Ala I Commagenorum

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The inscription ( AE 2003, 1319 ) found at the Comagena Castle
Brick stamp AIC [= A (la) IC (ommagenorum)] on tile (later) 2nd cent. AD, Tulln, Lower Austria

The Ala I Commagenorum [milliaria] [sagittariorum or sagittaria] [Antoniniana] ( German  1. Ala from Commagene [1000 men] [the archer] [the Antoninian] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas , inscriptions and brick stamps.

Name components

  • Commagenorum : from Commagene . The soldiers of the Ala were recruited when the unit was set up on the territory of the former Kingdom of Commagene. Antiochus IV of Kommagene supported Titus with soldiers during the Jewish War . Presumably the auxiliary units with the designation Commagenorum were set up from these soldiers.
  • milliaria : 1000 men. The unit was possibly originally an Ala quingenaria with a nominal strength of 480 men. By 138 AD at the latest, however , it had been expanded to become an Ala milliaria . The addition occurs in the military diplomas from 138 to 157.
  • sagittariorum or sagittaria : the archer. The addition occurs in the military diplomas from 138 to 157.
  • Antoniniana : the Antoninian. An honorary title that refers to Caracalla (211-217). The addition occurs in the inscription ( AE 2003, 1319 ); it was added to the inscription afterwards.

The unit was an ala milliaria . The nominal strength of the Ala was 720 men, consisting of 24 towers with 30 riders each.

history

The Ala was stationed in the provinces of Aegyptus and Noricum (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years 83-157 AD.

The unity is evidenced by inscriptions in Aegyptus . A diploma is the first to show that the unit was 83 in Aegyptus . In the diploma, the Ala is listed as part of the troops (see Roman forces in Aegyptus ) that were stationed in the province. Between 83 and 95 the unit was withdrawn from Egypt , possibly to take part in the Dacer wars of Domitian .

The first evidence of unity in Noricum is based on the inscription ( AE 2003, 1319 ), which is dated to 104. A diploma has shown it for the first time in 106 Noricum . In the diploma, the Ala is listed as part of the troops stationed in the province. Further diplomas, dated 135/138 to 157, prove unity in the same province.

The diploma of 151 shows that a vexillation of the Ala had been temporarily moved to Mauretania Caesariensis to take part in the suppression of an uprising.

The last evidence of the Ala is based on the inscription ( CIL 3, 14368,24 ), which is dated 275/299.

Locations

Locations of the Ala in Aegyptus were:

  • Talmis ( Kalabsha ): part of the unit was stationed here.
  • Syene ( Aswan ): the main camp of the unit was here.

Locations of the Ala in Noricum were:

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

In the inscription CIG 5057 found in Talmis the following members of the Turma des Bassus are listed in Greek:

  • Bassus, a Decurio
  • [] n [] Taurus
  • Antiochus
  • Antony
  • Crispus
  • Germanus
  • Heliodorus
  • Mamboraeus
  • Marcus
  • Mareas
  • Mithridates
  • Rufus
  • Sabinus
  • Valerianus

See also

Web links

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

Remarks

  1. ↑ John Spaul assigns Attius Acceptus to the Ala I Commagenorum , while the epigraphic database Clauss-Slaby adds the inscription to ala co [ntariorum] .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Ovidiu Țentea: Ex Oriente ad Danubium. The Syrian auxiliary units on the Danube frontier of the Roman Empire Publisher: Mega Publishing House, Editor: Center of Roman Military Studies 6, ISBN 978-606-543-206-2 , doi : 10.13140 / RG.2.1.4246.1604 , p. 12-14, 28-30, 103-106, 157, 191 ( online ).
  2. ^ Building inscription from the Roman equestrian camp Comagena. BDA , November 2000, accessed on May 21, 2018 .
  3. ^ 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. 94-95.
  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, p. 174 table 16 ( PDF p. 176 ).
  5. ↑ Military diplomas of the years 83 ( CIL 16, 29 ), 106 ( CIL 16, 52 ), 135/138 ( RMD 2, 93 ), 138 ( AE 2009, 994 ), 151 ( RMM 32 ), 152 ( AE 2012, 1079 ) and 157 ( AMNap-2015-82 ).
  6. ↑ Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl, Paul Holder: A constitution from the year 152 or 153 for Lower Saxony and British troops, delegated to Mauretania Tingitana In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik . Volume 199 (2016), pp. 187-201, here pp. 191, 194-195 ( online ).