Ala Celerum

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The Ala Celerum [Philippiana] ( German  Ala Celerum [the Philippian] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is documented by inscriptions.

Name components

  • Celerum : the Celeres were the mounted bodyguard of Romulus . The reference to Romulus was probably chosen by the new emperor Philip Arabs because of the upcoming millennium of the city of Rome and also served to legitimize the emperor.
  • Philippiana : the Philippian. An honorary title that refers to Philip Arabs (244–249). The addition appears in the inscription ( AE 1992, 1694 ).

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 set up as a mounted bodyguard by Philip Arabs around 244 AD in the east of the Roman Empire. It served either to supplement the previous bodyguard ( equites singulares Augusti ) or to replace it. As a bodyguard, the unit accompanied the emperor on his travels. The Ala is first proven by the inscription ( AE 1992, 1694 ) in the province of Arabia ; later she probably stayed in Noricum, where the tombstone of Aggaeus was found. Her further fate is unknown.

Locations

Locations of the Ala in Arabia may have been:

  • Philippopolis ( Shahba ): After Philip Arabs came to power, his place of birth was renamed Philippopolis and expanded by him. The Ala was probably stationed here during his stay. The inscription ( AE 1992, 1694 ) was found here.

Members of the Ala

A member of the Ala, Aggaeus , a Hexarchus , is known for his tombstone ( CIL 3, 4832 ), which was found in Virunum , the capital of Noricum .

See also

Remarks

  1. ↑ a b According to Michael P. Speidel it is also conceivable that the Ala was already established by one of the predecessors of Philip Arabs; so was z. B. Severus Alexander (222–235) depicted on coins as Romulus. Possibly it was Maximinus Thrax (235-238) who set up the unit in January 238, when the Senate declared him an enemy of the state. According to legend, Romulus was killed by the senators because he surrounded himself with a bodyguard, the so-called Celeres .
  2. ↑ According to some historians, the Ala came to Noricum for some time during the Marcomann Wars in the 2nd century and then returned to the east of the Roman Empire.
  3. ↑ According to Michael P. Speidel , the rank of a Hexarchus corresponds to a Decurio .
  4. ↑ The inscription on the tombstone reads: Monna (built the tomb) for Aggaeus, the commander of the Ala Celerum, the most experienced archer who was forcibly eliminated by soldiers. According to Michael P. Speidel and Ovidiu Țentea , Aggaeus died either in Virunum or together with Philip Arabs in Thrace near the city of Beroea .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Ovidiu Țentea: Ex Oriente ad Danubium. The Syrian auxiliary units on the Danube frontier of the Roman Empire Publisher: Mega Publishing House, Editor: Center of Roman Military Studies 6, ISBN 978-606-543-206-2 , doi : 10.13140 / RG.2.1.4246.1604 , p. 27-28, 103 ( online ).
  2. ^ A b Michael P. Speidel : Ala Celerum Philippiana , in: Tyche contributions to ancient history, papyrology, epigraphy, Vienna, Volume 7, 1992, pp. 217-220 ( online ).
  3. ↑ John EH Spaul: Ala The Auxiliary Cavalry units of the pre-Diocletianic Imperial Roman Army. Nectoreca Press, Andover 1994, ISBN 0-9525062-0-3 , p. 246.
  4. ↑ EPSG 429. University of Graz , accessed on May 13, 2018 .