List of Roman auxiliary regiments

This article lists auxilia, non-legionary auxiliary regiments of the imperial Roman army, attested in the epigraphic record, by Roman province of deployment during the reign of emperor Hadrian (r. AD 117–138).

The index of regimental names explains the origin of the names, most of which are based on the names of the subject tribes or cities of the empire where they were originally recruited. (As time went by, they became staffed by recruits from anywhere, especially from the province where they were deployed.)

Types of regiment

During most of the

who did not hold Roman citizenship. (in AD 212, all the inhabitants of the empire were granted Roman citizenship).

There were three basic types of auxiliary regiment:

• alae, which contained only cavalry
  and consisted nominally of 480 soldiers
• cohortes peditatae or simply cohortes, which contained only infantry and consisted nominally of 480 soldiers
• cohortes equitatae, which contained infantry with an attached cavalry contingent and consisted nominally of 600 soldiers, of which 480 were infantry and 120 were cavalry

A number of regiments, of all three types, were designated sagittariorum (sagitt), indicating that their members were equipped as archers. After about AD 80, about 12 percent of regiments were enlarged from the quingenarie size and designated milliarie, which nominally consisted of 1000 soldiers, but in reality consisted of 720 soldiers, 800 soldiers, and 1040 soldiers respectively.

Contents of tables

Table I below lists auxiliary regiments during Hadrian's rule, for which there is the most comprehensive evidence. The table does not show regiments that were attested to in the 1st century but that, according to Holder, were dissolved by AD 117, nor those that were probably founded after AD 138. The precise number of regiments that existed during Hadrian's rule is disputed.^[a] The regiments are listed by the Roman province where they were deployed c. AD 130.

• Boldface entries: denotes a unit of double strength
• eq: denotes a part-mounted unit
• c.R: denotes a unit composed of Roman citizens
• sagitt: denotes a unit composed of archers

Ethnic composition of regiments

The rule of the first emperor, Augustus, (30 BC–AD 14) saw the foundation of the majority of the regiments attested in Hadrian's time. In the earlier part of this period, regiments were raised from and named after individual tribes, for example Campagonum, Trevirorum and Bessorum. Later, units were raised from and named after broad national groups, for example Hispanorum, Gallorum, and Thracum.

There is very little evidence concerning the organisation and policies of auxiliary recruitment. The ethnic origins of auxiliary recruits are attested in only a tiny fraction of cases. For example, the cohors II Gallorum veterana equitata must have recruited a calculated 8,000 soldiers over its probable lifespan of about 250 years but the origins of only two rankers are known.^[b] Conclusions about auxiliary recruitment drawn by scholars from the available evidence are regarded as tentative.

According to Holder, during the Julio-Claudian dynasty (AD 14–68), regimental ethnic identity was preserved to some extent, with evidence of continued recruitment from the original people. By the time of Hadrian, however, a regiment's name, in most cases, probably represented the ethnic origin of few, if any, of its members. This is because during the Flavian dynasty (AD 69–96), as a matter of deliberate policy, most regiments were deployed in provinces far from their original home and drew the majority of their recruits from local natives and the rest from all parts of the empire. In most cases, therefore, a regiment's name had become an identification tag devoid of ethnic significance. A regiment deployed long-term in the same province would thus, over time, acquire the ethnic character of its host population.

There are exceptions to this rule:

• A minority of regiments remained stationed in their original home province, e.g., cohors I Delmatarum mill eq, still attested in Dalmatia in AD 130.
• Regiments founded a relatively short period before AD 130, for example cohors I Aelia Dacorum which was stationed in Roman Britain in AD 130 would probably still have contained mostly Dacian recruits at this time, as it had been established by Hadrian only about a decade earlier.
• Some specialised regiments, such as Syrian archers and the elite Batavi show some evidence of continued preferential recruitment from their original province.

List of auxilia in the reign of Hadrian

List of auxilia non-ethnic regimental names by province of deployment

Britannia

Britannia

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES	COHORTES
Agrippina Miniata I Hispanorum Asturum II Asturum Augusta Gallorum Petrianac.R.[c] Augusta Gallorum Proculeiana Picentiana Gallorum II Gallorum Sebosiana Gallorum et Thracum classiana I Pannoniorum (Sabiniana) I Pannoniorum Tampiana I Thracum I Tungrorum Hispanorum Vettonum Augusta Vocontiorum		IV Delmatarum I Frisiavonum	II Gallorum veterana eq IV Gallorum eq V Gallorum VI Gallorum I Hispanorum eq I Aelia Hispanorum eq[c] I Lingonum eq II Lingonum eq III Lingonum eq IV Lingonum eq I Menapiorum I Morinorum I nauticarum I Nerviana Germanorum eq[1][c] I Nervanorum I Nerviorum II Nerviorum	I Hamiorum sagitt[c]

Germania Inferior

Germania Inferior

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES
Afrorum veterana Longiniana Gallorum Gallorum et Thracum classiana Moesica felix I Noricorum c.R. Sulpicia c.R. I Thracum		II Asturum III Breucorum VI Breucorum VI Brittonum I civium Romanorum eq II civium Romanorum eq I classica II Hispanorum I Flavia Hispanorum eq	VI Raetorum IV Thracum eq II Varcianorum eq XV voluntariorum c.R.

Germania Superior

Germania Superior

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES
Gallorum Indiana I Scubulorum		V Delmatarum I Germanorum c.R.	I Helvetiorum II Hispanorum eq Ituraeorum c.R. I Ligurum et Hispanorum c.R. II Raetorum c.R. VII Raetorum eq IV Vindelicorum XXIV voluntariorum c.R. XXVI voluntariorumc.R. XXX voluntariorum c.R. XXXII voluntariorum c.R.

Raetia/Noricum

Raetia/Noricum

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES
I Hispanorum Auriana I Commagenorum II Flavia[c] I Flavia gemina c.R. I Flavia singularium		IX Batavorum eq[c] V Bracaraugustanorum I Breucorum c.R. V Breucorum c.R. eq III Britannorum I Aelia Brittonum[c] I Raetorum II Raetorum	II Thracum III Thracum c.R. III Thracum veterana IV Tungrorum veterana I Flavia Canathenorum sagitt mill

Pannonia

Pannonia (Superior and Inferior)

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES
I Hispanorum Aravacorum I Flavia Britannica c.R.[c] I Brittonum c.R. I Cananefatium I civium Romanorum I Augusta Ituraeorum I Praetoria singularium c.R. I Thracum victrix II Augusta Thracum Ulpia contariorum[c][d] I Thracum veterana sagitt III Augusta Thracum sagitt		I Montanorum eq	I Aelia Gaesatorum sagitt[c]

Moesia Superior

Moesia Superior

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES
I Claudia nova miscellanea Gallorum Flaviana		III Brittonum veterana eq III campestris c.R. V Gallorum eq V Gallorum et Pannoniorum V Hispanorum eq I Pannoniorum veterana eq	I Antiochensium sagitt I Cretum eq sagitt

Moesia Inferior

Moesia Inferior

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES
Gallorum Atectorigiana I Claudia Gallorum Capitoniana I Vespasiana Dardanorum I Flavia Gaetulorum II Hispanorum Aravacorum I Gallorum et Pannoniorum cataphractaria[d]		I Lusitanorum I Thracum Syriaca I Sugambrorum tironum II Lucensium I Bracarorum c.R. I Lepidiana c.R.	I Claudia Sugambrorum veterana eq I Flavia Numidarum eq II Bracaraugustanorum eq II Flavia Brittonum eq II Mattiacorum eq[c] II Chalcidenorum sagitt I Cilicum eq sagitt[c]

Dacia

Dacia

(inc. Dacia Superior, Inferior and Porolissensis)

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES	COHORTES
I Asturum I Batavorum[c] I Bosporanorum[c] I Hispanorum Campagonum I Gallorum et Bosporanorum II Gallorum et Pannoniorum I Hispanorum II Pannoniorum II Pannoniorum veterana I Tungrorum Frontoniana I Flavia Commagenorum sagitt numerus equitum Illyricorum		I Afrorum c.R. eq I Batavorum eq c.R. p.f.[c] II Flavia Bessorum I Bracaraugustanorum I Britannica c.R. eq[c] II Britannorum c.R.[c] I Flavia Brittonum eq[c] I Ulpia Brittonum I Augusta Brittonum Nerviana II Augusta Brittonum Nerviana I Cananefatium I Flavia Commagenorum II Flavia Commagenorum IV Baetica	I Cypria c.R. II Gallorum II Gallorum Dacica II Gallorum Macedonica eq II Gallorum Pannonica III Gallorum I Hispanorum I Hispanorum veterana eq I Flavia Ulpia Hispanorum c.R. eq II Hispanorum scutata c.R. IV Hispanorum eq V Lingonum	I Aurelia Antonina Hemesenorum II Flavia Numidarum VIII Raetorum eq c.R. VI Thracum eq Ubiorum eq I Ubiorum I Vindelicorum c.R. eq[c] I Augusta Ituraerorum sagitt I Thracum sagitt I Tyriorum sagitt

Cappadocia

Cappadocia

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES
II Ulpia Auriana I Augusta gemina colonorum I Ulpia Dacorum II Gallorum I Parthorum veterana		I Hamiorum c.R.[c] I Italica voluntariorum c.R.[c] milliaria c.R. eq[c] I Numidarum	IV Raetorum eq III Augusta Cyrenaica sagitt

Iudea) and Arabia Petraea

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES	COHORTES
I Flavia Agrippiana II Flavia Agrippiana Gaetulorum veterana I Phrygum VII Phrygum I Ulpia singularium I Thracum Herculanea Augusta Xoitana I Ulpia dromedariorum[c] Gallorum et Thracum Antiana sagitt		III Bracarum IV Bracarugustanorum III Callaecorum Bracarum IV Callaecorum Lucensium II Cantabrorum II classica I Ulpia Dacorum III Dacorum I Damascena Armeniaca II equitum eq II Ulpia equitatum eq I Flavia I Gaetulorum I Ulpia Galatarum	II Ulpia Galatarum VII Gallorum eq V gemella c.R. VI Hispanorum II Ligurum et Corsorum I Lucensium I Augusta Lusitanorum I Montanorum I Augusta Pannoniorum II Ulpia Paphlagonum III Ulpia Paphlagonum eq IV Ulpia Petreorum V Ulpia Petreorum eq VI Ulpia Petreorum	I Sebastena[c] I Thracum[c] III Augusta Thracum II Thracum Syriaca III Thracum Syriaca IV Thracum Syriaca I Ascalonitanorum sagitt I Flavia Chalcidenorum eq sagitt I Damascenorum sagitt II Italica voluntariorum c.R. sagitt[c] I Ulpia Petreorum eq sagitt I Ulpia c.R. sagitt I Augusta Thracum eq sagitt

Aegyptus

Aegyptus

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES
Apriana Augusta Syriaca Commagenorum Gallorum veterana I Thracum Macedonica Vocontiorum		I Ulpia Afrorum eq I Flavia Cilicum eq II Ituraeorum III Ituraeorum I Aug. praetoria Lusitanorum eq I Macedonica eq	I Pannoniorum I Thebaeorum eq II Thebaeorum scutata c.R. I Apamenorum eq sagitt

Africa Proconsularis

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES	COHORTES
I Hamiorum sagitt Parthorum sagitt I Syrorum sagitt II Syrorum sagitt		V Delmatarum c.R.	Aelia expedita I Flavia eq III Gallorum felix IV Gallorum c.R. II Hamiorum I Flavia Hispanorum II Hispanorum c.R. eq[c] I Ituraeorum c.R. I Lemavorum c.R. VII Lusitanorum eq	I Flavia Musulamiorum eq I Nurritanorum II Sardorum IV Sugambrorum IV Tungrorum[c] I Syrorum sagitt II Syrorum eq sagitt[c]

Other locations

Internal provinces & unknown locations

ALAE	XXX	COHORTES	COHORTES
II Flavia Hispanorum (HISP)		I Delmatarum mill eq (DLM)	I Ligurum[c] (AS?) Maritima (BAE) Maurorum et Afrorum (?) I Musulamiorum[c] (LYC) VI praetoria (BYT) III sagittariorum (?) I/II nova tironum (HISP) VIII voluntariorum (DLM) XXV voluntariorum (HISP?)

List of auxilia ethnic regimental names

List of auxilia ethnic regimental names

Regimental name	Original tribe/city	Roman province	Original territory now in	Native language	Further information
Afrorum	Afri	Africa	Tunisia	Berber
Alpinorum	Salassi	Alpes Tres	Val d'Aosta, NW Italy	Ligurian	Alpine regiments of the Roman army
Antiochensium	Antiochenses	Syria	Antakya, Turkey	Aramaic
Aquitanorum	Aquitani	Gallia Aquitania	Aquitaine, SW France	Aquitanian
Apamenorum	Apameni	Syria	Apamea , Syria	Aramaic
Aravacorum	Arevaci	Hispania Tarraconensis	Burgos pr Spain	Celtiberian
Aresacorum	Aresaci	Germania Inferior	?	Germanic
Ascalonitanorum	Ascalonitani	Judaea	Ascalon, Israel	Aramaic
Asturum	Astures	Hispania T.	Asturias, N Spain	Celtiberian
Athoitarum	Autariatae	Dalmatia	Bosnia	Illyrian
Ausetanorum	Ausetani	Hispania T.	N Barcelona pr Spain	Iberian
Baetasiorum	Baetasii	Germania Inferior	S Netherlands	W Germanic
Batavorum	Batavi	Germania Inferior	Betuwe , E Netherlands	W Germanic
Bessorum	Bessi	Thracia	Mid Bulgaria	Thracian
Biturigum	Bituriges	Gallia Lugdunensis	Berry, C France	Gaulish
Bosporanorum	Bosporani	Regnum Bospori	Crimea	Sarmatian
Bracarorum Bracarum Bracaraugustanorum	Bracari	Hispania T.	Minho , Portugal	Gallaecian
Breucorum	Breuci	Dalmatia	N Bosnia	Illyrian
Brittonum Britannorum	Brittones (Britanni)	Britannia	N Britain	Brythonic
Callaecorum	Gallaeci	Hispania T.	Galicia, NW Spain	Gallaecian
Campagonum	Campagones	Hispania T.	N Spain	Celtiberian (C)
Campanorum	(Roman cit)	Italia	Campania, Italy	Latin
Canathenorum	Canatheni	Syria	Canatha , Syria	Aramaic
Cannanefatium	Cananefates	Germania Inferior	S Holland, Netherlands	W Germanic
Cantabrorum	Cantabri	Hispania T.	Cantabria N Spain	Celtiberian
Celtiberorum	Celtiberi	Hispania T.	Guadalajara, Spain	Celtiberian
Chalcidenorum	Chalcideni	Bithynia	Chalcedon, Turkey	Greek
Cilicum	Cilices	Cilicia	Icel/Adana pr Turkey	Lydian
Cisipadensium	(Roman citizens)	Italia (Aemilia region)	Emilia-Romagna, Italy	Latin
Commagenorum	Commagene	Cappadocia	Gaziantep pr Turkey	Greek
Corsorum	Corsi	Sardinia	N Sardinia, Italy	Sardinian
Cretum	Cretes	Creta	Crete, Greece	Greek
Cugernorum	Cugerni	Germania Inferior	NW Rhineland, Germany	W Germanic
Dardanorum	Dardani	Macedonia	S Serbia/Kosovo	Illyrian
Dacorum	Daci	Dacia	Romania	Dacian
Damascenorum	Damasceni	Syria	Damascus, Syria	Aramaic
Delmatarum	Dalmatae	Dalmatia	Dalmacja, Croatia	Illyrian
Frisiavonum	Frisiavones	Germania Inferior	N Brabant S Neth	W Germanic
Gaesatorum	Gaesati	Gallia Belgica	Alsace, Fr	Gaulish
Gaetulorum	Gaetuli	Mauretania	Algeria	Berber
Galatarum	Galatae	Galatia	Ankara pr C Turkey	Galatian
Gallorum	Gauls	Gallia Lugdunensis	NE France	Gaulish
Hamiorum	Hama	Syria	Hama, Syria	Aramaic
Helvetiorum	Helvetii	Belgica	SW Switzerland	Gaulish
Hemesenorum	Emesa	Syria	Homs, Syria	Aramaic
Hispanorum	Hispani	Hispania T.	N Spain	Celtiberian
Illyricorum	Illyrici	Dalmatia	Bosnia	Illyrian
Ituraeorum	Ituraei	Syria	S Lebanon	Aramaic
Latobicorum	Latobici	Pannonia	C Bosnia	Illyrian
Lemavorum	Lemavi	Hispania T.	Galicia, Spain	Celtiberian
Ligurum	Ligures	Italia (Liguria)	Liguria, Italy	Ligurian	Alpine regiments of the Roman army
Lingonum	Lingones	Belgica	Langres, NE France	Gaulish
Lucensium	Lucenses	Hispania T.	cLugo Galicia, Portugal	Gallaecian
Lusitanorum	Lusitani	Lusitania	Portugal	Celtiberian
Mattiacorum	Mattiaci	Germania Sup	Rhineland Pfalz, Germany	W Germanic
Maurorum	Mauri	Mauretania	Algeria	Berber
Menapiorum	Menapii	Belgica	W Flanders, Belgium	Gaulish
Morinorum	Morini	Belgica	Pas-de-Calais, France	Gaulish
Montanorum	Montani	Pannonia	Julian Alps, Slovenia	Raetian	Alpine regiments of the Roman army
Musulamiorum	Musulamii	Mauretania	E Algeria	Berber
Nerviorum	Nervii	Belgica	Flandres, France	Gaulish
Noricorum	Taurisci	Noricum	Mid Austria	(C)	Alpine regiments of the Roman army
Numidarum	Numidae	Numidia	NE Algeria	Berber
Nurritanorum	Nurritani	Sardinia	cNuoro, N Sardinia, Italy	Sardinian
Pannoniorum	Pannonii	Pannonia	W Hungary	Illyrian
Parthorum	Parthi	Cappadocia	E Turkey	Parthian
Petreorum	Nabataei	Arabia Pet.	cPetra, Jordan	Arabic
Phrygum	Phryges	Galatia	Eskisehir, W Turkey	Phrygian
Raetorum	Raeti	Raetia	S Germany/Switzerland	Raetian (X/C)	Alpine regiments of the Roman army
Sardorum	Sardi	Sardinia	S Sardinia, Italy	Sardinian
Scubulorum	Scubuli	Macedonia	cSkopje, Macedonia	Illyrian
Sequanorum	Sequani	Belgica	Franche-Comté, France	Gaulish
Sugambrorum	Sicambri	Germania Inferior	NW Rhineland, Germany	W Germanic
Sunucorum	Sunici	Germania Inferior	E Netherlands	W Germanic
Syrorum	Syri	Syria	Syria	Aramaic
Thebaeorum	Thebaei	Aegyptus	Thebes, Egypt	Egyptian
Trachonitarum	?	Syria ?	?	(X/S)
Thracum	Thraces	Thracia	Bulgaria	Thracian
Trevirorum	Treveri	Belgica	cTrier, Germany	Gaulish
Tungrorum	Tungri	Belgica	cTongeren (Tongres), Belgium	Gaulish
Tyriorum	Tyrii	Syria	Tyre, S Lebanon	Phoenician
Ubiorum	Ubii	Germania Inferior	NW Rhineland, Germany	W Germanic
Vangionum	Vangiones	Germania Sup	Mainz/Worms, Germany	W Germanic
Varcianorum	Varciani	Pannonia	E Croatia	Illyrian
Vardulorum	Varduli	Hispania T.	Guipuzcoa , Spain	Old Basque
Vasconum	Vascones	Hispania T.	Navarra , Spain	Old Basque
Vettonum	Vettones	Lusitania	Salamanca pr Spain	Celtiberian
Vindelicorum	Vindelici	Raetia	Black Forest, Germany	Celtic/German	Alpine regiments of the Roman army
Vocontiorum	Vocontii	Gallia Lugdunensis	Dauphiné, France	Gaulish

Glossary

Some regiments were named after other people, for example ala Sulpicia after its first, or early, praefectus. In the Augustan era, commanders of auxiliary units were often Roman legionary centurions, or native chieftains. For example, ala Gallorum Atectorigiana was probably once commanded by a Gallic chieftain named Atectorix. Later, emperor Claudius restricted auxiliary commands to the lower aristocratic class of equites only.

Imperial dedications

Augusta

founded by emperor Augustus (r. BC 30–AD 14), or honoured with this title by any of his successors

Claudia

founded by, or honoured by, one of:

Claudia

Flavia

Vespasian (r. AD 69–79) or one of his two sons and successors, Titus (r. AD 79–81) or Domitian (r. AD 81–96)

Ulpia

Trajan (r. AD 98–117)

Aelia

Hadrian (r. AD 117–138)

Aurelia

Marcus Aurelius (r. AD 161–180)

Septimia

Septimius Severus (r. AD 197–211)

In the 4th century, Valeria referred to emperor

(r. AD 312–337) or one of his successors.

Raised during the Illyrian revolt

Names of regiments originally raised by emperor Augustus during the

, such as vagrants, convicted criminals, debtors, and emancipated slaves:

civium Romanorum

regiment originally composed of Roman citizens (including emancipated slaves)

ingenuorum

regiment originally composed of free-born (ingenui) Roman citizens

voluntariorum

regiment originally composed of volunteers (voluntarii), in reality slaves freed in return for military service during the Illyrian revolt^[2]

After their initial recruitment of Roman citizens, these regiments recruited non-citizens (peregrini) like all other regiments.

Other non-ethnic regimental names

classica

the regiment was originally recruited, probably during the Illyrian revolt, from naval personnel (from classis = "fleet"), who were mostly non-citizens

nauticarum

from nautae= "sailors"

maritima

praetoria

originally a cohort of the Praetorian Guard in Rome. Apparently a detachment of the cohort was left behind at the end of an imperial campaign, presumably to form the core of a new auxiliary cohort, retaining the prestigious name

singularium

ala formed around members of the elite equites singulares Augusti (imperial horseguards), left behind to reinforce frontier at the end of an imperial campaign

contariorum

specialised regiment of lancers (contarii) from contus (a long lance)

dromedariorum

specialised regiment of camel-mounted troops for desert warfare

Unit Epithets

Some regiment names included additional descriptors:

civium Romanorum (c.R.)

"of Roman citizens", honorific title awarded by the emperor to a regiment for valour. All current (but not future) members would be granted Roman citizenship, and the regiment would retain the title in perpetuity.

pia fidelis

(p.f.)

veterana

uncertain meaning which may have been used to distinguish older unit from a newer unit with the same serial number and name

tironum

from tirones ("trainees")

See also

• Auxilia
• List of Roman legions

Notes

Citations

Sources

• Holder, Paul (2003). "Auxiliary deployment in the reign of Hadrian". Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies. 46 (S81). Blackwell Publishing: 101–145.
  ISSN 2041-5370
  .

• Spaul, John E. H. (2000). Cohors² : the evidence for and a short history of the auxiliary infantry units of the Imperial Roman army. BAR, International series. Vol. 841. Oxford: Archaeopress.
  ISBN 9781841710464
  .

• Spaul, John E. H.; Cichorius, Conrad (1994). Ala² : the auxiliary cavalry units of the pre-Diocletianic imperial Roman army. Andover: Nectoreca Press.
  ISBN 9780952506201
  .

External links

• Roman auxiliary regiments from Dacia (KML file) Archived 2012-01-20 at the Wayback Machine