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I was discussing with a friend the current discussion in the United States to arm Syrian rebels in the fight against ISIS. Does anyone know of an instance in Roman history (say from 509 B.C. through A.D. 476) in which the Roman army ever trained or equipped foreign troops to deal with a distant conflict that could have been seen as a threat to Rome's interests? In other words, did Rome ever do anything like what we have done/are doing with regard to equipping/training foreign troops, or did Rome always send in legions and do it herself?
This is not to be a political debate on contemporary issues, but merely a discussion of ancient responses to distant conflict.
Thanks!
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Yep, they did that all the time. Aetius did this with the Hun Foederati, for example.
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During the 2nd Punic War, Rome sent some centurions to Numidia to help train Syphax's infantry when he was still an ally of Rome and was warring with other Numidians loyal to Carthage. During the Civil Wars, Quintus Sertorius sent officers to the court of Mithridates to train their infantry, while he was at war with the Roman Republic (Sullan dominated government).
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Good point. The Huns we often call Aetius' Foederati technically were not Foederati as there was no treaty established between the Romans and Huns calling on them for military service; nor were they on Roman lands prior to 439.
Technically, they were all Bucellarii.
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But still there for Aetius' benefit; although poor Aetius after all he did with the Huns they turned against him for a woman :-P
Dan
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I think one of the depictions on Trajan's column is of Dacians besieging a Roman fort in the same manner as the Romans undertook sieges. I have read that one of the conditions for peace made by Decebalus to Domitian was that the Romans supply him with engineers and equipment. They seemed to know a lot about Roman tactics as well but whether the Romans supplied trainers as part of peace terms or conditions or whether they were Roman deserters doing the training I suppose we will never know. :-)
Regards
Michael Kerr
Michael Kerr
"You can conquer an empire from the back of a horse but you can't rule it from one"