The two Vegetii

[Michael Kerr]

Nathan Ross wrote:

 Without wanting to sound madly picky, though, what evidence does Lenski put forward that the trib stabuli was 'charged with the collection of horses'? 

 Not being picky and a good question, we can always get back to Vegetius later. Going by the notes he is relying a lot on AHM Jones’s book The Later Roman Empire. Jones wrote that the tribunus (later comes) stabuli commanded a corps of grooms and equerries (stratores) and was responsible for the levy of horses not only for the court but for the cavalry as a whole. Jones later writes “horses were the responsibility of the tribune of the stable, an officer of the comitatus who ranked with the tribunes of the scholae: He commanded the corps of stratores (or grooms), one of whose duties it was to examine the horses levied from the provincials by the governors.” It must have been a lucrative position with a handsome income as after Valentinian limited the fees charged to reign in extortion. Stratores fees were limited to one solidus per horse while the comes stabuli also drew a fee of two solidi per horse requisitioned. After 401 the fees charged by later comes stabuli were abolished to lower prices but apparently they still managed to get a cut. Jones in his footnotes on comes stabuli references has Ammianus and the Theodosian Code.

 Just as an aside The Franks borrowed the title, and under the Merovingian and Carolingian kings of western Europe the comes stabuli was in charge of the royal stud.

Nathan Ross wrote:

Does the Theodoret anecdote he mentions in that same section specifically name the tribunus stabuli, or is this Lenski's gloss on a more vague reference?

In Theodoret’s work the name of the comes stabuli is not mentioned just a reference to a man who is close to the emperor and in charge of the care of his horses. This person was not a vet or groom but he had the power to summon those who could tend to horses so yes Lenski might be stretching it a bit but he probably thinks he has reasonable grounds. Here is the reference from Theodoret.

11. He learnt of the man's power from another incident as well. A certain horse of good breed and trained to be an excellent mount was particularly dear to the emperor. To the great distress of the emperor it caught a disease: its secretion of urine was blocked. Those trained in the skill were summoned to tend it; but to the distress of the emperor and the grief of the man entrusted with the care of the horses, their skill was defeated. Being pious and strong in faith, he repaired at midday to the dwelling of the great Aphrahat. After mentioning the disease and declaring his faith, he besought him to dispel the complaint by prayer. Without delaying for a moment but instantly beseeching God, he ordered water to be drawn from the well, and making on this the sign of the cross of salvation gave instructions for it to be given to the horse, which, contrary to its habit, drank it. Then consecrating oil by the invocation of the divine blessing, he anointed the horse's belly: at the touch of his hand the disease immediately departed and at once natural secretion took place. In great joy the man took the horse and ran back to the stable.

12. In the evening the emperor, who was in the habit of visiting the stable at this time, came and asked how the horse was. When the man told of his good health and led the horse out, vigorous, prancing, neighing, and holding his neck up proudly, he inquired after the cause of health. After evading reply several times- for he feared to indicate the doctor, knowing the enmity of the questioner he was finally forced to tell the truth and told of the manner of cure. The emperor was astonished and agreed that the man was remarkable. However, he was not freed of his earlier madness, but persisted in raging against the Only-begotten until he became a casualty of a fire lit by barbarians and did not even receive a burial like servants or beggars. 

Nathan Ross wrote:
I would think if Vegetius really did have intimate knowledge of the the emperor's cavalry forces, he might have said a bit more about cavalry in his book!...

Vegetius was writing more about infantry and Milner did say in his book that it is also very selective; cavalry warfare and river patrol boats are expressly omitted on the grounds that late-Roman progress in these areas rendered them above criticism. Vegetius being a non military person would not know much about cavalry tactics. I suppose if he was not a comes stabuli then why would he want to step on toes. It should be noted that Vegetius main concern in his Mulomedicinae was care and selection of horses, mules and cattle and a good amount of criticism of some of the practices of his times compared to the past, a theme he seems to hammer his readers with in his Epitome as well. Cavalry tactics and forces were not his concern in Mulomedicinae but he did write about his thoughts about what breeds suited military, horse racing which was extremely popular, and riding horses for travelling which he claims to have done extensively. As to military horses he must have conversed with lots of officers who probably told him about the different qualities of war horses. He also talks a lot about ambling horses which would make excellent carriage horses. His system was identifying horses was by their countries of origin. Seems to me that he was railing against corruption himself with unqualified vets charging exorbitant fees, certain farmers and officials not stabling their horses in winters and dodgy horse traders to passing off low quality horses. Seems to me that he was a high ranking bureaucrat trying to keep a rein on expenses and telling his audience how to care for their livestock without resorting to shonksters  passing themselves off as vets. Just on Vegetius it is interesting that in his Mulomedicinae he still talks of the various types of African horses which seemed to be at the time the most suitable and popular horses for the various circuses that dotted the empire so I am assuming that the Vandals had not yet taken North Africa at the time of his writing his Mulomedicinae.

Regards

Michael Kerr