use of Iberians in the Roman Army

[JP Vieira]

Hello
After the conquest of Iberia by Rome, how did the Roman Army used Iberian soldiers? Did it "hired" entire units equipped with native equipment or with a mix of native and roman equipment? Or did it incorporate individuals and did those retained any native equipment while on service with the Roman Army?
Best regards
JP Vieira

[Thersites]

During the early stages of the conquest, Romans used native contingents that naturally fough using their native tactics, weapons and leaders. For example, the Scipios employed the Ilergetes under Indibil as allies in the Second Punic War –later they became enemies, fighting twice pitched battles, hard contested. These Iberians -sometimes also Celtiberians- fought as 'line' infantry (in a way like tureophoroi),capable of fighting both in the main line as formed infantry, and as light infantry in more open order in rough terrain. As 'heavy' infantry, most of these Iberians were as heavily armed as most Roman legionaries (except those carrying lorica hamata or mail, a minority in Roman legions of that period, according to Polybius). Also, natives used soliferrea which is the functional equivalent of the Roman pilum, and then charged with the sword. The similarities of small-unit battle tactics between Romans and Iberians is recorded for example by Livy (28,2 and in other cases). Also, there are many instances of Iberians being depicted as possesing both 'heavy' and 'light' infantry.

During the advance in the Meseta, Rome still used local units, as in 154-152 BC (under Nobilior) and 133 BC (Scipio).

During the Sertorian Wars (c. 75 BC) the Romans of both sides began to use Romanised Iberians, Celtiberians and Lusitanians armed and organised along Late Republican Roman lines (i.e., as heavily protected legionaries), but also some native contingents from more remote areas were used as irregular auxilia, both as cavalry, light infantry (caetrati) and dual purpose infantry (cohortes scutatae).

In Caesar times (c. 50 BC) the Pompeians armed local clientelae in Roman fashion, like vernaculae legiones, but both sides also used light and line infantry units (cohortes caetratae and scutatae, with increasing emphasis on the latter as Romans provided almost all 'line' units. These soldiers used a mixture of traditional and Roman weapons (Montefortino helmets, pila, etc.; but we should remember that the Romans themselves were using by then many weapons of Spanish origin (gladius hispaniensis, pugiones, even some soliferrea)

By Augustus time, c. 15 BC, all traces of formed, heavily armed native units had vanished, and most local units were now irregular auxilia from northern regions, but these quickly began to be absorbed into the reorganisation of the Roman army, and by 10 AD regular auxilia units, both infantry cohortes and cavalry alae were in existence, uniformly armed with roman style weapons.

Hope all this info, although compressed, is of some use. The first part looks more controversial (Iberians and Celtiberians fighting in formation in close order with shock tactics), but I think this point, which is substantial, has now been proved.

I have uploaded in .pdf format a scholarly paper I published in English on these problems a couple of years ago. Please download it if you feel like reading it, and checking the references to the sources.
It is F. Quesada, "Not so different..."

[url:tuf4yih4]http://www.ffil.uam.es/equus/warmas/online/online.html[/url]

Please note it is a longish .pdf file, so perhaps it is best to download it (right button, click, save file as...


Best regards

[Paullus Scipio]

Excellent paper, Fernando, which I have gratefully added to my collection!!

On the subject of the Punic War and Republican Legion, I have always thought that the answer was relatively simple, and consists of the difference between 'open order' ( with a six feet frontage) and 'close order' (three feet frontage).Polybius and Vegetius were both right, in my opinion !
This drill technique is still practised today to pass units through one another !!
The system I proposed is set out in "Warfare in the Classical World" - John Warry pp 110-112.
You indicated in your article that you did not think this feasible in the face of the enemy, but it certainly would be during the "lulls" in battle where lines were at least 25-35 meters apart.
However, if this is seen as too 'formal' and complex, consider that the greek phalanx had drills to march and countermarch (in open order) to reverse front, done by leading files about (e.g the 'Laconian counter-march') much as military bands do today, thus moving through themselves in formation. How much easier would this be in the looser 'clouds' you have hypothesised ? All that would be required is for the line to 'open order march' i.e. ranks expand in depth into a loose 'quincunx' formation, and the relieving principes in similar formation could filter through, perhaps almost un-noticed by the enemy amidst dust and confusion.
Similarly, a line in 'open order' with around six feet frontage could fall back through a similarly formed triarii line who would then 'close order march' to provide a phalanx-like wall of spears.
Modern recruits are taught much more complex drills in a matter of weeks, so it would not have been a problem for legionaries to achieve this.

[JP Vieira]

Hedllo
Many thanks on your contributions. it will help a lot my research.
Thanks
Best regards
JP Vieira

[Aryaman2]

IIRC there is a diploma about an Iberian cavalry unit, the turma salluitana, hired by the Romans in the social war against the Italic peoples.

[Paullus Scipio]

.....P.S - For a modern example of 'troops' armed like Iberians/Romans with scuta changing over their lines, and how rapidly it could be done, even in combat, see the post of Tarbicus, especially the "treat", of clips of South Korean riot police training, on the thread 'Late Roman Formations'

It gives plenty of food for thought, especially to those who think it could not be done !! D lol: