Unit sizes in the Late Roman Army
It is generally argued that units of the Late Roman Army were substantially smaller than those of the Early Empire. This concept may be largely accurate but a number of problems are involved and generalisations must be made with caution. Even for the Principate unit sizes are not easy to establish, although it seems likely that legions contained about 5,000 men each, and auxiliary units approximately their nominal quingenary or milliary strengths. Documentary evidence is limited but does tend to confirm the statements of ancient writers - about quingenary equitate cohorts, for example. The significant increase in the total of units during the fourth century provides powerful if inferential evidence for smaller units: this can be approximately quantified from the lists of the NoMa. Literary evidence for the Late Empire is contradictory: there are indications of small units but also references to larger ones. This may well reflect a reality of a majority of smaller units co-existing with some survivals of traditional ones The payments in cash and kind recorded in the Panopolis papyri have been used to extrapolate sizes for units in Diocletianic Egypt. Some units - especially cavalry - may have been quite under-strength
Coello, Terence Arnold
History
Unit sizes in the Late Roman Army. It is generally argued that units of the Late Roman Army were substantially smaller than those of the Early Empire. This concept may be largely accurate but a number of problems are involved and generalisations must be made with caution. Even for the Principate unit sizes are not easy to establish, although it seems likely that legions contained about 5,000 men each, and auxiliary units approximately their nominal quingenary or milliary strengths. Documentary evidence is limited but does tend to confirm the statements of ancient writers - about quingenary equitate cohorts, for example. The significant increase in the total of units during the fourth century provides powerful if inferential evidence for smaller units: this can be approximately quantified from the lists of the NoMa. Literary evidence for the Late Empire is contradictory: there are indications of small units but also references to larger ones. This may well reflect a reality of a majority of smaller units co-existing with some survivals of traditional ones The payments in cash and kind recorded in the Panopolis papyri have been used to extrapolate sizes for units in Diocletianic Egypt. Some units - especially cavalry - may have been quite under-strength
unit size late roman_army generally argue unit late roman_army substantially small early_empire concept may largely accurate number problem_involve generalisation must_make caution even principate unit size easy establish although seem likely legion contain men auxiliary unit approximately nominal strength documentary_evidence limit tend confirm statement ancient writer cohort example significant_increase total unit provide powerful inferential evidence small_unit approximately quantified list literary_evidence late empire contradictory indication small_unit also reference large may well reflect reality majority small_unit existing survival traditional payment cash kind record papyrus use extrapolate size unit egypt unit especially cavalry may quite under strength