Ala I Vespasiana Dardanorum

The Ala I Vespasiana Dardanorum [Antoniniana] ( German 1. Ala the Vespasian of the Dardaner [the Antoninian] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions. In the inscriptions it is mostly referred to as Ala I Dardanorum .

Name components

Vespasiana : the Vespasian. The honorary title refers to Vespasian (69–79).

Dardanorum : the Dardaner . The soldiers of the Ala were recruited from the Dardaner people in the Roman province of Moesia superior when the unit was established .

Antoniniana : the Antoninian. An honorific designation that refers to Caracalla (211-217) or Elagabal (218-222). The addition appears in the inscription ( AE 1980, 822 ).

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 Moesia and Moesia inferior . It is listed on military diplomas for the years 75/78 to 157 AD.

The Ala was set up under Vespasian , probably before 74. The first evidence of unity in Moesia is based on a military diploma dated 75/78 AD. In the diploma, the Ala is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Moesia ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, dated between 92 and 157, attest to the unity in Moesia inferior .

The Ala took part in the Dacian Wars of Trajan . The Prefect P. Bessius Betuinianus C. Marius Memmius Sabinus received awards from Trajan for this. The diploma of 152/153 shows that the Ala had been temporarily moved from Moesia inferior to Mauretania Tingitana in order to take part in the suppression of an uprising.

The last evidence of the Ala is based on the inscription ( CIL 6, 31164 ) which is dated to 241.

Locations

Locations of the Ala in Moesia superior were possibly:

Arrubium ( Măcin ): The inscription of Titus Flavius Apollinaris was found here.

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

[C (aius)] Mulvius Ofillius Rest [it] utus, a prefect (around 70/78) ( AE 1972, 148 ); he was also prefect of the Cohors I Morinorum et Cersiacorum .
Κρεπεριος, a επαρχος
P (ublius) Baebius []: he is named on the diploma of 121 as the commander of the Ala.

P (ublius) Bessius Betuinianus C (aius) Marius Memmius Sabinus, a prefect ( CIL 8, 9990 ); he was also prefect of the Cohors I Raetorum .
T (itus) Fl (avius) Apollinaris, a prefect ( CIL 3, 7512 )

Others

M (arcus) Antistius Caecina, a horseman (around 211/222) ( AE 1980, 822 )
M (arcus) Ulp (ius) Marcianus, a veteran and former guard soldier ( CIL 3, 7504 )

[Vi] ctor, a veteran ( AE 1972, 540 )

In the inscription ( CIL 6, 31164 ) the following members of the Ala are listed, who were selected as mounted guards soldiers ( equites singulares Augusti ) and who erected an altar on August 2, 241 in Rome:

Ael (ius) Bonus, a duplicarius
Aelius Severus, a signer
Aurel (ius) Diogenes
Aurel (ius) Mestrius

Aurel (ius) Mucianus
Aurel (ius) Pistus
Aurel (ius) Sudius
Aurelius Victor, a Turarius

Aurel (ius) Vitalis, a duplicarius
Fl (avius) Bassus, a Decurio
Fl (avius) Valens, a duplicarius
Iulius Faustus, a Decurio

Iulius Longinus, a tablifer
Iulius Valentinus

Remarks

↑ In the military diploma of 99 ( CIL 16, 45 ) the expression qui quina et vicena plurave stipendia (the 25 and more years) is used. Therefore, the soldiers released in 99 may have been recruited before 74, probably around 71/72.
↑ The Ala, like other units, probably came to the province of Mauretania Caesariensis as early as 150/151 and only then to Mauretania Tingitana . The diploma of 152/153 lists four of the five alae who were stationed in Moesia inferior at that time . It can therefore be assumed that only part of an ala, a vexillation, was relocated at a time, as a complete relocation of the four units would have weakened the troops in Moesia inferior too much.

Individual evidence

^ ^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. 102-103.
^ 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. 166 table 9 ( PDF p. 168 ).
^ 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 p. 265 ( online ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 75/78 ( RMD 4, 209 ), 92 ( ZPE-148-269 ), 99 ( CIL 16, 45 , RMM 8 , ZPE-180-295 ), 105 ( CIL 16, 50 ), 112 / 116 ( AE 2008, 1721 ), 114 ( CIL 16, 58 ), 120 ( AE 2009, 1808 ), 121 ( RMD 5, 349 ), 127 ( RMD 4, 241 , ZPE-165-232 ), 134 ( CIL 16 , 78 ), 135 ( AE 2009, 1811 ), 145 ( RMD 3, 165 ), 146 ( AE 2007, 1233 , AE 2009, 1816 , RMD 4, 270 ), 152/153 ( ZPE-199-187 ), 156 ( AE 2006, 1213 ) and 157 ( RMD 1, 50 ).
^ ^A ^b ^c Margaret M. Roxan : An Auxiliary / Fleet Diploma of Moesia Inferior: 127 August 20 In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik . Volume 118 (1997), pp. 287-299, here p. 291 ( PDF p. 7 ).
↑ 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, 195-196.

[GE1-5] In the military diploma of 99 ( CIL 16, 45 ) the expression qui quina et vicena plurave stipendia (the 25 and more years) is used. Therefore, the soldiers released in 99 may have been recruited before 74, probably around 71/72.

[GE2-8] The Ala, like other units, probably came to the province of Mauretania Caesariensis as early as 150/151 and only then to Mauretania Tingitana . The diploma of 152/153 lists four of the five alae who were stationed in Moesia inferior at that time . It can therefore be assumed that only part of an ala, a vexillation, was relocated at a time, as a complete relocation of the four units would have weakened the troops in Moesia inferior too much.

[jsp-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. 102-103.

[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. 166 table 9 ( PDF p. 168 ).

[ot-fmp-3] 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 p. 265 ( online ).

[MD-4] Military diplomas of the years 75/78 ( RMD 4, 209 ), 92 ( ZPE-148-269 ), 99 ( CIL 16, 45 , RMM 8 , ZPE-180-295 ), 105 ( CIL 16, 50 ), 112 / 116 ( AE 2008, 1721 ), 114 ( CIL 16, 58 ), 120 ( AE 2009, 1808 ), 121 ( RMD 5, 349 ), 127 ( RMD 4, 241 , ZPE-165-232 ), 134 ( CIL 16 , 78 ), 135 ( AE 2009, 1811 ), 145 ( RMD 3, 165 ), 146 ( AE 2007, 1233 , AE 2009, 1816 , RMD 4, 270 ), 152/153 ( ZPE-199-187 ), 156 ( AE 2006, 1213 ) and 157 ( RMD 1, 50 ).

[mmr-6] A ^b ^c Margaret M. Roxan : An Auxiliary / Fleet Diploma of Moesia Inferior: 127 August 20 In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik . Volume 118 (1997), pp. 287-299, here p. 291 ( PDF p. 7 ).

[we-7] 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, 195-196.