Auxilia palatina
Encyclopedia
Auxilia palatina were infantry units of the Late Roman army
, first raised by Constantine I
as part of the new field army he created in about 325.
Some of the senior and probably oldest of these units had special names such as Cornuti
or Brachiati; others were named after the tribes from which they were recruited (many of these in eastern Gaul, or among the German barbarians). These units all became palatine units when a distinction was drawn between palatina
and the remainder of the comitatenses
around 365. There is no direct evidence for the strength of an auxilium, but A.H.M. Jones (History of the Later Roman Empire, Blackwell, Oxford, 1964 p 682) estimates that it may have been 600 or 700. Some auxilia are attested as limitanei
, especially on the Danube. It is not clear whether these were regarded as a different category of unit.
, which depicts also some of the shield patterns of the units.
Late Roman army
The Late Roman army is the term used to denote the military forces of the Roman Empire from the accession of Emperor Diocletian in 284 until the Empire's definitive division into Eastern and Western halves in 395. A few decades afterwards, the Western army disintegrated as the Western empire...
, first raised by Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
as part of the new field army he created in about 325.
Some of the senior and probably oldest of these units had special names such as Cornuti
Cornuti
The Cornuti was an auxilia palatina unit of the Late Roman army, active in the 4th and 5th century. It was probably related to the Cornuti seniores and the Cornuti iuniores.- History :...
or Brachiati; others were named after the tribes from which they were recruited (many of these in eastern Gaul, or among the German barbarians). These units all became palatine units when a distinction was drawn between palatina
Palatini (Roman military)
The palatini were elite regiments of the Late Roman army mostly attached to the comitatus praesentales, or imperial escort armies...
and the remainder of the comitatenses
Comitatenses
Comitatenses is the Latin plural of comitatensis, originally the adjective derived from comitatus , itself rooting in Comes .However, historically it became the accepted name for...
around 365. There is no direct evidence for the strength of an auxilium, but A.H.M. Jones (History of the Later Roman Empire, Blackwell, Oxford, 1964 p 682) estimates that it may have been 600 or 700. Some auxilia are attested as limitanei
Limitanei
The limitanei, meaning "the soldiers in frontier districts" The limitanei, meaning "the soldiers in frontier districts" The limitanei, meaning "the soldiers in frontier districts" (from the Latin phrase limes, denoting the military districts of the frontier provinces established in the late third...
, especially on the Danube. It is not clear whether these were regarded as a different category of unit.
List of auxilia palatina
List of the auxilia palatina included in the early 5th-century Notitia DignitatumNotitia Dignitatum
The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries. One of the very few surviving documents of Roman government, it details the administrative organisation of the eastern and western empires, listing several thousand offices from the imperial court down to the provincial...
, which depicts also some of the shield patterns of the units.
- CornutiCornutiThe Cornuti was an auxilia palatina unit of the Late Roman army, active in the 4th and 5th century. It was probably related to the Cornuti seniores and the Cornuti iuniores.- History :...
seniores - Brachiati seniores
- PetulantesPetulantesPetulantes was an auxilia palatina of the Late Roman army.- History :The Petulantes were of Germanic origin, and it is possible they fought in the Battle of the Milvian Bridge for Emperor Constantine I...
seniores - Celtae seniores
- Batavi senioresBatavi (military unit)The Batavi was an auxilia palatina unit of the Late Roman army, active between the 4th and the 5th century. It was composed by 500 soldiers and was the heir of those ethnic groups that were initially used as auxiliary units of the Roman army and later integrated in the Roman Empire after the...
- MattiaciMattiaciThe Mattiaci were an ancient Germanic tribe. They were possibly a branch of the Chatti, their Germanic neighbors to the east. The Mattiaci were settled on border of the Roman Empire on the right side of the Rhine in the area of present-day Wiesbaden , the southern Taunus, and the Wetterau.Tacitus...
seniores - MattiaciMattiaciThe Mattiaci were an ancient Germanic tribe. They were possibly a branch of the Chatti, their Germanic neighbors to the east. The Mattiaci were settled on border of the Roman Empire on the right side of the Rhine in the area of present-day Wiesbaden , the southern Taunus, and the Wetterau.Tacitus...
iuniores - Ascarii seniores
- Ascarii iuniores
- Iovii seniores
- CornutiCornutiThe Cornuti was an auxilia palatina unit of the Late Roman army, active in the 4th and 5th century. It was probably related to the Cornuti seniores and the Cornuti iuniores.- History :...
iuniores - Sagittarii Nervii
- Leones seniores
- Leones iuniores
- Exculcatores seniores
- Sagittarii Tungri
- Exculcatores iuniores
- Tubantes
- Salii
- Grati
- Felices seniores
- Felices iuniores
- Gratianenses seniores
- Invicti seniores
- Augustei
- Iovii iuniores
- Victores iuniores
- Batavi iunioresBatavi (military unit)The Batavi was an auxilia palatina unit of the Late Roman army, active between the 4th and the 5th century. It was composed by 500 soldiers and was the heir of those ethnic groups that were initially used as auxiliary units of the Roman army and later integrated in the Roman Empire after the...
- Bructeri
- AmpsivariiAmpsivariiThe Ampsivarii, sometimes referenced by modern writers as Ampsivari , were a Germanic tribe mentioned by ancient authors....
- Gratianenses iuniores
- Valentianenses iuniores
- Raeti
- SequaniSequaniSequani, in ancient geography, were a Gallic people who occupied the upper river basin of the Arar , the valley of the Doubs and the Jura Mountains, their territory corresponding to Franche-Comté and part of Burgundy.-Etymology:...
- Sagittarii venatores
- Latini
- Sabini
- Brachiati iuniores
- Honoriani Atecotti seniores
- Honoriani Marcomanni seniores
- Honoriani Marcomanni iuniores
- Honoriani Atecotti iuniores
- Brisigavi seniores
- Brisigavi iuniores
- Honoriani Mauri seniores
- Honoriani Mauri iuniores
- Celtae iuniores
- Invicti iuniores Britanniciani
- Exculcatores iuniores Britanniciani
- Felices Valentinianenses
- Mattiaci iuniores Gallicani
- Salii Gallicani
- Sagittarii Nervii Gallicani
- Iovii iuniores Gallicani
- Seguntienses
- Galli victores
- Honoriani victores iuniores
- Honoriani ascarii seniores
- Felices iuniores Gallicani
- Atecotti iuniores Gallicani
- Tungri
- Honoriani Gallicani
- Mauri tonantes seniores
- Mauri tonantes iuniores