African troops in the Roman Army – Info need!

[Alexius]

Dear felows,

I ask your attention to help us in this situation:

We are planning to start working whit young people from social neighbourhood areas who have a strong percentage of people who her parents have come from Africa in the last 20 years and live and work in Portugal (like in many places in Europe).

For avoid restrictions and permit the participation to all the young interested people we want to have a solid “historical groundâ€

[Marcus Germanicus Ferox]

Hi Alexius

Try these... http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/roots/2003/10 ... mans.shtml
http://www.barca.fsnet.co.uk/zama-continued.htm

"Although Scipio's forces were smaller, he had the advantage in cavalry. The Roman army, consisting of about 25,000 Roman and Italian legionaries and 10,000 Numidians, also formed its usual three lines of infantry but with the principes and triarii held back together as a second echelon. Scipio placed his Italian cavalry on the left and Numidian cavalry on the right. He set his battle lines differently than the standard. He placed his maniples (units of 120 men) one behind the other. This created open lanes running right through the army. In these lanes he placed light-armed troops to harass the elephants when they charged. The troops could also take refuge behind the legionaries thus leaving the lanes clear if necessary. On the left wing he placed Roman cavalry under Laelius and on the right wing were the Numidians under Masinissa."

Just a starter but evidence enough I should think

Kind regards

Mark.

[aitor iriarte]

Something like this:
link from old RAT

Aitor

[Graham Sumner]

Hi Alexius

COHORS I AFRORUM CR eq. are recorded on a Diploma of AD 122 in Britain (I bet they loved that!)

a NUMERUS MAURORUM AURELIANORUM are attested at Burgh By Sands on an inscription of Valerian and Gallienus AD253-258. It probably arrived in Britain with Septimius Severus, himself a native of North Africa.

Lucius Quietus a Moor was one of Trajan's commanders he rose to high office.

Under Severus Alexander there was an officer with the title Praepositus Equitum Itemque Peditum Iuniorum Maurorum, which implies the existence of at least two units with that title.

sources:

P. Holder 'Roman Army in Britain'. 1982
G. Cheesman 'The Auxilia of the Roman Imperial Army'. 1914

Don't forget the Dromedarii if you want to illustrate exotic troops! If you want a picture I can send you one!

Hope this is of some use.

Graham.

[Salvianus]

a NUMERUS MAURORUM AURELIANORUM are attested at Burgh By Sands on an inscription of Valerian and Gallienus AD253-258. It probably arrived in Britain with Septimius Severus, himself a native of North Africa.

According to British Archaeology Magazine July 2004 this unit was also around into the fourth century:

[url:1r0097im]http://www.britarch.ac.uk/BA/ba77/feat1.shtml[/url]

The Notitia Dignitatum... also mentions the unit. It reads: praefectus numeri Maurorum Aurelianorum, Aballaba, ‘prefect of the numerus of Aurelian Moors, at Aballava’. ‘Aurelianorum’ suggests that the unit was named in honour of the emperor Marcus Aurelius...c AD 161-80

Severus was born at Leptis Magna in Tripolitana, now in Libya.

I suspect it is quite difficult to ascribe particular ethnicities to units so long after they were raised and that it is difficult to be completely certain how terms like 'moor' & 'ethiopian' should be regarded today (particularly given later usage with respect to al-Andalus).

Good luck

[Alexius]

Dear fellows,

Thanks for the several information, you have donned a nice job!

I will check this topic for see if, in the future, will have more information’s.

Salvete!

Alexius

[gie]

limitis.free.fr/documents/africains/Article3.pdf
limitis.free.fr/documents/africains/Article2.pdf

[Alexius]

Thanks Andrei,

Greats from Lusitanis to our dacians brothers!

Salve!

Alexius