01-17-2019, 02:24 PM
I’ve just finished the chapter on the Late Roman legion. It was to say the least, a mathematical conundrum of the greatest proportions. I feel I have for the last two weeks been fighting in the trenches on the Somme.
Understanding the Roman tribal system has made remarkable discoveries, but when it came to the Late Roman legion, it only partially could interpret the unit sizes (50%) in the primary sources. It was a bit of a body blow to come so far and fall just short at the end.
I finally located the problem. It was my preconceived concept of the Late Roman legion that was the road block. I was fixated the legion had to be small. So I approached the problem differently and after examining the data for the 35 tribes that would cover the Late Roman legion time frame, it all started to fall into place. Besides the standard practice of making detachments during the republic and principate, the Romans had introduced a new system of forming detachments from legions. So two systems of forming detachments in play. I felt it was akin to the German U boats during WWII introducing a fourth wheel to their enigma machine.
The actual Late Roman legion is large. The legion has both iuniores and seniores organised into vexillations, cohorts, maniples, centuries and cuneii. After removing some units (in the same manner as the triarii in the old days), a smaller legion exist made up of iuniores and seniores. The sizes of the standard units will change.
So two legion sizes containing iuniores and seniores. The Romans can also take the full strength legion of iuniores and seniores and they remove the seniores. All organisations within the legion change in size. Then further detachments are made. This system can produce four legion sizes of iuniores. This mean six legion sizes in play and that is why the variations in numbers.
I’ve done all the organisation diagrams of all six legions, and then took all the data I could find on the legion for this period so as to determine which legion they belong to. I have found the legion size and organisation which relates to the 1,500 lancerii and the mattiarii. Three units of 500 men. No rounding. A perfect match. This one has eluded me before and been a thorn in my side.
Ammianus seven legions and a number of numerii amounting to 20,000 men at Amida had revealed more insights into the Roman military. Whatever sizes the legions were and how they were organised, the numeri with them has the same organisation. This makes sense because if the units had to deploy for battle in a field, they would have to be compatible. Imagine in the republic putting four legions in the field with one missing the triarii, another missing the antesignani, another missing both the antesignani and the triarii. The Romans are very pragmatic, and the number of men I have is extremely close to Ammianus’ 20,000 men.
Some people here don’t have much regard for the Christian martyrs, but Saint Meletius reference to 252 soldiers is also a perfect match. Another perfect match, which means no rounding but on is spot on. Another perfect match is Macarius of 1,104 soldiers were stationed at Melitene. It contains both infantry and cavalry and accurately conforms to one of the six legion organizations I have.
The force of Mascezel to suppress a revolt from Gildo as detailed by Claudian and the force given at 5,000 by Orosius also conforms. Glaudian’s use of the term cohort is correct. The 400 men in ambush at the Baths of Zeuxippos is correct. All unit number, both infantry and cavalry in Ammianus, John Lydus, Zosimus and Sozomen etc have now given up their secrets. But the biggest prize is in “The Acts of the Disputation of Archelaus,” which mentions that 7,700 Christians were taken prisoner, 500 wounded and 1,300 killed, are, as I have claimed before, taken from a military garrison force. I found what organisation they are adhering to and the rounding of the numbers is within point 001 percent. Yes I am aware the Second Book of Chronicles also uses the number 7,700 for the size of a flock of rams and goats. And our author knew this and purposely portioned the Roman military organisation to reflect this as he must have seen the similarity.
The cavalry squadrons also change in size when the seniores are removed. The instigator of these military changes was Diocletian and the evidence to support this collaborated from many sources.
In summary, there is nothing wrong with the numbers in the primary sources. Finding out how Roman military doctrine works is the key to understanding the numbers. Introducing a second system of detaching troops was the new doctrine. It has been a journey.
Understanding the Roman tribal system has made remarkable discoveries, but when it came to the Late Roman legion, it only partially could interpret the unit sizes (50%) in the primary sources. It was a bit of a body blow to come so far and fall just short at the end.
I finally located the problem. It was my preconceived concept of the Late Roman legion that was the road block. I was fixated the legion had to be small. So I approached the problem differently and after examining the data for the 35 tribes that would cover the Late Roman legion time frame, it all started to fall into place. Besides the standard practice of making detachments during the republic and principate, the Romans had introduced a new system of forming detachments from legions. So two systems of forming detachments in play. I felt it was akin to the German U boats during WWII introducing a fourth wheel to their enigma machine.
The actual Late Roman legion is large. The legion has both iuniores and seniores organised into vexillations, cohorts, maniples, centuries and cuneii. After removing some units (in the same manner as the triarii in the old days), a smaller legion exist made up of iuniores and seniores. The sizes of the standard units will change.
So two legion sizes containing iuniores and seniores. The Romans can also take the full strength legion of iuniores and seniores and they remove the seniores. All organisations within the legion change in size. Then further detachments are made. This system can produce four legion sizes of iuniores. This mean six legion sizes in play and that is why the variations in numbers.
I’ve done all the organisation diagrams of all six legions, and then took all the data I could find on the legion for this period so as to determine which legion they belong to. I have found the legion size and organisation which relates to the 1,500 lancerii and the mattiarii. Three units of 500 men. No rounding. A perfect match. This one has eluded me before and been a thorn in my side.
Ammianus seven legions and a number of numerii amounting to 20,000 men at Amida had revealed more insights into the Roman military. Whatever sizes the legions were and how they were organised, the numeri with them has the same organisation. This makes sense because if the units had to deploy for battle in a field, they would have to be compatible. Imagine in the republic putting four legions in the field with one missing the triarii, another missing the antesignani, another missing both the antesignani and the triarii. The Romans are very pragmatic, and the number of men I have is extremely close to Ammianus’ 20,000 men.
Some people here don’t have much regard for the Christian martyrs, but Saint Meletius reference to 252 soldiers is also a perfect match. Another perfect match, which means no rounding but on is spot on. Another perfect match is Macarius of 1,104 soldiers were stationed at Melitene. It contains both infantry and cavalry and accurately conforms to one of the six legion organizations I have.
The force of Mascezel to suppress a revolt from Gildo as detailed by Claudian and the force given at 5,000 by Orosius also conforms. Glaudian’s use of the term cohort is correct. The 400 men in ambush at the Baths of Zeuxippos is correct. All unit number, both infantry and cavalry in Ammianus, John Lydus, Zosimus and Sozomen etc have now given up their secrets. But the biggest prize is in “The Acts of the Disputation of Archelaus,” which mentions that 7,700 Christians were taken prisoner, 500 wounded and 1,300 killed, are, as I have claimed before, taken from a military garrison force. I found what organisation they are adhering to and the rounding of the numbers is within point 001 percent. Yes I am aware the Second Book of Chronicles also uses the number 7,700 for the size of a flock of rams and goats. And our author knew this and purposely portioned the Roman military organisation to reflect this as he must have seen the similarity.
The cavalry squadrons also change in size when the seniores are removed. The instigator of these military changes was Diocletian and the evidence to support this collaborated from many sources.
In summary, there is nothing wrong with the numbers in the primary sources. Finding out how Roman military doctrine works is the key to understanding the numbers. Introducing a second system of detaching troops was the new doctrine. It has been a journey.
