Numerus Brittonum Aurelianensium

The Numerus Brittonum Aurelianensium ( German Number of the British from the Vicus Aurelianus ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by inscriptions and brick stamps.

The nominal strength of the unit was probably 160 men, consisting of two Centuries with 80 men each. They were probably all foot soldiers.

Name components

Brittonum : the British. The soldiers of the numerus were recruited in the province of Britannia when the unit was established .

Aurelianensium : from (or near) Vicus Aurelianus . The addition refers to the Vicus Aurelianus , which was founded under Marcus Aurelius and was located between the fort Öhringen-West and the fort Öhringen-Ost .

history

The British probably came to Germania superior around 100 AD , possibly even under Domitian (81–96). Presumably the numbers formed from them were used at the Neckar-Odenwald-Limes for monitoring tasks in order to relieve the auxiliary units already stationed here.

The number is documented for the first time by two inscriptions ( CIL 13, 6542 , CIL 13, 6543 ) that were found in Öhringen and that are dated 175/177. The unit was probably created under Marcus Aurelius between 165 and 177, possibly by merging the two units previously recorded in Öhringen, the Numerus Brittonum Murrensium and the Numerus Brittonum Cal [] , to form the Numerus Brittonum Aurelianensium .

The last proof of the number is based on the inscription ( CIL 11, 3104 ), which is dated to the first half of the 3rd century.

Locations

Locations of the Numerus in Germania superior were possibly:

Kastell Öhringen-Ost : The inscriptions ( CIL 13, 6542 , CIL 13, 6543 ) and bricks with the stamps B AUR and AURE ( CIL 13, 12497 ) were found here.

Members of the number

The following members of the number are known:

[], a preposition ( CIL 11, 3104 )
Gaius Valerius Titus , a centurion of an (unknown) legion

Remarks

↑ According to Marcus Reuter , double the nominal strength would have to be applied if the number really came about by merging the two predecessor units.
↑ ^a ^b According to Marcus Reuter , the British recruited for the first time came to Germania superior as a closed contingent and were only then divided into the individual units. He is assuming 1500 to 2000 Britons in this first contingent.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Marcus Reuter : Studies on the numbers of the Roman Army in the Middle Imperial Period , Dissertation, In: Reports of the Roman-Germanic Commission 80, 1999, pp. 359–569, here pp. 385–389, 442 -444.
↑ ^a ^b Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva: Britons abroad: the mobility of Britons and the circulation of British-made objects in the Roman Empire Dissertation, Leiden University 2012, pp. 170-171, 177-178, 546-547 ( online ).

[SO-2] According to Marcus Reuter , double the nominal strength would have to be applied if the number really came about by merging the two predecessor units.

[NA-3] According to Marcus Reuter , the British recruited for the first time came to Germania superior as a closed contingent and were only then divided into the individual units. He is assuming 1500 to 2000 Britons in this first contingent.

[mr-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Marcus Reuter : Studies on the numbers of the Roman Army in the Middle Imperial Period , Dissertation, In: Reports of the Roman-Germanic Commission 80, 1999, pp. 359–569, here pp. 385–389, 442 -444.

[tai-4] Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva: Britons abroad: the mobility of Britons and the circulation of British-made objects in the Roman Empire Dissertation, Leiden University 2012, pp. 170-171, 177-178, 546-547 ( online ).