Ala I Bosporanorum

The Ala I Bosporanorum ( German  1. Ala of the Bosporans ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions. In the military diploma of 144 it is referred to as Ala I Gallorum , in the diploma of 158 as Ala I Gallorum et Bosporanorum .

Name components

• Bosporanorum : the Bosporan.

• Gallorum et Bosporanorum : the Gauls and Bosporans. The Ala of the Bosporans was probably merged with an Ala of the Gauls in Dacia.

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 , Moesia , Pannonia superior, and Dacia superior (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years 112 to 179 AD.

The unit stayed in Syria around 53/54 , as the inscription ( AE 1969/70, 653 ) shows. Presumably under Vespasian it was moved to the Danube border, where it was probably stationed in Moesia . At 100 the Ala was moved to Pannonia superior .

In Pannonia superior it is documented for the first time by a diploma dated 112. The diploma lists the Ala as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Pannonia ) that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 113 to 116, prove unity in the same province.

Between 116 and 136/138 the unit was relocated to Dacia superior , where it is first documented by a diploma dated 136/138. In the diploma, the Ala is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Dacia ) that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 144 to 179, prove unity in the same province.

Locations

Locations of the Ala in Pannonia may have been:

• Odiavum

Locations of the Ala in Dacia may have been:

• Cristești : Bricks with different stamps such as ALE BOSPO ( CIL 3, 12630 ) or AL BO , AL BOS , AL BOSPOR ( IDR-03-04, 154 to 157 ) were found here.
• Micia : The inscriptions of Caius Valerius Gracilis and Claudius Sosius were found here.

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

C (aius) Carist [a] nius Fr [on] to, a prefect ( AE 1914, 262 ) Gaius Valerius Gracilis , a prefect ( CIL 3, 1344 ) Cl (audius) Sosius, a prefect ( AE 1930, 12 ) Licinius Nigrinus: he is named on the diploma of 158 as the commander of the Ala.

M (arcus) Licinius Rufus, a prefect ( AE 1969/70, 649 , AE 1969/70, 652 , AE 1969/70, 653 ) Q (uintus) Caec [ili] us Cae [ci] lian [us], a prefect ( AE 1967, 402 ) T (itus) Rutilius Varo, a prefect ( CIL 10, 1258 )

Others

Blandu [s], a horseman ( AE 1925, 70 ) Firmi [cus] Florentinus, a Decurio ( CIL 3, 7888 ) Heptapor, a soldier: the diploma of 158 was issued to him.

Scaurus, a rider ( CIL 3, 6707 ) Tutor Silvan [us], a rider ( CIL 3, 1197 ); he was also a soldier of the Ala I Illyricorum .

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units
• Roman forces in Dacia
• Roman forces in Pannonia

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b c d} 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. 65-67.
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. 162, 169 tables 6, 11 ( PDF p. 164, 171 ).
3. ↑ Military diplomas of the years 112 ( RMD 4, 223 ), 113 ( RMD 2, 86 ), 115 ( ZPE-180-287 ), 116 ( CIL 16, 64 ), 136/138 ( RMD 5, 384 ), 144 ( CIL 16, 90 ), 146 ( ZPE-191-269 ), 158 ( CIL 16, 108 ) and 179 ( RMD 2, 123 ).
4. ^ Ovidiu Țentea, Florian Matei-Popescu: Alae et Cohortes Daciae et Moesiae. A review and update of J. Spaul's Ala and Cohors In: Acta Musei Napocensis 39-40 / I Cluj-Napoca, 2002-2003 (2004), pp. 259-296, here pp. 262-263 ( online ).