Ala II Gallorum (Cappadocia)

The Ala II Gallorum ( German  2nd Ala of the Gauls ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is documented by inscriptions and Arrian's work Ἔκταξις κατὰ Ἀλάνοον . Arrian calls it Ala Galactica .

Name components

• Gallorum : the Gaul . The soldiers of the Ala were recruited from the various tribes of the Gauls when the unit was formed.

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 may have been set up during the reign of Augustus . It was stationed in Hispania in the early 1st century AD and was relocated to the province of Cappadocia at an unspecified time .

In Cappadocia the unit is first proven by an inscription that is dated to approx. 110. She was then part of the armed forces that Arrian mobilized for his campaign against the Alans (Ἔκταξις κατὰ Ἀλάνοον) around 135. Arrian mentions a unit in his report, which he calls εἴλη ἡ Γαλατική.

The unit is mentioned for the last time in the Notitia dignitatum with the name Ala secunda Gallorum for the Aeliana location. She was part of the troops under the command of the Dux Armeniae .

Locations

Locations of the Ala in Cappadocia may have been:

• Aeliana: The unit is listed in the Notitia dignitatum for this location.

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

Caesellius, a prefect ( CIL 3, 55 ) Γαιου Φλαβιανος, a επαρχος (IGRR IV, 964) [Q (uintus)] Atatinus Modestus, a prefect ( CIL 9, 3610 )

Quintus Baienus Blassianus , a prefect ( AE 1951, 279 ); he was also prefect of the Cohors II Asturum . Ti (berius) Claudius Helvius Secundus, a prefect ( AE 1925, 44 ); he was also prefect of the Cohors II Bracaraugustanorum and the Cohors I Flavia Civium Romanorum .

Others

• Ουεττιος Ακυλας [] εινος, a horseman (IGRR III, 272)

More alae with the name Ala II Gallorum

There were two other alae with this designation:

• the Ala II Claudia Gallorum . She is documented by military diplomas from 92 to 101 and was stationed in the provinces of Moesia Inferior and Cappadocia .
• the Ala II Gallorum et Pannoniorum . It is documented by diplomas from 128 to 165 and was stationed in the provinces of Syria , Moesia superior , Dacia and Dacia Porolissensis .

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units
• Roman forces in Cappadocia

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b} According to Michael Alexander Speidel , the Ala II Gallorum is possibly identical to the Ala II Claudia Gallorum .

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b} 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. 130, 247.
2. ↑ ^{a b} Michael Alexander Speidel : The Development of the Roman Forces in Northeastern Anatolia. New evidence for the history of the exercitus Cappadocicus. , Special print from: MA Speidel, Heer und Herrschaft im Römischen Reich der Hohen Kaiserzeit, Stuttgart 2009, pp. 595–631, here pp. 602, 609 ( online ).
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, p. 61 ( PDF p. 63 ).
4. ^ Notitia dignitatum in partibus Orientis XXXVIII ( online ).