The Roman Army, 31 BC–AD 337: A Sourcebook

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302 Appian (2nd C.AD), Civil Wars 5. 17 The army in politics 183 …the soldiers did not serve the interests of the state, but only of those who had recruited them; and they gave their support to these people not because of the compulsion of the law, but because of personal inducements; and they fought not against enemies of Rome but against private adversaries, not against foreigners, but against fellow-citizens, men just like themselves. All these factors contributed to a breakdown of military discipline; the soldiers believed that they were not so much serving in an army as helping out, through their personal decision and favour, leaders who found their assistance essential for private ends. Appian is here describing the consequences of the civil wars of 44–31 BC and the development of a personal rapport between commanders and soldiers which in his view had serious implications for future political events. 303 Dio (2nd–3rd C.AD), 53. 11 Immediately he arranged for those men who were to form his bodyguard to be voted twice the pay granted to the other soldiers, to ensure that he was efficiently protected. By doing this he showed that his true intention was to establish a monarchy. In 27 BC Augustus in a speech to the senate claimed that he wished to give up his dominant position, but in response to senatorial objections then withdrew this suggestion and eventually was granted a portion of the provinces to administer as his direct responsibility. Dio is sarcastic, arguing that the occasion was set up by Augustus who wanted it to seem that he was reluctantly compelled by the weight of popular opinion to take on certain responsibilities on behalf of the state; it was a way of suggesting that his position in the state was compatible with the institutions of the republic. In Dio’s view the maintenance of the privileged praetorian guard and the fact that the provinces controlled directly by Augustus contained most of the troops, demonstrated the dichotomy between appearance and reality in imperial politics, since real power depended on control of the army. 304 Tacitus (1st–2nd C.AD), Annals 6. 3 But he (Tiberius) severely rebuked Junius Gallio, who had proposed that praetorian guardsmen who had been discharged should have the right of sitting in the first fourteen rows of the theatre reserved for equestrians, asking him as if he were present in person what business he had to do with the soldiers, who were entitled to receive their commands and their rewards from no one but the emperor. He had certainly discovered something which the divine Augustus had not
184 The Roman Army foreseen. Or was he an agent of Sejanus seeking to encourage dissension and rebellion by inducing inexperienced minds to overturn military discipline by the offer of privileges? Sejanus was Tiberius’ powerful praetorian prefect, executed in AD 31. Although Tiberius encouraged the senators to play their part in discussing affairs of state (in AD 14 he had stated that the soldiers belonged not to him but the state— Dio 57. 2), it was wise for them to avoid the politically sensitive area of the emperor’s relationship with his troops. It is significant that Augustus had written out in his own hand a memorandum for Tiberius, which included the numbers of legions and auxilia in the army, naval units, information on the provinces and client kingdoms, and details of taxation and income (Annals, 1. 11). 305 (a) BMC 1, p. 165, no. 5=Smallwood GN 36(a), aureus, Rome, AD 41–2 (see Plate 12) Obverse. Head of Claudius, laureate. TIBERIUS CLAUDIUS CAESAR AUGUSTUS, CHIEF PRIEST, TRIBUNICIAN POWER. Reverse. The praetorian camp, depicted by a wall with battlements, arched entrances, and two columns supporting a pediment, with a soldier standing on guard. THE EMPEROR WELCOMED. 305 (b) BMC 1, p. 166, no. 8=Smallwood GN 36(b), aureus, Rome, AD 41–2 Obverse. As (a) Reverse. Claudius, clad in toga, shaking hands with a praetorian. THE PRAETORIANS WELCOMED. After Gaius had been murdered on 24 January AD 41, the senate met but could not agree what to do next. Those who had plotted against Gaius had different motives; a few perhaps wanted a republic, many more will have favoured the choice of a new emperor from outside the Julio-Claudian family, others will have supported the claims of Gaius’ uncle, Claudius. But Claudius had been conveyed to the praetorian barracks where he negotiated for the crucial support of the guardsmen. After he had received an ineffectual deputation from the senate, Claudius addressed the praetorians, promised a donative, and was saluted as
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The Roman Army, 31 BC-AD 337 The Ro
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First published 1994 by Routledge 1
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Contents List of plates ix List of
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Plates 1 Ti. Claudius Maximus 2 Cen
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Preface and acknowledgements The Ro
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Abbreviations AE L’Année épigra
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P. S. I. Pubblicazioni della societ
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Emperors from Augustus to Constanti
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denarius (‘ten as-piece’) = 4 s
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2 The Roman Army benefits are still
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4 The Roman Army military as well a
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6 The Roman Army The defeat of Cart
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8 The Roman Army who supplied caval
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10 The Roman Army career seemed mos
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12 The Roman Army in a recruit, you
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14 The Roman Army thanks to the lor
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16 The Roman Army should keep in st
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18 The Roman Army more impartial th
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20 The Roman Army speedily. The rem
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22 The Roman Army I paid monetary r
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24 The Roman Army hay 10 drachmas f
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26 The Roman Army I have received a
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28 The Roman Army from having more
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30 The Roman Army 34 Speidel 1980:7
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32 The Roman Army 40 ILS 2442, insc
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34 The Roman Army units were now be
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36 The Roman Army and I have alread
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38 The Roman Army heirs, set this u
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40 The Roman Army 63 CIL 6. 2725=IL
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42 The Roman Army principalis, acti
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44 The Roman Army 77 CIL 6. 2896=IL
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2 The officers CENTURIONS Centurion
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48 The Roman Army The emperor was u
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50 The Roman Army to Numidia, and f
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52 The Roman Army of Legion III Aug
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54 The Roman Army tribune of the fi
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56 The Roman Army Aurelius Harpocra
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58 The Roman Army Cornelius Minicia
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60 The Roman Army officer for Egypt
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62 The Roman Army Furthermore, an e
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64 The Roman Army probably formed d
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66 The Roman Army Moesia, legate of
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3 The Emperor as commander-in-chief
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70 The Roman Army to restrain thems
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72 The Roman Army 127 Josephus (1st
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74 The Roman Army Cornelius Fronto
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76 The Roman Army his tribunician p
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78 The Roman Army Lucius, in the si
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1 Ti. Claudius Maximus Source: Kava
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3 Trajan as commander-in-chief Sour
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8 The Roman siege ramp at Masada Ph
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11 The Mithraeum at Carrawburgh on
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14 Bronze diploma—exterior faces
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18 Bronze diploma—exterior face w
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80 The Roman Army Figure 1 Legionar
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82 The Roman Army fighting at the c
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84 The Roman Army the other legions
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Figure 3 The disposition of the leg
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88 The Roman Army outside the fort
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90 The Roman Army advisers, will ha
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92 The Roman Army guards and mounte
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94 The Roman Army period of imperia
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96 The Roman Army being able to str
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98 The Roman Army (Section 16) The
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100 The Roman Army against archers,
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102 The Roman Army (see Plate 8), t
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104 The Roman Army the cohort menti
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106 The Roman Army the wishes of Em
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108 The Roman Army 177 D 49. 16. 3.
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5 The army in peacetime MILITARY LI
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112 The Roman Army do whatever may
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114 The Roman Army This is probably
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116 The Roman Army For the date and
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118 The Roman Army Thiadices, who s
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120 The Roman Army 190 P. Dura 60B,
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122 The Roman Army of that communit
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124 The Roman Army identified as br
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126 The Roman Army The town of Sald
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128 The Roman Army for the eternity
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130 The Roman Army [7] September [
Page 165 and 166: 132 The Roman Army Although Tertull
Page 167 and 168: 134 The Roman Army 220 CIL 3. 11082
Page 169 and 170: 136 The Roman Army Cocidius was a C
Page 171 and 172: 138 The Roman Army the names of Get
Page 173 and 174: 6 The army, the local community, an
Page 175 and 176: 142 The Roman Army informal adminis
Page 177 and 178: 144 The Roman Army either military
Page 179 and 180: 146 The Roman Army Two legions were
Page 181 and 182: 148 The Roman Army the Medes, in th
Page 183 and 184: 150 The Roman Army [ _ _ _ ] Centur
Page 185 and 186: 152 The Roman Army provision for th
Page 187 and 188: 154 The Roman Army Longinia, had be
Page 189 and 190: 156 The Roman Army opinion I gave y
Page 191 and 192: 158 The Roman Army property in acco
Page 193 and 194: 160 The Roman Army the will. His so
Page 195 and 196: 162 The Roman Army did make his wil
Page 197 and 198: 164 The Roman Army In Roman law eve
Page 199 and 200: 166 The Roman Army from home. Soldi
Page 201 and 202: 168 The Roman Army 277 CJ 12. 33(34
Page 203 and 204: 170 The Roman Army Published on 15
Page 205 and 206: 172 The Roman Army solution, becaus
Page 207 and 208: 174 The Roman Army ask that you sho
Page 209 and 210: 176 The Roman Army The reference to
Page 211 and 212: 178 The Roman Army with his own edi
Page 213 and 214: 180 The Roman Army of passing trave
Page 215: 182 The Roman Army The Roman empero
Page 219 and 220: 186 The Roman Army the undivided su
Page 221 and 222: 188 The Roman Army name a figure of
Page 223 and 224: 190 The Roman Army disgraceful and
Page 225 and 226: 192 The Roman Army only explicit re
Page 227 and 228: 194 The Roman Army Rome) even thoug
Page 229 and 230: 196 The Roman Army grandson of Germ
Page 231 and 232: 198 The Roman Army and (13) first T
Page 233 and 234: 200 The Roman Army the fatherland,
Page 235 and 236: 202 The Roman Army from your affirm
Page 237 and 238: 204 The Roman Army honourably disch
Page 239 and 240: 206 The Roman Army 337 FIRA 3. 171=
Page 241 and 242: 208 The Roman Army (Fourth hand) (S
Page 243 and 244: 210 The Roman Army service in the c
Page 245 and 246: 212 The Roman Army colonies, or del
Page 247 and 248: 214 The Roman Army Augustus himself
Page 249 and 250: 216 The Roman Army 349 CIL 16. 13=M
Page 251 and 252: 218 The Roman Army main roads did n
Page 253 and 254: 220 The Roman Army 357 ILS 9085, in
Page 255 and 256: 222 The Roman Army and Vergil in Ec
Page 257 and 258: 224 The Roman Army you who are aliv
Page 259 and 260: 226 The Roman Army 367 AE 1974. 283
Page 261 and 262: 228 The Roman Army 374 ILS 9400, in
Page 263 and 264: 230 The Roman Army considerable pro
Page 265 and 266: 232 The Roman Army military organiz
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234 The Roman Army recruitment and
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236 The Roman Army Domitius Aurelia
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238 The Roman Army on the emperor (
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240 The Roman Army This rescript is
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242 The Roman Army peaceful repose
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244 The Roman Army in respect of on
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246 The Roman Army the soldiers, an
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248 The Roman Army (Alexander) gave
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Select bibliography Alföldy, G.. (
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252 Select bibliography Duncan-Jone
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254 Select bibliography Marsden, E.
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Index of translated passages LITERA
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258 Index of translated passages 24
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Index of names and subjects Promine
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266 Index of names and subjects Ces
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268 Index of names and subjects Gro
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270 Index of names and subjects Pat
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272 Index of names and subjects Vel
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The Roman Army, 31 BC–AD 337: A Sourcebook

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