Aquilifer Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Hi, it's me again, come to annoy you all by asking stupid questions about Romans because I'm such an ignoramus myself. Hope you don't mind and will bear with me in my quest to write a historically accurate Roman novel. Basically I want to have a new Roman Cohort sent to Britain to reinforce the XIV Gemina in about 60AD, i.e. just before the attack on Anglesey and the subsequent Boudiccan revolt. Would this have been, if not likely, at all possible? Also, I don't really know much about how the Cohort would get to Britain (if indeed it would be a cohort that would be formed). I assume it would be requested by Paulinus, and then somehow it would be formed (or taken from somewhere else?) in some manner. I then assume that the Cohort would be trained, and sent to Britain, where they would receive their posting to a specific fort. However, this is all pure assumption on my part and it probably would happen nothing like this. If possible, it would be great if someone could give me information on: - how reinforcements would be requested - what type of troops would be requested (eg. a regular legionary Cohort/an auxiliary Ala, etc) - how the Cohort would be formed - how it would be trained - how it would get to Britain - when it would get its specific orders Thank you in advance! I really appreciate it because I do want to be as historically accurate as I can, and I know you guys would want a Roman book to be accurate as well. Thanks! Aquilifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demson Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Use logical imagination. You're the writer! Requesting re-inforcements would probably be done between the ranking officers, not the actual field commanders. If you still need to arrange for re-inforcements after a planned invasion, then the commander made a serious error. :rolls eyes: I guess the Legatus Legionis (being the chief-of-command) could make a request for a transfer or a muster, and the Tribuni Angusticlavii arranged for it (being the administrators). Legionairies were pretty elite and functioned in standard 'models'. I doubt transfers of legionaires was a common practise, they would probably be mustered for the occasion. Could be wrong though, it's just an assumption. Auxiliaries are more likely to be requested as re-inforcement. There's a load of information on Roman legioraire's training on the internet. They would make the cross to Britain through an early version of the canal channel. /sarcasm Specific orders would be given to the field commanders (the centurions) by the ranking officers upon arrival. Most of that is assumptive, but maybe it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil61 Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Do you have access to some of the basic studies on the Roman Army? A good start is The Roman Army at War: 100 Bc-Ad 200 by Adrian Goldsworthy, it's flawed but very informative. Pompey loaned his legion to Caesar in Gaul (and wanted them back). I would imagine that a governor would appeal to Rome or, if the need was immediate, to the governor or military commander next door Don't forget that while commanders might ask for and get reinforcements they often resorted to creating new units from the locals [Caesar in Gaul is the first example that comes to mind]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 - how reinforcements would be requested These are imperial legions... requests of this nature went from a provincial governor/legatus to the emperor and/or his court. - what type of troops would be requested (eg. a regular legionary Cohort/an auxiliary Ala, etc)...- how the Cohort would be formed It depends on what they needed, and where they were. Under most circumstances, as already suggested, auxilia would be raised locally, but there are cases of major movements... such as the Sarmations to Britain under Aurelius. A legionary cohort could not be raised without the order of the emperor. Vexillations (detachments) of legions were commonly transfered in various places throughout the empire depending on need. - how it would be trained Vegetius provides an excellent starting point into many of these issues. - how it would get to Britain Portus Ritupiae (near modern Richborough, near Dover) would still have been the major British port circa AD 60. The likely transport route from the continent to Britain was probably Gesoriacum (modern Boulogne, France) to Ritupiae. (This is the route we know that Plautius used for the invasion in AD 43) - when it would get its specific orders That all depends on who, what, why and how... I'm sure some liberties can be taken with this. This site Roman Britain.org is an invaluable resource on Roman Britain. You may have to do a bit of research, but you should be able to find some actual auxilia and or legionary units that may have been arriving about the time period you are looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquilifer Posted June 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 I know it's probably unlikely that Paulinus got reinforcements from Rome, but for the sake of the story, my Centurion needs to be a new recruit at the time of the Anglesey battle And he needs to be from Rome, which complicates the whole thing further. A legionary cohort could not be raised without the order of the emperor Darn, that sounds complicated. Maybe I could just leave that whole bit out... You may have to do a bit of research, but you should be able to find some actual auxilia and or legionary units that may have been arriving about the time period you are looking for. They all seem to have come over in the Claudian force. I'm going to have to make an entire Cohort up, which is incredibly bad from a historical point of view. A good start is The Roman Army at War: 100 Bc-Ad 200 by Adrian Goldsworthy Thanks, I'll have a look for it. I doubt transfers of legionaires was a common practise, they would probably be mustered for the occasion. How would you get the legionaries to form a cohort? Would there be a station you could sign up at or something? The likely transport route from the continent to Britain was probably Gesoriacum (modern Boulogne, France) to Ritupiae. Great, that's what I thought! What sort of ships would they be transported in? I've done a bit of research and can't find anything on Roman transports - all there seems to be is on slave galleys. Also, I assume that the journey to their posting would be the same as any other march. They slept in tents, didn't they? If they were passing through a fort though, would they have slept there or what? Just wondering because my Cohort is in Rutupiae in the bit I'm writing at the moment, having just got off the ship, and they're staying there for the night. Would this have happened? Would there even have been somewhere for them to sleep? Thanks guys for all your help, it's been invaluable! :notworthy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longbow Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Got this from the site PP recomends Roman Britain.This legion was raised from marines of the Mediterranean fleet at Ravenna during the tumultous year of AD69, probably by Vespasian or his supporters. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerfectimusPrime Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 QUOTE: ''Great, that's what I thought! What sort of ships would they be transported in? I've done a bit of research and can't find anything on Roman transports - all there seems to be is on slave galleys.'' The Romans would probably transport them with galleys or triemes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquilifer Posted June 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Thanks, that's really helpful! Thanks also for the site, it looks incredibly useful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longbow Posted June 26, 2005 Report Share Posted June 26, 2005 my Centurion needs to be a new recruit Would a Centurion really be a new recruit? I thought the Centurions would only be Veteran soldiers who served at least a couple of years as Legionares. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Indeed, they were often internally promoted, but could, more rarely, also be 'political appointments' for client families and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquilifer Posted June 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 He comes from an equestrian class family, and apparently they used to get appointments in high ranks to start off with, so their military record looked good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longbow Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 'political appointments' for client families I bet that went down well with the Legionaries Centurions should allways be Veterans IMHO,i would of thought political appointments woud be Tribunes,after all the centurions were in the thick of the action. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquilifer Posted June 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Most of them were Tribunes, but apparently some rich parents wanted their kids to be Centurions. Maybe they didn't like them much and wanted them killed off... JOT, what did tribunes actually do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longbow Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Heres a good page what pretty much sums up the Roman military system L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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