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Short description

Cohors III Alpinorum served mainly in internal provinces, and so is recruitable in Italy.

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 Alpine regiments of the Roman army are those auxiliary units that were originally raised in the Alpine provinces of the Roman Empire: Tres Alpes, Raetia, Taurini, Noricum and others. All these regions were inhabited by predominantly Celtic-speaking tribes. They were annexed, or at least occupied, by the emperor Augustus' forces in the period 16-14 BC.

As would be expected from mountain people, the Alpine provinces supplied predominantly infantry. Only one Alpine cavalry ala is recorded. About 26 Alpine regiments were raised in the Julio-Claudian period, the great majority under Augustus or his successor Tiberius (i.e. before AD 37). Of these, 6 regiments disappeared, either destroyed in action or disbanded by AD 68. A further 2 regiments were raised by Vespasian (ruled 69-96). These and the 20 surviving Julio-Claudian units are recorded at least until the mid-2nd century, but by that time only around a quarter were still based in the Alpine provinces or in neighbouring Germania Superior (Upper Rhine area). The rest were scattered all over the empire and would probably have long since lost their ethnic Alpine identity through local recruitment.

These troops are tough, solid fighters, equally capable in defence or attack. These soldiers are armed with spears, equally effective against infantry and cavalry, and javelins, which are thrown before moving into contact. Protected by solid helmets of Gallic design, chainmail armour, and the large oval "clipeus" shield, these troops fight in a very similar manner to their legionary counterparts - using their shields as weapons almost as much as their spears. They are excellent troops for a Roman commander to have under his command - tough, rugged, dependable infantry from a tough and rugged part of the world.