"Roman auxiliary question" Topic

Anyone know if auxiliary infantry were used in the campaigns in Thrace bewteen 85 and 61 BC ?

No auxilia in that period, as alae had been abolished by the end of the Social Wars, 91-88.

I would be hesitant to use the term auxilia as I would understand this to imply a sub-division of the Roman military. Non-Roman formations therefore, would be made up of mercenary troops such as the ubiquitous Cretan archer and Balearic slingers or Greek equivalent.

Further mercenary formations would be supplied by the Greek states and do not overlook Thracian tribes looking to settling old scores against those of the mountain regions.

I would recommend the following site as having a good overview of the campaigns and references his sources which are useful for further research.

link

A copy of Mercenaries of the Ancient World by Serge Yalichev would also be helpful.

Auxilia before the formalized units of that name in August Principate period consisted of allied or mercenary units fighting in their native styles or specialized skills alongside Roman legion units. Caesar mentions them occasionally. So Gallic Cavalry, his Cretans and Balearics, and (probably)other Gallic tribal units, though I don't remember him mentioning them except by calling them the auxiliaries, so we're not always sure about whom he's speaking, just that they're non-Roman.

So don't use Victrix's Auxiliary Romans for the Marian/ Caesarean period if you're trying to be historical. But you could use many of their other sets (Iberians, Numidian, Greeks of varying sorts, and their future planned Celts). Many, many others allies in that period too.

Yes, my fault, perhaps I should have referred to them as allied infantry.

I`ve found many references to those very specialised, missile light infantry and cavalry types: slingers, archers & Numidians …but I`m left wondering with regard to the Thracian camapaigns of the time whether some less-glamourous local infantry mercenaries were recruited from Greece, Illyria or Macedonia ?

Is the answer to this contained in Serge Yalichev`s book Robert?

If so, I`ll have to use some troop types as those you mention Andy – I have Greek infantry and maybe could get some Spanish together – my armies are 1/72nd plastic btw :)
Anyhow, Spanish infantry would be useful for other projects too no doubt!

Sulla had Greeks and Macedonians with him in Greece and they were probably still in the army after he had negotiated with Archelaus. He then used this army against the Dardani and other Thracian tribes.

The rest of the Roman campaigns against Thrace are even more sketchy. There were certainly some hard fought battles with at least a couple of Roman armies defeated but most of what survives is in epitomes. Livy's account, for instance, is lost. Dio has a bit for C. Antonius's defeat but no details of troops. I'd suggest just local Macedonians for the non-Romans – though Antonius seems to have pillaged allies and enemies alike.

After all auxiliaries were incorporated into the legions the numbers of ally non-Italian increased manifold. These were called numeri.
Numeri were allies fighting and organized in their original tribal ways, they were not Romanised, at least in the beginning.
Numeri would include Balearic slingers, Greek bowmen, Numidian light cavalry and maybe archers, Celtic (mostly Gallic) and Iberian heavy infantry and cavalry (as per sources). Also Parthian and Syrian horse archers might have been employed.
But I have no solid evidence about what specific troops accompanied the legionnaires in that particular expedition, if there is any.

Also I would not call the Iberian or Hispanic numeri Spanish, unless you also call the Gallic allies French.

I am corrected.

In planning a campaign against the Thracians, would Greek bowmen have been easier missile troops to procure rather than enlisting Balearic slingers ? And Gallic rather than Iberian cavalry?

Interesting, didn`t know that Iberian heavy infantry would have been used as "Numeri"… but wouldn`t one be interested in getting some medium infantry support for operating in such hilly, wooded terrain and might these have been found in Greece – Macedonia or Illyria?

It is also perfectly possible that the Romans may have used some Thracians from a friendly allied tribe.

Thracians are mentioned as both archers and heavy infantry, so local mercenaries are not to rule out. Maybe tribal rivalry would explain further motivation?
Balearic slingers were long time Roman irregular allies and quite ubiquitous. Numidian cavalry as well. So why to rule them out?
The medium troop type is a notion that depends on each set of rules. Sources to tell apart heavy and light infantry, essentially.
It's up to the wargamer to refine that classification to conform with the rules he is adopting, or follow the parent army lists logic within that set.

I agree that local rivalries could be a possiblity but I`m not saying that one should rule the old favourite troop types out altogether; I was simply asking about the ready availability of local forces.