Names of Roman officers

[Anonymous]

in Britain about 408-410 AD.<br>
<br>
Is there a chance to find any? <p></p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

IN Britain? Nope, not from contemporary evidence.<br>
But outside Britain, I'd venture Gerontius, the commander who betrayed Constantine III, and who might have been British.<br>
But any 'good' Roman name will do, or at least any late Roman one, I'd say. Why not Valerius?<br>
<br>
But why not buy (for a mere £ 210/$ 285.00) a good book with all the names you need?<br>
Martindale, J.R.: Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume II: AD 395-527, 1355p, (Cambridge UP 1980)<br>
ISBN 0521201594.<br>
<br>
I mean, 1355 pages of names! I've read it (I don't own it, sadly ) and it is worth the price.<br>
<br>
Valete,<br>
Valerius/Robert <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=vortigernstudies>Vortigern Studies</A> at: 10/7/04 10:53 pm<br></i>

[Anonymous]

Thanks.<br>
<br>
If I ever marry that rich Scot I'm looking out for, I'll buy that book. <p></p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

How about a 'local' university library? <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Already checked that, they don't have it. Well, it's a German university, and one of the best actually, but they can't have everything. After all, the DO have several good books about the time I want to research. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

The british usurpers are candidates for officers:<br>
<br>
Marcus 406<br>
Gratianus 407<br>
Constantinus III. 407: said to be a regular soldier<br>
Constans: Constantinus' son, said to have commanded forces in Gallia<br>
<br>
some of Constantines officers were probably exported british comrades:<br>
Gerontius: Quote:</em></strong><hr>"Constantine now appointed Ediovinchus, a Frank, and Gerontius, a Briton, as his new generals"<hr> Zosimus<br>
Justinianus, Nevigastes: Quote:</em></strong><hr>"He having entrusted to Justinian and Nevigastes the command of the Celtic legions, crossed over from Britain."<hr> Zos.<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Edobinchus seems too to be an officer in Britain:<br>
Quote:</em></strong><hr>Constantine then conferred the command, vacant by the death of Justinian and Nevigastes, on Edobinchus, a Frank by extraction, but a native of Britain, and on Gerontius, a Briton.<hr><br>
All to be found in Zosimus book 6. [url=http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/zosimus06_book6.htm" target="top]www.tertullian.org/fathers/zosimus06_book6.htm[/url] <p></p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

Well, I'd have some doubts if Justinian, Edobinchus and Nevigastes were officers <em><strong>in</strong></em> Britain. It's possible of course, but they could also have been officers from the units that joined forces with Constantine when he ghad crossed to Gaul.<br>
The latter two are clearly Germanic names (but that would not exclude them from being Roman officers in Britain, I suppose).<br>
<br>
Valete,<br>
Valerius/Robert <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Quote:</em></strong><hr>"He having entrusted to Justinian and Nevigastes the command of the Celtic legions, crossed over from Britain."<hr><br>
<br>
That reads as if Nevigastes remained behind in Britain, probably to gather a few more troops and to give the remaining Roman landholders the impression that they were not left defenseless.<br>
<br>
Thanks for the info. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=gabrielecampbell>gabriele campbell</A> at: 10/9/04 10:55 pm<br></i>

[Anonymous]

Robert,<br>
you're right that two of them got germanic names. At least some officers in Britain around 410 should have had Germanic ones - considering the hundreds of years of tradition to post germanic troops and officers in Britain. I dont want to proof that from the beginning - but looking to the 4th century, there come to my mind<br>
Crocus - Alaman king aiding Constantine in York 306<br>
Fraomar - king of the Bucinobantes, afterwards tribune in Britain under Valentinian<br>
Nectaridus? - count of the coastal region in late 60s<br>
Fullofaudes - dux in late 60s<br>
<br>
<br>
Besides, I want to gratulate for your Vortigern site. Great stuff!<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Mithras]

On names ... I'm trying to settle on a suitable late 4thC name for myself. Any advice on where to look and what to look for would be appreciated. I am a lowly pedes in the Legio Praesidiensis, based in the north of Britain. Doubtless my father was a soldier in the unit (as was the law - son following father?).<br>
<br>
I know that 'early' Roman names were being pushed out by Germanic and Celtic names. And that a good many Germanic soldiers were recruited into the legions.<br>
<br>
Was my father/grandfather Germanic? British? What is most likely?<br>
<br>
Any help appreciated ...<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

Wot's the Legio <em>Praesidiensis</em>?<br>
Don't seem to know it. Or.. is it something like the fectienses seniores?<br>
<br>
Valete,<br>
Valerius/Robert <p></p><i></i>

[Mithras]

The Praesidiensis was (I believe a limitani, that transfered to the Gallic field army as a pseudocomiatenis). Its on this list of Gallic units:<br>
www.ne.jp/asahi/luke/ueda...iarum.html<br>
<br>
And the shield design is there too, its our unit design:<br>
www.comitatus.net/<br>
<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Quote:</em></strong><hr>Constantine then conferred the command, vacant by the death of Justinian and Nevigastes, on Edobinchus, a Frank by extraction, but a native of Britain, and on Gerontius, a Briton.<hr><br>
<br>
Well, other sources have it Gerontius was a general from the first moment Constantine went to Gaul.<br>
<br>
I can manage to reconcile the sources with my story: I have Nevigastes stay behind (I need him for an inspection of part of the Hadriane Wall), and join Constantine later, in time to die at the battle against Sarus. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Well, Britons like Gerontius and Nevigastes might not follow the Roman praenomen/nomen/cognomen structure, but they needed at least a praenomen (like Flavius Stilicho) - any chance to find those? <p></p><i></i>