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

236 The Roman Army
Domitius Aurelian Pius Fortunate Unconquered Augustus, Marcus
Aurelius Fortunatus, outstanding man, prefect of Legion III Augusta
Aurelia, and Aelia Optata, most distinguished lady (i.e. of senatorial
family), his wife, willingly and enthusiastically fulfilled their vow.
381 CIL 8. 2572=ILS 5786, inscription, Lambaesis, AD 286–305
The most unconquered Augusti, Diocletian and Maximian, restorers
and extenders of their world, restored to a sound condition and
improved the aqueduct of Legion III Augusta of Diocletian and
Maximian, our Augusti, which had decayed because of the negligence
of many people and had been abandoned for a long span of years,
under the supervision of Aurelius Maximianus, most splendid man,
governor of the province of Numidia, and Clodius Honoratus,
outstanding man, prefect of the same legion.
382 Zosimus (5th–6th C.AD), 2. 34
Constantine also did something else that allowed the barbarians an
unimpeded approach into the territory under Roman control. Because
of Diocletian’s wisdom all the frontier areas of the Roman empire had
been protected in the way described above with settlements and
strongholds and towers, and all the soldiers were based here. The
barbarians, therefore, could not break in, as forces with the capacity to
repel incursions would encounter them everywhere. Constantine put
an end to this security by withdrawing most of the troops from the
frontier areas and stationing them in cities that did not need protection,
and therefore deprived of protection the people who were suffering at
the hands of the barbarians, and afflicted peaceful cities with the plague
of the soldiers. Because of this some have already become desolate and
the troops have been enfeebled by indulging themselves in shows and
luxurious living. Therefore, to put it bluntly, he himself was the first to
sow the seeds of the present disastrous situation.
As a pagan, Zosimus disliked Constantine, the propagator of Christianity, and
exaggerated and misrepresented the emperor’s innovations in respect of the
field army. He also chose to ignore the fact that Diocletian had employed a
similar type of independent force, even though it was not necessarily a permanent
element of the army at that time. Zosimus was however correct to point out
that an essential aspect of Diocletian’s policy was the permanent stationing of
troops in key provinces.