Ala Parthorum (Cappadocia)

The Ala Parthorum [sagittariorum or sagittaria] ( German Ala of the Parthians [the archers] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by an inscription.

Name components

Ala : The Ala was a cavalry unit of the auxiliary troops in the Roman army .

Parthorum : the Parthian . The soldiers of the Ala were recruited from the Parthian people when the unit was established .

sagittariorum or sagittaria : the archer. The addition appears in an inscription.

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 presumably stationed in the province of Cappadocia and / or in Asia Minor. It is evidenced by an inscription dated 127/130.

The unit is mentioned for the last time in the Notitia dignitatum with the designation Ala prima Parthorum for the Resaia location. She was part of the troops that were under the command of the Dux Osrhoenae .

Locations

Locations of the Ala in Cappadocia may have been:

Resaia: The unit is listed in the Notitia dignitatum for this location.

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Marcus Arruntius Frugi , a prefect
Publius Fulcinius Vergilius Marcellus , a prefect

Marcus Campanius Marcellus , a prefect

literature

David L. Kennedy: Parthian Regiments in the Roman army in J. Fitz (ed.) Limes. Files of the XI International Limes Congress (Akadémiai Kiadó. Hungarian Academy of the Sciences), Budapest 1977, pp. 521-531 ( online ).
John EH Spaul : Ala². The Auxiliary Cavalry Units of the Pre-Diocletianic Imperial Roman Army. Nectoreca Press, Andover 1994, ISBN 0-9525062-0-3 .

Remarks

↑ The scenario given here is based on three units: the Ala Parthorum (Germania) , which was stationed in Germania , the Ala Parthorum (Cappadocia) , which was stationed in the province of Cappadocia and the Ala Parthorum (Mauretania Caesariensis) , which was stationed in Mauretania Caesariensis was stationed.
↑ It is controversial whether the Ala Parthorum sagittariorum is identical to the Ala prima Parthorum , which is listed in the Notitia dignitatum.
↑ ^a ^b The assignment to the unit is assumed, but is not certain.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b inscription ( AE 1908, 200 ).
↑ ^a ^b David L. Kennedy, Parthian Regiments, pp. 523-527.
^ Notitia dignitatum in partibus Orientis XXXV ( online ).
↑ Margaret M. Roxan : Pre-Severan auxilia named in the Notitia Dignitatum In: British Archaeological Reports , Volume 15 (1976), pp. 59-80, here p. 75.
↑ John EH Spaul , Ala², pp. 176-178.

[GE1-3] The scenario given here is based on three units: the Ala Parthorum (Germania) , which was stationed in Germania , the Ala Parthorum (Cappadocia) , which was stationed in the province of Cappadocia and the Ala Parthorum (Mauretania Caesariensis) , which was stationed in Mauretania Caesariensis was stationed.

[GE2-6] It is controversial whether the Ala Parthorum sagittariorum is identical to the Ala prima Parthorum , which is listed in the Notitia dignitatum.

[AN1-8] The assignment to the unit is assumed, but is not certain.

[IN1-1] scription ( AE 1908, 200 ).

[dlk-2] David L. Kennedy, Parthian Regiments, pp. 523-527.

[ND-4] Notitia dignitatum in partibus Orientis XXXV ( online ).

[mmr-5] Margaret M. Roxan : Pre-Severan auxilia named in the Notitia Dignitatum In: British Archaeological Reports , Volume 15 (1976), pp. 59-80, here p. 75.

[jsp-7] John EH Spaul , Ala², pp. 176-178.