Ala I Hispanorum Asturum

The Ala I Hispanorum Asturum [Gordiana] ( German 1st Ala der Hispanier der Asturer [the Gordian] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas , inscriptions and brick stamps. In the diploma of 135 it is referred to as Ala I Asturum , also in the inscriptions, with the exception of (RIB 1334).

Name components

Hispanorum : the Hispanic.

Asturum : the Asturian . When the unit was set up, the soldiers of the Ala were recruited from the various Hispanic tribes and in particular from the Asturian people in the area of the conventus Asturum (with the capital Asturica Augusta ).

Gordiana : the Gordian. A title of honor that refers to Gordian III. (238-244) refers. The addition appears in the inscription (RIB 1334).

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 province of Britannia . It is listed on military diplomas for the years AD 98-158.

The unit was set up independently of the other three cavalry units of the Asturians (Ala I , II and III Asturum). If the inscription ( CIL 13, 2613 ) can be assigned to the Ala I Hispanorum Asturum , the unit was probably already set up under Augustus ; in the other case a list under Claudius (41-54) or Nero (54-68) is more likely. It was probably initially stationed in Spain and was possibly relocated from there to the Rhine border.

At an unspecified point in time, the unit came to Britain, where it is first evidenced by a diploma dated 98. 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 158, prove unity in the same province.

The unit is mentioned for the last time in the Notitia dignitatum with the designation Ala prima Asturum for the location Condercum. It was part of the troops under the command of the Dux Britanniarum , under the direction of a prefect .

Locations

Locations of the Ala in Britannia may have been:

Arbeia ( South Shields ): The inscription (RIB 1064) was found here.
Condercum ( Benwell ): The inscriptions (RIB 1329, 1334, 1337, 1348) and bricks with the AIA stamp were found here. In addition, the unit is listed in the Notitia dignitatum for that location.

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

Marcus Stlaccius Coranus , a prefect
Tineius Longus , a prefect

T (itus) [] Agrippa, a prefect (RIB 1334)

Others

Albanus, a horseman ( CIL 13, 2613 )

Numerianus, a horseman (RIB 1064)

More Alae with the name Ala I Asturum

There was another Ala with this name, the Ala I Asturum . She is documented by military diplomas from 99 to 146 and was stationed in the provinces of Moesia inferior and Dacia inferior .

Ala I Asturum et Tungrorum

On a fragment of the military degree incomplete obtained ( CIL 16, 82 ) that is dated to 135 n. Chr., Are the letters ET I AST ET IVN , as et I branch (Urum) et Tun (grorum) were interpreted . From this information was then z. T. concluded that this is an independent cavalry unit, the Ala I Asturum et Tungrorum . John Spaul thinks this is unlikely for a number of reasons. He therefore reads two units; ET I AST refers to the Ala I Hispanorum Asturum for him , while he suspects ET IVN that this is the Cohors I Tungrorum . Paul Holder , on the other hand, thinks it is possible that ET IVN refers to the Ala I Tungrorum . Margaret M. Roxan assigns the diploma to the Ala I Hispanorum Asturum, as does John Spaul .

Web links

1909 - ala I Asturum. Roman Inscriptions of Britain (RIB), accessed June 19, 2018 .

Remarks

↑ In the inscription (RIB 1334) there is a later chiseled place in front of the addition Gordiana , where the honorary designation Pupiena Balbina (the Pupienic Balbinic) was possibly originally located. This addition would refer to Pupienus and Balbinus , who were joint Roman emperors for a short time in 238.
↑ ^a ^b John Spaul assigns the inscription ( CIL 13, 2613 ) to Ala I Asturum . Margaret M. Roxan , however, leads them to both the Ala I Asturum and the Ala I Hispanorum Asturum , as the inscription only says Ala Asturum .
↑ ^a ^b The assignment to the unit is assumed, but is not certain.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Margaret M. Roxan : The Auxilia of the Roman Army raised in the Iberian Peninsula Volume 1. (PDF 23.5 MB) discovery.ucl.ac.uk, 1973, pp. 65, 320–333 (68, 323 –336) , accessed June 19, 2018 (English).
^ ^A ^b ^c 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. 39-41, 123.
^ 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. 157 Table 1 ( PDF p. 159 ).
^ ^A ^b Paul A. Holder: A Roman Military Diploma from Ravenglass, Cumbria. In: Bulletin of the John Rylands Library. Volume 79, number 1 (1997), pp. 3-42, here p. 12 ( PDF p. 10 ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 98 ( CIL 16, 43 ), 122 ( CIL 16, 69 ), 124 ( CIL 16, 70 ), 127 ( RMD 4, 240 ), 130/131 ( ZPE-156-246 ), 135 ( CIL 16, 82 ), 145 ( CIL 16, 93 ) and 158 ( RMD 5, 420 ).
↑ Notitia Dignatatum table and map. (PDF 1 MB) Newcastle University , accessed on June 19, 2018 (English).
^ Notitia dignitatum in partibus Occidentis XL ( online ).
↑ ^a ^b Margaret M. Roxan: The Auxilia of the Roman Army raised in the Iberian Peninsula Volume 2. (PDF 9.8 MB) discovery.ucl.ac.uk, 1973, pp. 124–125 (703–704) , accessed on June 19, 2018 (English).
^ Robert Nouwen: The Vindolandatablet 88/841 and the cohors I Tungrorum milliaria In: Acta Archaeologica Lovaniensia, Monographiae 8 , 1995, pp. 123-134, here p. 123 ( online ).

[NA-2] In the inscription (RIB 1334) there is a later chiseled place in front of the addition Gordiana , where the honorary designation Pupiena Balbina (the Pupienic Balbinic) was possibly originally located. This addition would refer to Pupienus and Balbinus , who were joint Roman emperors for a short time in 238.

[AN-7] John Spaul assigns the inscription ( CIL 13, 2613 ) to Ala I Asturum . Margaret M. Roxan , however, leads them to both the Ala I Asturum and the Ala I Hispanorum Asturum , as the inscription only says Ala Asturum .

[AN1-11] The assignment to the unit is assumed, but is not certain.

[mmr1-1] Margaret M. Roxan : The Auxilia of the Roman Army raised in the Iberian Peninsula Volume 1. (PDF 23.5 MB) discovery.ucl.ac.uk, 1973, pp. 65, 320–333 (68, 323 –336) , accessed June 19, 2018 (English).

[jsp-3] A ^b ^c 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. 39-41, 123.

[js-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. 157 Table 1 ( PDF p. 159 ).

[pah-5] A ^b Paul A. Holder: A Roman Military Diploma from Ravenglass, Cumbria. In: Bulletin of the John Rylands Library. Volume 79, number 1 (1997), pp. 3-42, here p. 12 ( PDF p. 10 ).

[MD-6] Military diplomas of the years 98 ( CIL 16, 43 ), 122 ( CIL 16, 69 ), 124 ( CIL 16, 70 ), 127 ( RMD 4, 240 ), 130/131 ( ZPE-156-246 ), 135 ( CIL 16, 82 ), 145 ( CIL 16, 93 ) and 158 ( RMD 5, 420 ).

[ugc-8] Notitia Dignatatum table and map. (PDF 1 MB) Newcastle University , accessed on June 19, 2018 (English).

[ND-9] Notitia dignitatum in partibus Occidentis XL ( online ).

[mmr2-10] Margaret M. Roxan: The Auxilia of the Roman Army raised in the Iberian Peninsula Volume 2. (PDF 9.8 MB) discovery.ucl.ac.uk, 1973, pp. 124–125 (703–704) , accessed on June 19, 2018 (English).

[rn-12] Robert Nouwen: The Vindolandatablet 88/841 and the cohors I Tungrorum milliaria In: Acta Archaeologica Lovaniensia, Monographiae 8 , 1995, pp. 123-134, here p. 123 ( online ).