Ala I Thracum (Britannia)

The gravestone of Valens ( CIL 13, 8818 )

The Ala I Thracum ( German  1. Ala of the Thracians ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions.

Name components

• Thracum : the Thracian . The soldiers of the Ala were recruited from the Thracian people on the territory of the Roman province of Thrace when the unit was established .

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 Britannia and Germania . It is listed on military diplomas for the years 103 to 152 AD.

The unit was probably stationed in Germania until 43 . It then probably came to the new province in the course of the conquest of Britain by Aulus Plautius . The unit is documented for the first time in Britannia by a diploma . The diploma lists the Ala as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Britannia ) that were stationed in the province. Another diploma, dated 124, proves unity in the same province.

Between 124 and 127 the Ala was relocated to the province of Germania inferior , where it is first documented by a diploma dated 127. In the diploma, the Ala is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Germania ) that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 150 to 152, prove unity in the same province.

The last evidence of unity is based on the inscription ( CIL 14, 5340 ) which is dated to 251/260.

Locations

Locations of the Ala in Britannia may have been:

• Corinium Dobunnorum ( Cirencester ): The inscription (RIB 109) was found here.

Locations of the Ala in Germania were possibly:

• Fectio ( Vechten )

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

M (arcus) Aurelius Hermogenes, a prefect ( CIL 14, 5340 )

Q (uintus) Didius Euhodian [us], a prefect ( CIL 13, 12058 )

Others

Longinus sdapeze, a duplicarius (RIB 201) Sextus Valerius Genialis, a horseman (RIB 109)

Valens, a veteran ( CIL 13, 8818 )

More Alae with the name Ala I Thracum

• the Ala I Augusta Thracum . She is documented by military diplomas from 86 to 151 and was stationed in the provinces of Syria , Raetia and Noricum .
• the Ala I Thracum Herculana . It is documented by diplomas from 94 to 206 and was stationed in the provinces of Cappadocia , Syria and Aegyptus .
• the Ala I Thracum Mauretana . It is documented by diplomas from 86 to 206 and was stationed in the provinces of Mauretania Caesariensis , Iudaea and Aegyptus.
• the Ala I Thracum Veterana . She is documented by diplomas from 86 to 192 and was stationed in the provinces of Raetia , Pannonia superior and Pannonia inferior .
• the Ala I Thracum Victrix . It is documented by diplomas from 79 to 163 and was stationed in the provinces of Noricum and Pannonia superior .

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units
• Roman forces in Britannia
• Roman armed forces in Germania

Web links

Commons : Ala I Thracum (Britannia)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• 1914 - ala I Thracum. Roman Inscriptions of Britain (RIB), accessed July 14, 2018 . 

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. 221-222.
2. ^ Jörg Scheuerbrandt : Exercitus. Tasks, organization and command structure of Roman armies during the imperial era. Dissertation, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg im Breisgau 2003/2004, pp. 157–159, tables 1–2 ( PDF pp. 159–160 ).
3. ↑ Military diplomas from 103 ( CIL 16, 48 ), 124 ( CIL 16, 70 ), 127 ( RMD 4, 239 ), 150 ( ZPE-206-207 ) and 152 ( ZPE-148-262 ).