Ala Afrorum

Gravestone of the signifier Oclatius ( AE 1924, 21 )

The Ala Afrorum [veterana] ( German Ala of the (North) Africans [the veteran] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions.

Name components

Afrorum : the (North) African. The soldiers of the Ala were recruited when the unit was established in the territory of the Roman province of Africa .

veterana : the veteran. The addition appears in military diplomas from 78 to 158 and the inscription ( CIL 13, 10024,034 ).

Since there is no reference to the addition of milliaria (1000 men) to the name , the unit was an Ala quingenaria . The nominal strength of the Ala was 480 men, consisting of 16 towers with 30 riders each.

history

The Ala was stationed in the province of Germania . It is listed on military diplomas for the years 78 to 158 AD.

The unit was probably stationed in Germania around 70/71 after the suppression of the Batavian uprising . The first evidence of Ala in the province of Germania is based on a diploma dated 78. In the diploma, the unit is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Germania ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, dated from 98 to 158, prove the unity in Germania inferior .

The unit was probably not in the province around 89. Domitian (81–96) had given the Roman armed forces in Germania inferior who remained loyal to him after the suppression of the uprising of Lucius Antonius Saturninus the honorary designation pia fidelis Domitiana ; but this addition is missing from the unit.

Locations

Locations of the Ala in Germania were possibly:

Burginatium ( Kalkar )
Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium ( Cologne ): The tombstones of Anno , Lucius , Oluper and Romanus as well as the inscription of the Simplex were found here.
Novaesium ( Neuss ): The tombstone of Oclatius was found here.

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

[?]: He is named on a diploma from 101 ( ZPE-187-279 ) as a commander.

T (itus) Statilius Optatus, a prefect ( CIL 6, 31863 ). He was also prefect of the Cohors I Lucensium .

Others

[?], a rider: a diploma of 101 ( ZPE-187-279 ) was issued for him.
Anno ( CIL 13, 8335 )
Crescens, a Decurio ( CIL 13, 8692 )
Firmanus, a Decurio ( CIL 13, 8305 )
Flav (ius) Simplex, a veteran and former Duplicarius ( CIL 13, 10024,034 )
Flavus, a Decurio ( CIL 13, 8303 )
L (ucius), a horseman ( CIL 13, 8303 )

M (arcus) Traianiu [s] Gumattius, a veteran ( CIL 13, 8806 )
Oclatius, a signer ( AE 1924, 21 )
Oluper, a horseman ( CIL 13, 8304 )
Precus Capito, a Decurio ( CIL 13, 8304 )
Romanus, a horseman ( CIL 13, 8305 )
Simplex, a rider ( CIL 13, 8223 )

More alae called Ala Afrorum

There was another Ala with this name, the Ala II Ulpia Afrorum . It is documented by the Notitia dignitatum , Section XXVIII for the province of Aegyptus .

Web links

Commons : Ala Afrorum - collection of images, videos and audio files

Societas Equitum Romanorum , a Dutch Living History Group, the Ala Afrorum simulates

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b ^c John EH Spaul: Ala² The Auxiliary Cavalry Units of the Pre-Diocletianic Imperial Roman Army. Nectoreca Press, Andover 1994, ISBN 0-9525062-0-3 , pp. 22-23.
^ Jörg Scheuerbrandt : Exercitus. Tasks, organization and command structure of Roman armies during the imperial era. Dissertation, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg im Breisgau 2003/2004, p. 158 Table 2 ( PDF p. 160 ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 78 ( CIL 16, 23 ), 98 ( RMD 4, 216 ), 101 ( RMM 9 , ZPE-187-279 ), 107/114 ( CIL 16, 59 ), 127 ( RMD 4, 239 ), 150 ( ZPE-206-207 ), 152 ( RMM 35 , ZPE-148-262 ) and 158 ( RMD 1, 52 ).
^ Paul A. Holder: Exercitus Pius Fidelis: The Army of Germania Inferior in AD 89 In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik (ZPE), Volume 128 (1999), pp. 237–250, here pp. 244, 248 ( PDF ) .
↑ ^a ^b Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: New diplomas with the names of consuls and governors In: ZPE, Volume 187 (2013), pp. 273–294, here p. 280 ( online ).

[jsp-1] A ^b ^c John EH Spaul: Ala² The Auxiliary Cavalry Units of the Pre-Diocletianic Imperial Roman Army. Nectoreca Press, Andover 1994, ISBN 0-9525062-0-3 , pp. 22-23.

[js-2] Jörg Scheuerbrandt : Exercitus. Tasks, organization and command structure of Roman armies during the imperial era. Dissertation, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg im Breisgau 2003/2004, p. 158 Table 2 ( PDF p. 160 ).

[MD-3] Military diplomas of the years 78 ( CIL 16, 23 ), 98 ( RMD 4, 216 ), 101 ( RMM 9 , ZPE-187-279 ), 107/114 ( CIL 16, 59 ), 127 ( RMD 4, 239 ), 150 ( ZPE-206-207 ), 152 ( RMM 35 , ZPE-148-262 ) and 158 ( RMD 1, 52 ).

[pah-4] Paul A. Holder: Exercitus Pius Fidelis: The Army of Germania Inferior in AD 89 In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik (ZPE), Volume 128 (1999), pp. 237–250, here pp. 244, 248 ( PDF ) .

[we1-5] Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: New diplomas with the names of consuls and governors In: ZPE, Volume 187 (2013), pp. 273–294, here p. 280 ( online ).