Transcript The Army in Peacetime

Review Questions
1. Did the Roman navy play an equally
important Role as the Roman army in
Rome’s conquests?
 2. What was the connection between
Roman Religion and Roman Warfare.
 3. Why were Roman magistrates also the
priests of the official state religion?
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The Army in Peacetime
What were Roman Soldiers doing
in peacetime?
The Republican Soldier in
Peacetime
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No standing Army before Augustus
Armies disbanded at end of campaigns
Early Republican farmer-soldier returned to his
farm
Earliest military campaigns during Conquest of
Italy normally took place in the off-seasons of
agriculture (i.e. between sowing and harvest)
Were there extended periods of peace after the
conquest of Italy?
The Imperial soldier in Peacetime
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Although Rome frequently involved in military conflicts,
rarely large parts of army was involved; many soldiers
may never have been involved any military conflict at all;
and they needed to be occupied
Most were stationed in the less developed areas of the
Empire; represented important element in so-called
‘Romanization’ process (i.e. bringing ‘civilization’ to the
Barbarians)
Most important task: building of infrastructure: Roadbuilding – in early Empire roads primarily for military
purposes; once pacified for trade, mail, etc. (ca. 80,000
km); bridges
Other tasks: construction and repairs of aqueducts,
canals, water-cisterns, public works in general
Roads
Gaul: Agrippan Road System and
Claudian Road System constructed under
the Iulio-Claudians
 Extensive road system connecting urban
centers, following natural river systems
and valleys; resulted in rapid urbanization
of Gauls, development of trade centers;
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Roman Road Network
Via Appia
Roman Milestone
Via Flaminia
Road Construction
Bridge at Alcantara, Spain
Small Roman Bridge
The Aqueduct at Segovia, Spain
Enormous engineering feat, 2900 feet long
 Massive granite blocks used without
mortar or clamps
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Detail, Aqueduct in Segovia
Roman Engineering
Roman Baths at Bath, England
Roman Bath in Bosra, Syria
Roman Theatre, Bosra, Syria
‘Civilizing’ the Empire
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Once regions pacified more permanent camps and
fortifications were built;
Towns grew up around camps; Roman buildings i.e.
baths, theatres followed
In 3rd century CE army had become more and more
involved in civilian constructions throughout Empire
Aqueducts provided fresh water – improved quality of
life;
Army camps and towns/colonies provided examples of
Roman living; organized municipalities; urban living
Eager to adopt Roman luxuries (baths, theaters, wine,
technology)
Roman Fort (reconstructed),
England
Corbridge, England
the reign of the emperor Probus
276 – 282 CE:
“The works which he made his soldiers carry out
can still be seen in very many cities in Egypt. He
did so much on the Nile that his works by
themselves increased the amount of grain
brought in as tribute. He had bridges, temples,
colonnades and public buildings built by army
labour, many river mouths opened up, many
marshes drained, and fields of corn and farms
created in place of them.
 Probus 9.3
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Soldier Experts
Gaius Vedennius Moderatus, son of Gaius, of the tribe
Qurina, from Antium, soldier in Legion XVI Gallica for ten
years, transferred to the ninth praetorian cohort, in
which he served for eight years, honourable discharged,
recalled by the emperor and appointed imperial reservist
(evocatus Augusti), builder (?) = Arc(h)itect(us) of the
imperial armoury, reservist for twenty-three years,
awarded military decorations on two occasions, by the
divine Vespasian, and by Emperor Domitian Augustus,
Conqueror of the Germans […..
 CIL 6. 2725 (Campbell 63)
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P. Mich. 466, Karanis, Egypt AD 107
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Julius Apollinarius to Iulius Sabinus his dearest father,
very many greetings. Before everything else I pray for
your good health, which is my wish becaue I revere you
next to the gods…Things are [fine with me]. After
Serapis escorted me here safely […] , while others
were breaking stones all day and doing other
things, up until today I have suffered none of this.
In fact I asked Claudius Severus, the governor, to
appoint me as a clerk on his staff, and he said, ‘There is
no vacancy; nevertheless in the meantime I shall appoint
you as a clerk of the legion with expectation of
advancement’. With this appointment I went from the
governor and commander of the legion to the senior
slerk (cornicularius). …. (Campbell # 36)
The Centurion in peacetime
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Paramilitary as praepositus (chief of a
detachment in police/security function
Generally as security police
Technical expert/in charge of operations of a
mine
As exactor tributorum – special collector of taxes
if local communities unable to collect taxes
Iudices dati = arbitrators in boundary disputes
between communities in a province – appointed
by provincial governors
The Principalis in Peacetime
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Usually sought employment on staff of provincial
governor or procurator
frumentarii – (from early 2nd century on) imperial secret
service
On staff of provincial governor as well as headquarters in
Rome (castra peregrinorum) –probably somehow
connected to the grain supply (frumentaria) for the
army over the supply routes of the Empire; in this
function developed into important role of confidential
couriers for imperial administration until Late Empire;
Then transformed into civilian secret service: agentes in
rebus
The Army in the Provinces:
Guarding prisoners
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Pliny to Emperor Trajan…I am uncertain whether I ought
to employ public slaves of the local communities on
prison guard duty, as has been the practice up to now,
or use soldiers. I am apprehensive that public slaves are
not sufficiently reliable guards and on the other hand
that a not inconsiderable number of soldiers would be
detained on this duty. For the moment I have added a
few soldiers to serve as guards with the public slaves. I
see that there is a danger, however, that this very action
will cause carelessness on both sides since they will be
confident that each can direct the blame on to the other
for any mistake for which they were both responsible.
Pliny, Letter 19.19 (Campbell # 189)
continued
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Trajan to Pliny. …there is no need to transfer more
fellow-soldiers to prison guard duty. We should adhere to
the custom which pertains in that province, namely that
prisons are guarded by public slaves. For it is your
responsibility through your discipline and watchfulness to
ensure that they carry out this duty reliably. The most
important point is, as you say in your letter, the fear that
if soldiers are mixed in with public slaves, both sides
may become more neglectful of their duty by relying on
each other. Moreover, we should adhere to the general
rule that as few soldiers as possible should be diverted
from military duties.
Pliny, Letters 10.20 (Campbell 189)
Inscription from Rusicade (Skikda)
Numidia, AD 268-70
In honour of Jupiter Best and Greatest, I have
fulfilled my vow to the Genius of Emperor
Caesar Marcus Aurelius Claudius Unconquered
Pius Fortunate Augustus,
 Aelius Dubitatus, soldier of the ninth praetorian
cohort, century of Etrius; for nine years I have
looked after the staging post at Veneria
Rusicade, and my fellow-soldiers have been safe
and fortunate…
 ILS 9073, (Campbell # 187)
 A dedication found on a pedestal
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[in the consulships of Emperor Antoninus for the third
time and Caelius B]albinus, 11 October, at Prymnessus,
the procurator Philocurius[….] they are showing
dissension in respect of matters that have been decided;
those who are showing dissension [shall be punished in
accordance with] the decisions’. Valens: ‘The Anosseni
request that they should be granted a soldier on
policy duty’. [Philocurius the procurator: ‘ To guarantee
(?) the decisions I shall provide a soldier’.
Frend 1956: 46 AD 213 (Campbell # 188 with context)
The nature of the evidence
Inscriptions
 Pliny’s letters
 literature
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Discussion questions
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In what ways and to what extent did the
army in peacetimes contribute to the pax
Romana.