Ala I Augusta Gallorum

The inscription of Gaius Terentius Bassus Mefanas Etruscus ( CIL 2, 5792 )

The Ala I Augusta Gallorum [civium Romanorum] ( German 1. Ala the Augusteische the Gauls [the Roman citizens] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions. In the military diplomas from 88 to 114/117 and the inscriptions it is referred to as Ala Augusta and Ala I Augusta , respectively.

Name components

Augusta : the Augustan tables. The honorary title refers to Augustus .

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

civium Romanorum : the Roman citizen. 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 military diplomas from AD 109 to AD 162/203.

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 Hispania and Mauretania Tingitana (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years AD 88 to 162/203.

The unit was initially stationed in the province of Hispania in the 1st century and was probably relocated to Mauretania Tingitana under Vespasian . The first evidence in Mauretania Tingitana is based on a diploma dated 88. In the diploma, the Ala is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Mauretania ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, dated 109 to 162/203, prove unity in the same province.

Locations

Locations of the Ala may have been:

Augustobriga (in Hispania )
Tocolosida (in Mauretania Tingitana )

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

Gaius Geminius Priscus , a prefect ( CIL 5, 6478 )
Gaius Ostorius Tranquillianus : he is named as commander on four diplomas out of 153 ( RMD 5, 411 , RMM 34 , ZPE-153-199 , ZPE-162-244 ).

C (aius) Terentius Bassus Mefanas Etruscus, a prefect ( CIL 2, 5792 ).
Gaius []: he is named on the diploma of 159 as a commander.
Q (uintus) Iulius []: he is named on the diploma of 109 as a commander.

Others

[?], a soldier: a diploma of 153 ( ZPE-153-199 ) was issued to him.
Att (ius) Esdo [peles], a horseman ( AE 1992, 1940 )
Caius, a horseman ( AE 1987, 00618a )
C (aius) Petronius Maternus, a Missicius ( AE 1894, 11 )
Cu [] s, a soldier: a diploma of 153 ( RMD 5, 411 ) was issued for him.
Divennius, a soldier: a diploma of 153 ( ZPE-162-244 ) was issued to him.
L (ucius) Antonius Pudens, a horseman and duplicarius ( CIL 2, 2912 )

L (ucius) Caecilius Silvanus, a horseman ( AE 1916, 90 )
Marcellus, a horseman ( AE 1987, 00618a )
Pueriburi, a soldier: a diploma of 153 ( RMM 34 ) was issued to him.
Sitalis, a soldier: the diploma of 109 was issued to him.
Ti (berius) Claudius Id [], a Decurio : the diploma of 159 was issued to him.
Valens, a Decurio ( AE 1992, 1940 )

Web links

Commons : Ala I Augusta Gallorum - collection of images, videos and audio files

literature

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

↑ The inscription ( CIL 5, 6478 ) says C (ai) Gemini Prisci praef (ecti) eq (uitum) alae Aug (ustae) . There were several units that are so designated in inscriptions (see Ala Augusta ). John Spaul assigns Priscus to the Ala I Augusta Gallorum . According to Joachim Ott, Priscus could have commanded either the Ala I Augusta Gallorum Proculeiana or the Ala I Augusta Thracum .
↑ Nine diplomas from the constitution of 153 have been preserved, four of which were issued to members of the Ala I Augusta Gallorum . According to Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl (2005), a possible explanation for this accumulation would be that the governor of Mauretania Tingitana had existing gaps in the army’s team filled 25 years earlier, prior to Hadrian's visit in 128. In the case of the Ala I Augusta Gallorum, Werner Eck, Andreas Pangerl (2007) suspect that a special event occurred here that only affected this unit and as a result of which many soldiers died, which is why an unusually large number of recruits were needed at once. Possible are e.g. B. the outbreak of an epidemic in the camp or the attack by nomads.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c John EH Spaul , Ala², pp. 52-54.
^ 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. 176 Table 18 ( PDF ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 88 ( CIL 16, 159 ), 109 ( RMD 2, 84 ), 114/117 ( CIL 16, 165 ), 153 ( RMD 5, 409 , RMD 5, 410 , RMD 5, 411 , RMM 34 , ZPE-153-199 , ZPE-153-202 , ZPE-162-244 ), 156/157 ( CIL 16, 181 , CIL 16, 182 ), 159 ( RMD 1, 53 ) and 162/203 ( RMD 3, 186 ).
↑ ^a ^b Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: New military diplomas for the troops of the Mauritanian provinces In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik (ZPE), Volume 153 (2005), pp. 187–206, here pp. 197–199, 204 ( online ).
↑ ^a ^b Werner Eck, Andreas Pangerl: Further military diplomas for the Mauritanian provinces In: ZPE, Volume 162 (2007), pp. 235–247, here pp. 244, 246–247 ( online ).

[AN1-4] The inscription ( CIL 5, 6478 ) says C (ai) Gemini Prisci praef (ecti) eq (uitum) alae Aug (ustae) . There were several units that are so designated in inscriptions (see Ala Augusta ). John Spaul assigns Priscus to the Ala I Augusta Gallorum . According to Joachim Ott, Priscus could have commanded either the Ala I Augusta Gallorum Proculeiana or the Ala I Augusta Thracum .

[AN2-7] Nine diplomas from the constitution of 153 have been preserved, four of which were issued to members of the Ala I Augusta Gallorum . According to Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl (2005), a possible explanation for this accumulation would be that the governor of Mauretania Tingitana had existing gaps in the army’s team filled 25 years earlier, prior to Hadrian's visit in 128. In the case of the Ala I Augusta Gallorum, Werner Eck, Andreas Pangerl (2007) suspect that a special event occurred here that only affected this unit and as a result of which many soldiers died, which is why an unusually large number of recruits were needed at once. Possible are e.g. B. the outbreak of an epidemic in the camp or the attack by nomads.

[jsp-1] John EH Spaul , Ala², pp. 52-54.

[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. 176 Table 18 ( PDF ).

[MD-3] Military diplomas of the years 88 ( CIL 16, 159 ), 109 ( RMD 2, 84 ), 114/117 ( CIL 16, 165 ), 153 ( RMD 5, 409 , RMD 5, 410 , RMD 5, 411 , RMM 34 , ZPE-153-199 , ZPE-153-202 , ZPE-162-244 ), 156/157 ( CIL 16, 181 , CIL 16, 182 ), 159 ( RMD 1, 53 ) and 162/203 ( RMD 3, 186 ).

[we1-5] Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: New military diplomas for the troops of the Mauritanian provinces In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik (ZPE), Volume 153 (2005), pp. 187–206, here pp. 197–199, 204 ( online ).

[we2-6] Werner Eck, Andreas Pangerl: Further military diplomas for the Mauritanian provinces In: ZPE, Volume 162 (2007), pp. 235–247, here pp. 244, 246–247 ( online ).