THE ROMAN ARMY IN EGYPT

David Orlović

HISTORY OF ROMAN EGYPT

PROVINCIA AEGYPTUS

HISTORY OF ROMAN EGYPT

Rudolf Haensch, “The Roman Army in Egypt, in: C. Riggs, The Oxford Handbook of Roman Egypt, Oxford: Oxford University Press 2012.

Characteristics specific to the Roman army in Egypt:•composition of the garrison•the origin of Roman soldiers and officers•institutional regulation from August’s times•sources – the papyri, ostraca and proskynemata•insight into the lives of soldiers

THE GARRISONAugustan times•Two legions : Legio III Cyrenaica, XXII Deiotariana

Start of the 2nd centuryJust the Deiotariana

127 CE•II Traiana – which will stay there for the next two centuries.

Auxiliary units:•Constant number: 4 alae (500 soldiers each), 7-10 cohorts (500 soldiers) or cohortes equitatae (600 soldiers, of which 120 cavalry)

THE GARRISONNicopolis (near Alexandria)•Two legions based (8000 soldiers)•Defending the praefect’s residence, and to suppress any possible uprising in Alexandria.

Southern entry to Egypt (First cataract, between Silene and Philae (Aswan) •Three auxiliary units.•Defending from any southern attack or against uprisings in Thebae.

SMALLER OUTPOSTS

Mons Claudianus(quarry)

Island of Farasan(just one inscription)

ORIGIN OF SOLDIERS AND OFFICERS

•Auxiliares from Egypt, Africa, Syria, Asia Minor, Dacia, Thrace•Egyptian army – Roman names predominant (Ptolemaios became C. Julius Saturnalis)•Officers: 7/18 from Egypt (comparison: of 41 Syrian none from Syria)

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF THE ARMY IN EGYPT

1. Commanders came from equestrian rank, and not senatorial (as in other provinces)• August’s decision• Less experienced, but no information on their activities

2. Greek-language character more than elsewhere in the empire• Examples: one commander was designated as praefectus

stratopedarches (head of the camp). Archistrator (equestrian official responsible for horses of the praefect’s staff)

A SOLDIER’S LIFE

SOURCES:• Tables of manpower on certain dates, lists of staff, horses,

letters, tables of pay• Receipts from individual soldiers for paying (F. Mitthof

reconstructed system of logistics in Roman Egypt)• Glimpse into financial situation, social networks soldiers

relied on

A SOLDIER’S LIFE - proskynemata

• Special to Egypt• Inscriptions in sanctuaries• Only source of individual

religious practice 1st/2nd c• Written in Greek.• Soldiers stated their unit

names – all of them auxiliary

A SOLDIER’S LIFE - proskynemata

• Temple of Kalabsha – Mandulis “our lord” 50 inscriptions• No mention of emperor cult, only local deities.

A SOLDIER’S LIFE

LETTERS: • other source for religious life. Prayers for the recipient directed

to the “gods among whom I dwell” – again no Roman deities.

• Serapis – prayers instead of Neptune (for crossing the Mediterranean) and Mars (for rising in the military hierarchy)

• Religious dedication to local deities common to all auxiliary soldiers in other provinces.