Ala Flavia Praetoria Singularium

This article covers the Ala Flavia Praetoria Singularium stationed in the provinces of Syria and Moesia superior . For the unit stationed in the provinces of Germania inferior , Pannonia and Pannonia inferior , see Ala I Praetoria .

The Ala Flavia Praetoria Singularium ( German  Ala the Flavian Praetoria of the Guard Soldiers ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and an inscription. In the military diplomas from 93 to 100 and the inscription it is referred to as Ala Praetoria , in most other diplomas it is called Ala Praetoria Singularium .

Name components

• Ala : The Ala was a cavalry unit of the auxiliary troops in the Roman army .

• Flavia : the Flavian. The honorary designation refers to the Flavian emperors Vespasian , Titus or Domitian . The addition appears in two military diplomas.

• Praetoria : The name is derived from the Praetorium , the headquarters of a general.

• Singularium : the guards soldiers.

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 provinces of Syria and Moesia superior . It is listed on military diplomas for the years AD 88-153.

The unit may have been stationed in Syria as early as 62/63 . The first evidence in Syria is based on diplomas dated to 88. The diplomas list the Ala as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Syria ) that were stationed in the province. Another diploma, dated 91, proves unity in the same province.

Between 91 and 93 the Ala was relocated to Moesia superior , where it is documented for the first time by a diploma that is dated to 93. In the diploma, the Ala is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Moesia ) that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 94 to 115, prove unity in the same province. Based on a diploma, it is believed that the Ala took part in Trajan's Dacer wars .

On the diploma of 115, the Ala is listed among the units that were assigned to Trajan's Parthian War ( translatis in expeditione ). These units may have been chosen because they had already proven themselves in the Dacer Wars. After the Parthian War, the Ala remained in Syria , where it is evidenced by further diplomas dated 144 to 153.

A vexillation of the Ala took part in the Parthian War of Lucius Verus (161-166). It is listed in an inscription as part of the units that were under the direction of Marcus Valerius Lollianus . The inscription says that Lollianus was the commander in Mesopotamia over sections of selected riders of the Alen [..] and the cohorts .

Locations

Locations of the Ala are not known.

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

Aulus Furius Saturninus : he is named on three diplomas out of 88 as a commander. [] Sestius Panthera: he is named on the diploma of 115 as a commander.

Tiberius Claudius Ilus : he is named on the diploma of 101/102 as a commander. Ulpius Marcellinus : he is named on a diploma of 144 as a commander.

Others

[?]: a diploma of 88 ( RMD 5, 331 ) was issued to him. Biertha, a soldier: a diploma of 144 ( ZPE-188-255 ) was issued to him. Bithus, a soldier: a diploma of 88 ( RMD 5, 330 ) was issued to him.

Gisusetes, a soldier: a diploma of 88 ( ZPE-143-229 ) was issued to him. [L (ucius)] Iulius Claudianus, a soldier: the diploma of 115 was issued to him.

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units
• Roman forces in Moesia
• Roman forces in Syria

literature

• Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea: Auxilia Moesiae Superioris , Mega Publishing House 2018, ISBN 978-606-020-063-5 ( online )
• John EH Spaul : Ala². The Auxiliary Cavalry Units of the Pre-Diocletianic Imperial Roman Army. Nectoreca Press, Andover 1994, ISBN 0-9525062-0-3 .

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b} According to John EH Spaul , the soldiers of the Ala originally formed the mounted bodyguard of a Roman general; Michael P. Speidel assumes that the general was Germanicus , as this Gaius Fabricius Tuscus , the prefect of the Ala Praetoria distinguished.
2. ↑ The scenario given here is based on two different units: the Ala I Praetoria , which was stationed in the provinces of Germania inferior , Pannonia and Pannonia inferior , and the Ala Flavia Praetoria Singularium , which was stationed in the provinces of Syria and Moesia superior . According to Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl (2005), the two units were possibly created by dividing an already existing Ala Praetoria .
3. ↑ In the diploma of 101/102, some members of the Ala, who presumably had distinguished themselves in the first Dacian war, are granted Roman citizenship before the end of their service life.
4. ↑ According to Werner Eck, Andreas Pangerl (2005), the rider Lucius Iulius Claudianus , judging by his name, was probably already a Roman citizen. But he needed the military diploma to obtain the conubium . In addition, his children only received the civitas Romana when they were awarded the diploma .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} inscription ( CIL 3, 600 )
2. ↑ Military diplomas with Flavia ( RMD 1, 4 , ZPE-188-255 ).
3. ^ ^{A b} John EH Spaul , Ala², pp. 137-139, 187-188.
4. ^ Jörg Scheuerbrandt : Exercitus. Tasks, organization and command structure of Roman armies during the imperial era. Dissertation, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg im Breisgau 2003/2004, pp. 164, 172 tables 8, 14 ( PDF ).
5. ↑ ^{a b c d} Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: Traian's Army in the Parthian War. On a new diploma from 115 In: Chiron , Volume 35 (2005), pp. 49-66, here pp. 56-58, 63-64 ( online ).
6. ↑ ^{a b c d} Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea, Auxilia, pp. 27–28, 128–131.
7. ↑ military diplomas the years 88 ( RMD 1, 3 , RMD 5, 329 , RMD 5, 330 , RMD 5, 331 ), 91 ( RMD 1, 4 ), 93 ( CIL 16, 39 ), 94 ( RMD 5, 335 ) , 96 ( RMD 1, 6 ), 100 ( Chiron-2008-326 , CIL 16, 46 , ZPE-192-218 ), 101/102 ( Chiron-2008-348 ), 102/114 ( Chiron-2008-354 ) , 103/105 ( ZPE-194-223 ), 103/107 ( CIL 16, 54 ), 109 ( ZPE-194-226 ), 115 ( Chiron-2008-363 , ZPE-194-229 ), 144 ( ZPE- 188-255 , ZPE-193-253 ) and 153 ( Chiron-2006-267 ).
8. ↑ ^{a b} Werner Eck: Another copy of the Domitian civil rights constitution for the Syrian troops from Nov. 7, 88 In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik (ZPE), Volume 143 (2003), pp. 229-233, here pp. 232– 233 ( online ).
9. ↑ ^{a b c} Werner Eck, Andreas Pangerl: Moesia and his troops. New diplomas for Moesia and Moesia superior In: Chiron, Volume 38 (2008), pp. 317-387, here pp. 326, 345-346, 348, 361 ( online ).
10. ↑ Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea: Participation of the Auxiliary Troops from Moesia Superior in Trajan's Dacian Wars In: Revue d'Archeologie et d'Histoire Ancienne Bucarest, 2006, pp. 127–140, here p. 135 ( online ).
11. ↑ ^{a b} Peter Weiß : The auxiliaries of the Syrian army from Domitian to Antoninus Pius. An interim assessment based on the new military diplomas In: Chiron, Volume 36 (2006), pp. 249–298, here pp. 273–274, 280.
12. ↑ Rudolf Haensch , Peter Weiß: A difficult way. The road construction inscription by M. Valerius Lollianus from Byllis. In: Communications from the German Archaeological Institute. Roman department . Volume 118, 2012, pp. 435–454, here pp. 441–442 and pp. 448–449 ( online ).
13. ↑ Werner Eck, Andreas Pangerl: A Constitution of Antoninus Pius for the auxiliaries in Syria from the year 144 In: ZPE, Volume 188 (2014), pp. 255–260, here p. 259 ( online ).