Ala VII Phrygum

The military diploma of the year 139 ( CIL 16, 87 )

The Ala VII Phrygum ( German  7th Ala of the Phrygians ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions. In the military diplomas from 88 to 93 and in inscriptions it is called Ala Phrygum .

Name components

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

• VII : The Roman number stands for the ordinal number the seventh ( Latin septima ). Hence the name of this military unit is pronounced Ala septima ...

• Phrygum : the Phrygian . The soldiers of the Ala were recruited from the Phrygian people 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 Syria and Syria Palestine (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years 88 to 160 AD.

The first evidence in the province of Syria is based on diplomas dated to 88. The diplomas list the Ala as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Syria ) that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 91 to 106/117, prove unity in the same province.

The Ala was relocated to the province of Iudaea (later Syria Palestine ) at an unspecified time . The first evidence of unity in Syria Palestine is based on a diploma dated 134/154. Further diplomas, dated 136/137 to 160, prove the Ala in the same province.

Locations

Locations of the Ala are not known.

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

A (ulus) Atinius Paternus, a prefect ( CIL 6, 1838 ) [C (aius) Iuli] us Se [r] en [us], a prefect ( AE 1938, 169 , AE 1938, 171 ) Gaius Nasennius Marcellus , a prefect Γαιος Ιουλιος Δημοσθενος (C. Iulius Demosthenes), a επαρχος Lucius Versenus Aper : he is named on the diploma of 157/158 as a commander. Marcus Helenius Priscus : he is named on a diploma of 88 as a commander.

M (arcus) Valer (ius) Propinquus Grattius Cerealis, a prefect ( CIL 2, 4251 ). He was also prefect of the Cohors II Asturum and the Ala III Thracum . Roscius Capitolinus : he is named on the diplomas of 158 as a commander. Τιβεριος Κλαυδιος Αγριππεινος (Tiberius Claudius Agrippinus), a επαρχος Τιβεριος Κλαυδιος Πιος (Tiberius Claudius Pius), a επαρχος

Others

[?], a soldier: one of the diplomas of 158 ( ZPE-157-190 ) was issued to him. Aulutralis, a soldier: one of the diplomas of 158 ( ZPE-159-283 ) was issued to him.

Dassius, a soldier: one of the diplomas of 88 ( RMD 1, 3 ) was issued to him. L (ucius) Antonius Valens, a horseman ( AE 1905, 55 )

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units
• Roman forces in Syria

Web links

Commons : Ala VII Phrygum  - collection of images, videos and audio files

literature

• 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

1. ↑ The scenario given here assumes a single unit stationed in the provinces of Syria and Syria Palestine .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Inscriptions ( CIL 2, 4251 , CIL 14, 171 )
2. ^ ^{A b} John EH Spaul , Ala², pp. 183-184.
3. ^ Jörg Scheuerbrandt : Exercitus. Tasks, organization and command structure of Roman armies during the imperial era. Dissertation, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg im Breisgau 2003/2004, pp. 172–173 Tables 14–15 ( PDF ).
4. ^ ^{A b} Julian Bennett : The Regular Roman Auxiliary Regiments Formed from the Provinces of Asia Minor , ANATOLICA XXXVII, 2011, pp. 251-274 here pp. 259-261 ( PDF ).
5. ↑ Military diplomas of the years 88 ( RMD 1, 3 , RMD 5, 329 , RMD 5, 330 ), 91 ( AE 2006, 1842 , ZPE-183-234 ), 93 ( ZPE-165-219 ), 106/117 ( AE 2005, 1733 ), 134/154 ( CIL 16, 103 ), 136/137 ( RMD 3, 160 ), 139 ( CIL 16, 87 ), 142 ( RMM 29 ), 157/158 ( RMD 5, 421 ), 158 ( ZPE-157-190 , ZPE-159-283 ) and 160 ( AE 2005, 1730 , AE 2011, 1810 , RMD 3, 173 , RMM 41 ).
6. ↑ David Kennedy: Ala Phrygum and Ala VII Phrygum In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik (ZPE), Volume 118 (1997), pp. 300-304 ( PDF ).
7. ^ Paul Holder: Two commanders of ala Phrygum In: ZPE, Volume 140 (2002), pp. 287-296, here pp. 289-292 ( online ).
8. ↑ Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: A constitution for the troops of Syria Palestine from the year 158 In: ZPE, Volume 157 (2006), pp. 185–191, here p. 190 ( online ).
9. ↑ Werner Eck, Andreas Pangerl: A constitution for the auxiliary troops of Syria Palestine from February 6, 158 AD In: ZPE, Volume 159 (2007), pp. 283–290, here pp. 286–287 ( online ).