Soldiers and tribesmen : the Roman army and tribal society in late imperial Africa
This thesis is concerned with two groups which guarded North Africa's frontiers during the Later Roman Empire, firstly the regular army, and secondly, the gentiles, or tribesmen. The subject is introduced in Chapter I, and the academic debate on this subject summarised . In Chapter II, the continued existence of a garrison of regular soldiers, in the fourth century sector commands (limites), is demonstrated. The present consensus regarding the manning of the limites would assign a much larger role to some kind of tribal militia. The actual role of the Moorish and Libyan tribes in frontier defence is analysed in the next chapter. They are seen to be essentially an adjunct to the limitanei rather than a replacement for them. The long involvement of African tribesmen in the military service of Rome is traced in Chapter IV. The field army is examined in Chapter V. A pattern of steady growth is discerned, gradually supplanting the limitanei. In Chapters VI and VIr attention is focussed once more on the frontier troops. The location of the limites listed in the Notitia Dignitatum, and their internal organisation are analysed in Chapter VI. Chapter VIr studies the duties of the limitanei. The essentially policing
Rushworth, Alan
Roman irregulars; Tribal militia; North Africa
Soldiers and tribesmen : the Roman army and tribal society in late imperial Africa. This thesis is concerned with two groups which guarded North Africa's frontiers during the Later Roman Empire, firstly the regular army, and secondly, the gentiles, or tribesmen. The subject is introduced in Chapter I, and the academic debate on this subject summarised . In Chapter II, the continued existence of a garrison of regular soldiers, in the fourth century sector commands (limites), is demonstrated. The present consensus regarding the manning of the limites would assign a much larger role to some kind of tribal militia. The actual role of the Moorish and Libyan tribes in frontier defence is analysed in the next chapter. They are seen to be essentially an adjunct to the limitanei rather than a replacement for them. The long involvement of African tribesmen in the military service of Rome is traced in Chapter IV. The field army is examined in Chapter V. A pattern of steady growth is discerned, gradually supplanting the limitanei. In Chapters VI and VIr attention is focussed once more on the frontier troops. The location of the limites listed in the Notitia Dignitatum, and their internal organisation are analysed in Chapter VI. Chapter VIr studies the duties of the limitanei. The essentially policing
roman_army tribal society late imperial africa concerned two_group guard north_africa frontier later_roman_empire firstly regular army secondly gentile subject introduce academic debate subject summarise continue_existence garrison regular soldier sector command demonstrate present consensus regard man would assign much_large role kind tribal militia actual role libyan tribes frontier defence analyse next chapter see essentially adjunct rather replacement them long involvement african military_service rome trace field army examine pattern steady growth discern gradually supplant attention_focus frontier troop location list internal organisation analyse study duty essentially police