Unit Browser for RTR: Imperium Surrectum

Short description

Auxiliaries from Thracia armed with swords and javelins, carrying large oval shields.

Description

The Emperor Augustus' reforms of the Roman army resulted in the creation of the Auxilia cohorts that were recruited from the free non-citizens (or "peregrini") of the Empire. These were needed to add extra manpower to the Imperial army but at a far lower cost than a legion of citizen-legionaries. The auxilia were recruited from every corner of the empire, and their unit names usually reflect the tribe or area from which they came. The auxiliary cohorts were either "quingenaria" ("five-hundred-strong") or "milliaria" ("one-thousand-strong"), which were 480 men, and 800 men strong respectively. Though some units were recruited especially as light troops, skirmishers, or archers, most units of auxilia were heavy infantry that fought in much the same way as their legionary counterparts.

The Roman province of Thracia was annexed into the Empire by Claudius in 46 AD, after having been indirectly ruled as a client kingdom since the reign of Augustus. As some Thracian units bear the name "Augusta" in their titles (such as Cohors III Augusta Thracum), it is believed that recruitment of Thracians into the Roman army began under Augustus, as the Thracians were regarded as fierce warriors, and the Romans eagerly sought to harness their fighting prowess. Thracia proved to be a very fertile recruiting ground, as many auxiliary cohorts were raised there (as well as over a tenth of the Empire's cavalry alae and, surprisingly, many regiments of archers, or "cohortes sagittariorum"). The infantry cohorts raised in Thracia were generally well regarded as tough fighters, and consequently they were sent all over the Empire - there are records of Thracian infantry cohorts in Britannia, Germania, the Alpine provinces of Rhaetia and Noricum, Pannonia, and Syria, as well as the neighbouring provinces of Moesia Inferior and Superior, and later, after Trajan's reign, Dacia. Their presence in Syria is especially noteworthy, as several cohorts carry the suffix "Syriaca" such as Cohortes I, II, III, and IV Syriaca, implying heavy campaigning in the region, most likely against the Parthians. It is also worth noting that several cohorts carry the suffix "civium Romanorum", having been awarded Roman citizenship for extraordinary performance in battle, including Cohortes I and III Thracum Civium Romanorum. There are also several infantry units bearing the suffix "Veterana", showing that these troops had fought in many battles, such as Cohortes II and III Thracum Veterana. These auxiliary troops are armed in much the same way as legionaries, carrying a gladius and a few javelins, protected by chainmail and a helmet, but carrying the large oval clipeus shield rather than the legionary scutum. As a result, these auxiliaries fight in a similar way to their legionary counterparts - launching a volley of javelins at the enemy before charging home with their gladii. Like most other Roman troops, they excel at cutting through enemy infantry, but are solid and dependable enough to stand against most enemies.