Ala Veterana Gallica

The Ala Veterana Gallica [Antoniniana] ( German  Ala die Altgediente die Gallische [the Antoninianische] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas , inscriptions and papyri . In the inscriptions ( CIL 3, 320 , CIL 9, 5439 ) it is referred to as Ala Veterana Gallorum , in the diploma ( CIL 16, 3 ) as Ala Veterana Gallorum et Thracum .

Name components

• Veterana : the veteran. Presumably several Alae Gallorum et Thracum were stationed at the same time in the province of Syria at an unknown time . To distinguish it, the longest serving of these units was given the addition Veterana . The variant Veteranorum occurs in the inscription ( AE 1935, 167 ) .

• Gallica : from Gallia or the Gallic.

• Antoniniana : the Antoninian. An honorary title that refers to Caracalla (211-217). The addition occurs in the papyrus BGU II 614 , which is dated to 216/217.

• Gallorum et Thracum : the Gauls and Thracians .

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 Aegyptus (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years 54 to 206 AD.

The first evidence of unity in the province of Syria is based on a diploma dated 54. In the diploma, the Ala is listed as part of the troops (see Roman forces in Syria ) that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 88 to 91, prove unity in the same province.

The Ala was relocated to the province of Aegyptus at an unspecified time , where it has been occupied since 130. It is documented for the first time in Aegyptus in 157/161 by a diploma . In the diploma, the Ala is listed as part of the troops (see Roman forces in Aegyptus ) that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 179 to 206, prove unity in the same province.

The unit is mentioned for the last time in the Notitia dignitatum with the designation Ala veterana Gallorum for the location Rinocoruna. She was part of the troops that were under the High Command of the Comes limitis Aegypti .

Locations

Locations of the Ala in Aegyptus may have been:

• Alexandria : At 153 the unity is proven in Alexandria.
• Rinocoruna: The unit is listed in the Notitia dignitatum for this location.

Members of the Ala

The following members of the Ala are known:

Commanders

[] onaciannis Severus, a prefect ( CIL 3, 320 ); he was also the tribune of the Cohors XXXII Civium Romanorum . Aemilius Iuncus , a prefect. Marcus Numisius Senecio Antistianus : he is named on three diplomas out of 91 as a commander.

[Ti (berius) Claudius] Alpinus, a prefect ( CIL 5, 3356 ) T (itus) Cornasidius Sabinus, a prefect ( CIL 9, 5439 ); he was also prefect of the Cohors I Montanorum .

Others

Anti [], a Decurio Antonius Sabinus Asianus, a Decurio Bruzenus, a soldier: a diploma of 91 ( AE 2006, 1842 ) was issued to him. Cardentes, a soldier: a diploma of 91 ( AE 2006, 1843 ) was issued to him.

Didymus Argentius (Lucius) Iulius Serenus, a veteran and former summus curator and Decurio M. Aurelius Ptolemaeus, a Sesquiplicarius Seuthi, a soldier: one of the diplomas of 91 ( RMD 1, 5 ) was issued to him.

In the inscription ( CIL 3, 14 ), dated 199, the following Decurios are listed:

Aelius Antiochianus Aelius Heraclianus Antonius [] s Aurelius Isidorus

Aurelius Protogenes Aurel (ius) Sesarion Flavius ​​Eudaemon Iulius Heronianus

Marc (i) us Fuscus Messius Furianus Secundin (i) us Verus Ulpius Marcianus

Ulpius Victor Umbricius Vitalius

In the papyrus P.Hamb.1.39 , which is dated 179, 88 (or 62 or 64) soldiers of the Ala are listed.

In the papyrus P.Lond. 482 , which is dated to 130, the following soldiers of a tower of the Ala are listed:

Donacianus, the Decurion of the Tower Alafes Solas Julius Plato Germanus Domittius Nervas

Cocas Atestas Gaianus Paul Nilas Bitecus Aululanus Dolens

Domittius Ṣerenus Ẹcatus Bitsius Aululanus Felix [] urinus D [] rspor

Ṭ [] b [] ụs Tẹṛẹntius [] ules Ṃạximus Acillus Sarap̣ịọṇ Androstenes

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units
• Roman forces in Aegyptus
• Roman forces in Syria

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b} Lucius Iulius Serenus was 179 summus curator of the Ala Veterana Gallica . Various papyri come from his possession , including the papyrus P.Hamb.1.39 , which documents the receipt of hay money by riders of the Ala. The soldiers confirm with the receipts that they have received the annual pitch money of 25 denarii . Of the 88 (or 64) soldiers who acknowledged receipt of the money, 33 (or 22) could read and write.
2. ↑ Decurios der Ala Veterana Gallica and Ala I Thracum Mauretana are listed in the inscription . John Spaul assigns the Decurios listed here to the Ala Veterana Gallica .

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. 126-129.
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. 172, 174 tables 14, 16 ( PDF p. 174, 176 ).
3. ↑ Military diplomas of the years 54 ( CIL 16, 3 ), 88 ( CIL 16, 35 ), 91 ( AE 2006, 1842 , AE 2006, 1843 , RMD 1, 5 , ZPE-183-234 ), 157/161 ( CIL 16 , 184 ), 179 ( RMD 3, 185 ) and 206 ( AE 2012, 1960 ).
4. ↑ ^{a b} Cornelia Römer : Diploma for a foot soldier from Koptos of March 23, 179 In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik Volume 82 (1990), pp. 137–153, here p. 144 ( PDF p. 10 ).
5. ^ Notitia dignitatum in partibus Orientis XXVIII ( online ).
6. ↑ ^{a b} Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: Syria under Domitian and Hadrian: New diplomas for the auxiliary troops of the province In: Chiron , Volume 36 (2006), pp. 205-247, here pp. 208, 218 ( online ).
7. ↑ (Lucius) Iulius Serenus, veteran. Trismegistos , accessed April 8, 2018 . 
8. ^ Michael Alexander Speidel : Roman Army Pay Scales. , Special print from: MA Speidel, Heer und Herrschaft im Römischen Reich der Hohen Kaiserzeit, Stuttgart 2009, pp. 349–380, here p. 356 ( online ).
9. ^ Ian Haynes: Military service and cultural identity in the auxilia In: Journal of Roman Archeology Supplementary Series Number 34 (1999), pp. 165–174, here pp. 171–172, footnotes 21, 24 ( online pp. 10–11 ) .
10. ↑ p.lond.2.482-pgxlii = HGV Rom.Mil.Rec. 80 = Trismegistos 78865. Papyri.info, accessed April 8, 2018 (English).