09-17-2008, 10:09 AM
Quote:while i am here,does anyone out there know if Roman military titles or ranks were ever given out to War Leaders of Foederati in the Late 4th Century,even minor specimens,Wassail,Ioannes Sebald.
It may be possible. Michael Gebühr writes that the Thorsjerg tunic was a Tunica Rosa, a type given to Foederati who achieved high rank in Roman service. That would indicate a special recognition made visually obvious. It's only a short step to an official rank denoting the same.
Others however kept titles which denoted their position and tribal affiliation. Chrocus at York in 306 for example is titled 'Alamannorum Rege' (Aurelius Victor).
Mostly however, we don't know. We just have snippets from the sources:
276 - 279 Probus defeats alemannic insurection around the Rhine and along with their leader Igillus "sent [them] to Britain, where they settled, and were subsequently very serviceable to the emperor when any insurrection broke out." (Zosiumus)
372 Valentinian sends the Alamannic Fraomarius of the Bucinobantes (an alamannic canton), along with other Alamannic troops commanded by
Bitheridius and Hortarius, to Britain. (Ammianus Marcellinus)
Laeti, those who were given land in return for service in times of need are likely to have been low status and virtually impossible to pick up in the archaeology. I doubt we'd have any ranks for them. They're just making up the numbers.
I see that you have just acquired a new and previously unknown signal station station at the Street House, Loftus site by the way.
best
Harry Amphlett