = Kirkby Thore, Cumbria]
Praefectus numeri Solensium, Maglone	[= MAGLONA = Old Carlisle, Cumbria]
Praefectus numeri Pacensium, Magis	[?= MAGIS = Burrow Walls, Cumbria?]
Praefectus numeri Longovicanorum, Longouico	[= LONGOVICIVM = Lanchester, Durham]
Praefectus numeri superuenientium Petueriensium, Deruentione	[= DERVENTIO = Malton, North Yorkshire]

Item per lineam Valli

[The route along the line of the Wall]

Tribunus cohortis quartae Lingonum, Segeduno	[= SEGEDVNVM = Wallsend, Tyne & Wear]
Tribunus cohortis primae Cornouiorum, Ponte Aeli	[= PONS AELIVS = Newcastle, Tyne & Wear]
Praefectus alae primae Asturum, Conderco	[= CONDERCVM = Benwell, Tyne & Wear]
Tribunus cohortis primae Frixagorum, Uindobala	[= VINDOBALA = Rudchester, Northumberland]
Praefectus alae Sabinianae, Hunno	[= ONNVM = Halton Chesters, Northumberland]
Praefectus alae secundae Asturum, Cilurno	[= CILVRNVM = Chesters, Northumberland]
Tribunus cohortis primae Batauorum, Procolitia	[= BROCOLITIA = Carrawburgh, Northumberland]
Tribunus cohortis primae Tungrorum, Borcouicio	[= VERCOVICIVM = Housesteads, Northumberland]
Tribunus cohortis quartae Gallorum, Uindolana	[= VINDOLANDA = Chesterholm, Northumberland]
Tribunus cohortis primae Asturum, Aesica	[= AESICA = Great Chesters, Northumberland]
Tribunus cohortis secundae Dalmatarum, Magnis	[= MAGNIS = Carvoran, Northumberland]
Tribunus cohortis primae Aeliae Dacorum, Amboglanna	[= CAMBOGLANNA = Birdoswald, Cumbria]
Praefectus alae Petrianae, Petrianis	[= VXELODVNVM = Stanwix, Cumbria]
Praefectus numeri Maurorum Aurelianorum, Aballaba	[= ABALLAVA = Burgh-by-Sands, Cumbria]
Tribunus cohortis secundae Lingonum, Congauata	[= CONCAVATA = Drumburgh, Cumbria]
Tribunus cohortis primae Hispaniorum, Axeloduno	[?= CASTRA EXPLORATORVM = Netherby, Cumbria?]
Tribunus cohortis secundae Thracum, Gabrosenti	[= GABROSENTVM = Moresby, Cumbria]
Tribunus cohortus primae Aeliae classicae, Tunnocelo	[?= TVNNOCELVM = nr. Calder Bridge, Cumbria?]
Tribunus cohortis primae Morinorum, Glannibanta	[= GLANNOVENTA = Ravenglass, Cumbria]
Tribunus cohortis tertiae Neruiorum, Alione	[?= CALVNIVM = Lancaster, Lancashire?]
Cuneus Sarmatarum, Bremetenraco	[= BREMETENACVM = Ribchester, Lancashire]
Praefectus alae primae Herculeae, Olenaco	[?= OLENACVM = Elslack, North Yorkshire?]
Tribunus cohortis sextae Neruiorum, Uirosido	[?= VIROSIDVM = Brough by Bainbridge, North Yorkshire?]