Ala Gallorum et Thracum Classiana

The Ala Gallorum et Thracum Classiana [civium Romanorum] [invicta] [bis torquata] [victrix] ( German  Ala the Gauls and Thracians of Classius [the Roman citizen] [the undefeated] [awarded twice with torques ] [the victorious] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions. In the diplomas of 105 and the inscriptions it is called Ala Classiana .

Name components

• Gallorum et Thracum : the Gauls and Thracians . When the unit was set up, the soldiers of the Ala were probably initially recruited from the various tribes of the Gauls. A large number of Thracians were admitted to the unit, probably around 26, after an uprising in Thrace was put down. John Spaul , however, suspects that this admission of Thracians took place between 105 and 122.

• Classiana : of Classius. The ala was believed to have been erected during the reign of Augustus . One of the unit's first commanders was an otherwise unknown Classius , after whom the Ala was named.

• civium Romanorum : the Roman citizen or with Roman citizenship. The soldiers of the unit had been granted Roman citizenship at one point in time. However, this did not apply to soldiers who were accepted into the unit after this point in time. They received Roman citizenship only with their honorable farewell ( Honesta missio ) after 25 years of service. The addition appears in the military diplomas from 105 to 127 as well as in the inscription ( CIL 11, 6033 ).

• invicta : the undefeated. The addition appears in the inscription ( CIL 11, 6033 ).

• to torquata : awarded twice with torques . The addition appears in the inscription ( CIL 11, 6033 ). In the diplomas of 127, the unit is called a torquata .

• victrix : the victorious. The addition occurs in the diplomas of 127.

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 Britannia and Germania inferior . It is listed on military diplomas for the years 105 to 178 AD.

The first evidence of unity in the province of Britannia is based on a diploma dated 105. The diploma lists the Ala as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Britannia ) that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 122 to 178, prove unity in the same province.

Two diplomas, which are dated to 127, prove the unit in the province of Germania inferior as part of the troops stationed there (see Roman armed forces in Germania ).

Locations

Locations of the Ala are not known.

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

[] mus, a prefect ( AE 1981, 600 ); he was also the tribune of the Cohors I Ulpia Pannoniorum . [] nicius: he is named on one of the diplomas of 105 ( RMD 1, 8 ) as the commander of the cohort.

C (aius) Caesidius Dexter, a Prefect ( CIL 11, 6033 ); he was also prefect of the Cohors I Lingonum .

Others

[] us, a soldier: one of the diplomas of 105 ( RMD 1, 8 ) was issued to him. [] Vic [], a Decurio ( CIL 13, 8668 )

M (arcus) Marius Valen [s], a veteran and former Decurio ( CIL 13, 8306 )

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units
• Roman forces in Britannia
• Roman armed forces in Germania

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Haley Flagg: Foreign Cavalry (MA dissertation chapter 2). www.academia.edu, p. 3 , accessed on February 8, 2018 (English). 
2. ^ ^{A b c} John Spaul: Ala² The Auxiliary Cavalry Units of the Pre-Diocletianic Imperial Roman Army , Nectoreca Press 1994, ISBN 978-0-9525062-0-1 , pp. 87-88.
3. ^ 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. 157–158, tables 1,2 ( PDF pp. 159–160 ).
4. ↑ Military diplomas of the years 105 ( CIL 16, 51 , RMD 1, 8 ), 122 ( CIL 16, 69 ), 127 ( AE 2010, 1865 , RMD 4, 239 ) and 178 ( RMD 3, 184 , RMD 4, 293 , RMD 4, 294 )