During the period of the principate until 212 CE, the units of auxilia were separate units of the legion to which they joined only Roman citizens could. The Auxilia were mostly powered by peregrini, that is, the inhabitants of the Empire who did not have citizenship. Interestingly, the inhabitants “without citizenship” were the majority in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE. the entire population of the Roman state. Only in 212 CE under the Emperor of Caracalla other inhabitants were granted Roman citizenship.
There were three basic types of auxilia troops: alae (“wings”) which consisted only of cavalry (officially 480 men); cohortes, which consisted only of infantry (480 men); and cohortes equitatae, which included both infantry and cavalry units (600 men, 480 infantry and 120 cavalries).
Regiments of all three types appointed archers (sagittariorum) as they were equipped with bows. After around 80 CE, the smaller regiments (12%) were enlarged and reinforced (milliariae) by 1,000 troops, although in reality, they had 720, 800, and 1,040 troops respectively.
The following tables list the auxilia troops stationed under Emperor Hadrian (117-138 CE), depending on the place of stationing (province).
Regarding the names and nicknames of branches:
Honoured by emperors
- Augusta – honoured by Octavian Augustus (30 BCE – 14 CE) or by his successors with this title;
- Claudia – honoured by Tiberius (14-37 CE), Caligula (37-41 CE) or Claudius (41-54 CE);
- Flavia – honoured by Vespasian (69-79 CE) or two sons and successors: Titus (79-81 CE) or Domitian (81-96 CE);
- Ulpia – honoured by Trajan (98-117 CE);
- Aelia – honoured by Hadrian (117-138 CE);
- Aurelia – honoured by Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE);
- Septimia – honoured by Septimius Severus (197-211 CE).
Names of troops, originally formed by Emperor Augustus during the Illyrian Rebellion (CE 6-9) from Roman citizens that were not included in the legions
- civium Romanorum – a unit originally created from Roman citizens (previously liberated);
- ingenuorum – a unit originally created from free-born Roman citizens (ingenui);
- voluntariorum – a branch originally created by volunteers (voluntarii). They were, in fact, freedmen who were given their freedom in return for fighting during the Illyrian rebellion;
- after the first recruitment of Roman citizens, these troops also recruited non-citizens (peregrini).
LEGEND:
- c.R. = civium Romanorum (“Roman citizens”)
- eq = equitata (includes driving quota)
- sagitt = sagittariorum (squad of archers)
- unit bold = unit milliaria (double count).
Other non-ethnic ward names
- classica – the unit was probably recruited in crisis situations in Illyria. It was made up of naval units (classis – “fleet”) that did not have Roman citizenship. Also recruited from seamen (nauticarum) and maritima;
- praetoria – originally a praetorian cohort in Rome. In fact, part of the cohort remained at the rear of the front at the end of the imperial campaigns, probably to form a strong “core” in the new auxilia cohort, thus leaving the prestigious name;
- singularium – ala formed among members of the elite of equites singulares Augusti (imperial cavalry). They were intended to support the front at the end of the imperial campaigns;
- contariorum – a special unit of lancers (contarii), from the word contus (“long spear”);
- dromedariorum – special camel rider squad for desert warfare.
Branch terms
- civium Romanorum – the title given to the unit by the emperor for special bravery. All the soldiers belonging to the unit at that time received Roman citizenship. Moreover, the title was given forever;
- veterana – It is not entirely clear why this term was given. It may be to distinguish an older branch from a new one with the same number or name. This term is used depending on the circumstances. Soldiers with extensive experience were called up, most often after retiring, just before retiring, or re-appointed to the ranks of the army, e.g. in the Battle of Munda (45 CE), where as many as two legions of veterans were re-established. Some soldiers also stayed in the legions to continue serving;
- tironum – from the word “recruits” (tirones).
Britannia |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
Agrippina Miniata
I Hispanorum Asturum
II Asturum
Augusta Gallorum Petriana c.R.
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 | I Aquitanorum
II Asturum eq
IV Breucorum
I Augusta Bracarum
III Bracaraugustanorum
I Baetasiorum c.R.
I Batavorum eq
I Celtiberorum
I Aelia classica
I Ulpia Cugernorum c.R.
I Aelia Dacorum
I Delmatarum
II Delmatarum
IV Delmatarum
I Frisiavonum | II Gallorum veterana eq
IV Gallorum eq
V Gallorum
VI Gallorum
I Hispanorum eq
I Aelia Hispanorum eq
I Lingonum eq
II Lingonum eq
III Lingonum eq
IV Lingonum eq
I Menapiorum
I Morinorum
I Nauticarum
I Augusta Nerviana Germanorum eq
I Nerviorum
II Nerviorum
III Nerviorum
IV Nerviorum
II Pannoniorum
V Raetorum
I Sunucorum
I Thracum
II Thracum veterana
VII Thracum
I Tungrorum
II Tungrorum c.L. eq
I Vangionum eq
I Vardulorum c.R. eq
II Vasconum c.R.
I Hamiorum sagitt |
Germania Inferior |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
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 ingenuorum c.R.
I Latobicorum et Varcianorum
I Lucensium
I Pannoniorum et Delmatarum eq
I Raetorum eq c.R.
VI Raetorum
IV Thracum eq
II Varcianorum eq
XV voluntariorum c.R. |
Germania Superior |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
Gallorum Indiana
I Scubulorum | I Aquitanorum veterana
III Aquitanorum eq c.R.
IV Aquitanorum eq c.R.
I Asturum equitata eq
I Biturigum
Augusta Cyrenaica eq
II Augusta Cyrenaica
I Flavia Damascenorum
III Delmatarum eq
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 voluntariorum c.R.
XXX voluntariorum c.R.
XXXII voluntariorum c.R. |
Raetia/Noricum |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
I Hispanorum Auriana
I Commagenorum
II Flavia
I Flavia gemina c.R.
I Flavia singularium | II Aquitanorum eq c.R.
I Asturum
II Batavorum
IX Batavorum eq
V Bracaraugustanorum
I Breucorum c.R.
V Breucorum c.R. eq
III Britannorum
I Aelia Brittonum
I Raetorum
II Raetorum | II Thracum
III Thracum c.R.
III Thracum veterana
IV Tungrorum veterana
I Flavia Canathenorum sagitt |
Pannonia (Superior and Inferior) |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
I Hispanorum Aravacorum
I Flavia Britannica c.R.
I Brittonum c.R.
I Cananefatium
I civium Romanorum
I Augusta Ituraeorum
I Praetoria singularium c.R.
I Thracum victrix
II Augusta Thracum
I Ulpia contariorum
I Thracum veterana sagitt
III Augusta Thracum sagitt | I Alpinorum eq
I Alpinorum peditata
II Alpinorum eq
II Asturum et Callaecorum eq
III Batavorum eq
VII Breucorum c.R. eq
I Brittonum
V Callaecorum Lucensium eq
I Campanorum voluntariorum c.R.
II Augusta Dacorum eq
I Lusitanorum Cyrenaica
III Lusitanorum
I Montanorum eq
| I Noricorum eq
I Ulpia Pannoniorum eq
I Thracum c.R.
I Thracum Germanica
I Thracum Syriaca equitata eq
II Augusta Thracum eq
I Aelia Caesariensis sagitt
I Aelia Gaesatorum sagitt |
Moesia Superior |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
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 |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
II Hispanorum Aravacorum
I Vespasiana Dardanorum
I Flavia Gaetulorum
Gallorum Atectorigiana
I Claudia Gallorum Capitoniana
I Gallorum et Pannoniorum cataphractaria | I Bracarorum c.R.
II Bracaraugustanorum eq
II Flavia Brittonum eq
I Lepidiana c.R.
II Lucensium
I Lusitanorum
II Mattiacorum eq | I Flavia Numidarum eq
I Sugambrorum tironum
I Claudia Sugambrorum veterana eq
I Thracum Syriaca
II Chalcidenorum sagitt
I Cilicum eq sagitt |
Dacia (Dacia Superior, Inferior and Porolissensis) |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
I Asturum
I Batavorum
I Bosporanorum
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 c.R.
II Flavia Bessorum
I Bracaraugustanorum
I Britannica c.R. eq
II Britannorum c.R.
I Flavia Brittonum eq
I Ulpia Brittonum
I Augusta Brittonum Nerviana
II Augusta Brittonum Nerviana
I Cananefatium
I 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
II Flavia Numidarum
VIII Raetorum eq c.R.
VI Thracum eq
Ubiorum eq
I Ubiorum
I Vindelicorum c.R. eq
I Augusta Ituraerorum sagitt
I Thracum sagitt
I Tyriorum sagitt |
Cappadocia |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
II Ulpia Auriana
I Augusta gemina colonorum
I Ulpia Dacorum
II Gallorum
I Parthorum veterana | Apula c.R.
I Bosporanorum
I Claudia eq
II Claudia
I Hamiorum c.R.
I Italica voluntariorum c.R.
milliaria c.R. eq
I Numidarum | II Ulpia Petreorum eq
III Ulpia Petreorum eq
I Raetorum eq
IV Raetorum eq
III Augusta Cyrenaica sagitt |
Syria (Judaea, Arabia Petraea) |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
I Flavia Agrippiana
II Flavia Agrippiana
Gaetulorum veterana
I Phrygum
VII Phrygum
I Ulpia singularium
I Thracum Herculanea
Augusta Xoitana
I Ulpia dromedariorum
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
I Thracum
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
I Ulpia Petreorum eq sagitt
I Ulpia c.R. sagitt
I Augusta Thracum eq sagitt |
Aegyptus |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
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 |
Mauretania (Africa, Numidia, Caesariensis, Tingitana) |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
III Asturum
I Augusta c.R.
I Augusta Gallorum
I Gallorum Tauriana victrix
Gemelliana c.R.
I Flavia Numidica
I Augusta Nerviana
I Pannoniorum
II Augusta Thracum
I Hamiorum sagitt
Parthorum sagitt
I Syrorum sagitt
II Syrorum sagitt | I Flavia Afrorum
II Flavia Afrorum
I Asturum et Callaecorum
III Asturum c.R. eq
II Breucorum
II Brittonum eq
I Chalcidenorum eq
VI Commagenorum eq
I Corsorum c.R.
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
I Ituraeorum c.R.
I Lemavorum c.R.
VII Lusitanorum eq
I Flavia Musulamiorum eq
I Nurritanorum
II Sardorum
IV Sugambrorum
IV Tungrorum
I Syrorum sagitt
II Syrorum eq sagitt |
Inne prowincje lub nieznane lokalizacje |
| ALAE | COHORTES | COHORTES EQUITATAE |
II Flavia Hispanorum (Spain) | III Alpinorum eq (Dalmatia)
I Aelia Athoitarum (Thrace)
I Ausetanorum (Spain?)
I Flavia Bessorum (Macedonia)
Callaecorum (?)
I Celtiberorum eq (Spain)
I Cisipadensium c.R. (Thrace)
Dacorum (?)
I Gallica c.R. eq (Spain)
I Delmatarum mill eq (Dalmatia) | I Ligurum (Asia?)
maritima (Baetica)
Maurorum et Afrorum (?)
I Musulamiorum (Licia)
VI praetoria (Bithynia)
III sagittariorum (?)
I/II nova tironum (Spain)
VIII voluntariorum (Dalmatia)
XXV voluntariorum (Spain?) |
