Constantius II | Proslogion Scientific Journal

Мekhamadiev, Е. А. Voennaya politika imperatora Konstantsiya II v blizhnevostochnykh provintsiyakh imperii v 337–350 gg.: Organizatsionnaya struktura rimsko-persidskoy granitsy i problema rekrutskogo nabora [The military policy of Emperor Constantius II in the Near East provinces of the Empire in 337–350: The organizational structure of the Roman–Persian border and the problem of recruiting], in: Proslogion: Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Social History and Culture, 2017. Vol. 3 (1). P. 159–183.

Еvgeniy Аleksandrovich Мekhamadiev, doctor of History, senior lecturer of Medieval History Department, Institute of History, St. Petersburg State University (199034, Rossiya, Sankt-Petersburg, Мendeleevskaya liniya, 5)
e.mehamadiev@spbu.ru

Language: Russian

The present paper is dedicated to the little-studied aspect of the 4th century late Roman military organization – to the system of fortresses and their garrisons in the provinces of Syria and Mesopotamia in 340s. It was the period strictly when the Roman empire waged an intensive war with the Persians for control over upper Tigris and Euphrates. The difficulty of the study of this period is caused by few evidence about the Romans’ fighting with the Persians within Mesopotamia that contain narrative sources, however, these gaps may be filled by epigraphic data from Syria and Arabia. The author uses the classical epigraphic material, that have been known since the early 20th century thanks to the catalogue of Princeton Archaeological Expedition in Syria, and also a new document, the inscription published by M. Sartre in 2007. Having compared epigraphic data and narrative sources, the author concludes that the defense system of Syria and Mesopotamia was formed as two-level deployment of troops – the frontier garrisons that occupied an external borders of provinces and field mobile armies that posted in internal lands. The frontier garrisons kept an enemy’s assault before coming of expeditionary forces that had to repulse an enemy. The author has demonstrated that garrisons of Syria and Mesopotamia were supplemented through mandatory hereditary military service, according to that the staff of garrisons obtained not only the sons of retired soldiers (veterans), but also the sons of soldiers who were at active service. The author summaries that the fixed line of fortresses allowed the Romans to keep control over Mesopotamia until 363 when they were forced to concede Mesopotamia to the Persians.

Key Words: late Roman Empire, Constantius II, Mesopotamia, fortresses, centurio, legion, vexillation, veterans, recruiting

URL: http://proslogion.ru/31-mekhamadiev/

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Меkhamadiev, Е. А. Gall’skiy uzurpator Magnentsiy i dalmatskaya kavaleriya v 350 g.: K voprosu o traktovke svedeniy vizantiyskogo istorika Zosima (Zos. II. 42. 2 i 4) [The Gallic Usurper Magnentius and Dalmatian Cavalry in 350 A. D.: On the treatment of evidence of Byzantine Historian Zosimus (Zos. II. 42. 2 and 4)], in: Proslogion: Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Social History and Culture, 2018. Vol. 4 (2). P. 28–49., in: Proslogion: Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Social History and Culture, 2018. Vol. 4 (2). P. 28–49.

Еvgeniy Аleksandrovich Меkhamadiev, doctor of History, senior lecturer, Institute of History, Saint-Petersburg State University (199034, Rossiya, Sankt-Petersburg, Mendeleevskaya liniya, 5)
e.mehamadiev@spbu.ru

Language: Russian

The present paper deals with the role and functions of mobile Dalmatian cavalry, which served in Illyricum (the regions across an upper and middle Danube), and also considers some frontier legions, which defended Rhine against barbarian assaults during the mid-4th century, more precisely, in 350. Having based on two passages of Byzantine historian Zosimus, the author considers some important aspects of Late Roman organization in the mid-4th century: 1) the reasons why Rhine frontier legions, including detachments of Ioviani and Herculiani, supported a revolt of Roman military officer Magnentius, who commanded over troops in Gaul; 2) participation of Dalmatian cavalry in the revolt of Magnentius and 3) military-political situation in Illyricum by 350 A. D., the relationships between Vetranio, a general, who commanded over troops in Illyricum, and the legal Emperor Constantius II. The author concludes that both Rhine frontier legions and Dalmatian cavalry, which served in Illyricum, were dissatisfied by the policy of Emperor Constantine I and his sons, because during his own reign Constantine I lowered the status (rank) of many of these detachments, he deprived them of their privileged and elite place in military hierarchy. The author concludes that Constantius II preferred to use a regional general Vetranio as a counterpart of Magnentius in order to manage a control over Dalmatian cavalry, Constantius II gave Vatranio a title of Augustus, and, as the author supposes, the so-called usurpation of Vetranio really was an intended and carefully planned operation of Constantius himself.

Key Words: Constantius II, Zosimus, legions, Dalmatian cavalry, Мagnentius, Gaul, usurpation, Illyricum

URL: http://proslogion.ru/42-mehamadiev/