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+--- Thread: Eastern archers (/showthread.php?tid=25145)
Eastern archers - Gabriele - 09-28-2015
Hi guys,
I'm searching some info on the auxiliary eastern archers who fought for Rome in Britain.
Is there anyone of you who can help me?
What I need to know is this: do you think that Rome used these archers also during the late Empire?
Are there any proofs of eastern archers during the IV century, for example?
When did they stop serving Rome?
Thanks in advance
Eastern archers - Caratacus - 09-28-2015
There was at least one regiment of archers based at Carvoran on Hadrian's Wall. They were from Hama in Syria. So far as I know, there is no record of them being posted elsewhere, although they did apparently serve at Bar Hill for a while, before retrurning to Carvoran. They were there during the reign of Hadrian. Why were they there at all? One theory seems to be that they may have been used, not so much as garrison troops, but as hunters to supply the rest of the forts with meat.
Mike Thomas
Eastern archers - Ioannes - 09-30-2015
I can't help you with troop deployment locations, but I can tell you that Syrian archers were excellent and the Romans loved to use them. According to the book "Legions of Rome" by Stephen Dando-Collins, they were some of the finest archers in the empire, if not THE finest, with only the Cretans really being able to give them a run for their money. Hope this is somehow helpful, Amice!