FOEDERATI and roman auxiliary troops in the early 4 century

[AntonioHundangir]

Since foederati were not really recruitable before julian defeated franks, in 358, and since old auxiliary troops were limitanei by now,
my question is: what troops they did use like auxilia, between constantine reform, and julian campaign in gaul?
auxilia palatina were an elite troop.
so, who perform auxilia duties (cover the flanks of legionary infantry, dangerous tasks, where was better dont risk to loose legionaries, recon duties, etc like when batavi was send to cross thames river for attack catuvellauni, during the invasion of britannia. aulo plauzio send auxilia, to swim in the river,cross it, and kill the horses of britannic army, because was a dangerous task, and was better risk the life of auxilia, than of legionaries.) before first foedus was signed in 358? mercenaries? limitanei? who did the support tasks to legions, before the firsts foedus was signed in 357-58 by franks?

[julianus heraclius]

Since foederati were not really recruitable before julian defeated franks, in 358, and since old auxiliary troops were limitanei by now,
my question is: what troops they did use like auxilia, between constantine reform, and julian campaign in gaul?
auxilia palatina were an elite troop.
so, who perform auxilia duties (cover the flanks of legionary infantry, dangerous tasks, where was better dont risk to loose legionaries, recon duties, etc like when batavi was send to cross thames river for attack catuvellauni, during the invasion of britannia. aulo plauzio send auxilia, to swim in the river,cross it, and kill the horses of britannic army, because was a dangerous task, and was better risk the life of auxilia, than of legionaries.) before first foedus was signed in 358? mercenaries? limitanei? who did the support tasks to legions, before the firsts foedus was signed in 357-58 by franks?

Auxilia Palatina were raised initially to take the place of the old auxiliary units for the field armies. So the legions still took up the centre with the auxilia palatina would be distributed on the flanks or even along the front line. The auxlia palatina were seem as a bridge between the heavily armed legionnaires and the light skirmishing troops. But over time it is believed the even the Auxilia became more heavily armed much like the legionaries though perhaps not as densely spaced as legionnaires. Also there was the advent of lighter armed lanciarii units for both auxilia and legio units. Also late roman field armies were more versatile than armies of the principate in that both field legions and auxilia had a proportion of lightly armed skirmishers and sagitarii.

[Magister Militum Flavius Aetius]

There's a lot of argument and uncertainty. The Romans had used Barbarians alongside their own forces for a long time, this started basically with the Socii in Republican Italy, and as far as I know that morphed into the Auxilia.

What happened to the Auxiliary regiments isn't well known. We know that beginning in the late 3rd century the division of Legionary vexillations started to become permanent. We know that auxiliary units were now comprised of citizens and not foreigners. But we're not exactly sure how the transformation as a whole bore out. The first Limitanei garrisons are established under Constantine as Riparienses on the Rhine when he crossed into Gaul. We think as he gained control of the Empire he implemented this change elsewhere. We also know he raised some of the first Palatine regiments, but we don't know what these units were raised from.

As far as we can tell from the only real military list - the Notitia - and some 4th century Papyrii - it seems the majority of the Auxilia became Limitanei. The Auxilia Palatina units, save one unit in the Comes Dalmatae Command, are all organized as Numeri - a new style regiment that emerged in the 4th century.

[Diocle]

I think that during the IV and V centuries the distinction between Auxiliary and Legionary units, if it still existed, was little, very very little, the quality of the troops in fact was the same and the same was their use on the field, and same were the tasks they had to face. Supposedly this is the reason for our feeling about a vanishment of the Auxiliary units during the late empire, I suppose.

The case of Auxilia Palatina is peculiar and unique, they are, very different from the Auxilia of the Middle Imperial Age, they are a unit type radically new, I think.

[Magister Militum Flavius Aetius]

There was no distinction between the old Auxilia and Legions because those classifications didn't exist anymore. Research by Hugh Elton has largely shown that the actual difference between Limitanei and Comitatenses was tax privleges, civil liberties and status, and other legal statuses.

[AntonioHundangir]

Yes in late times auxilia and legions was almost the same. But there are auxilia and auxilia. For example some is lightly armed. Others heavy. I read that auxilia palatina, at least in constantine-valens times werent citizens. Maybe only some tribe like batavi. The others werent citizens.And generally i think that a legio comitatenses or palatina is ever.more precious than an auxilia. (i use an hannibalic tactic: make allied troops to engage the enemy, in the dangerous position, and use the best troops, legionaries in this case, for surround the.enemy. i prefer to not loose too legionaries. I played too much with carthaginians maybe. Where i did use celtic/spanish troops in first line and lybian elite troops for outflank the enemy. Or.even the false retreat. Send allied troops to attack and retreat and while enemy run for kill they with loose formation attack him with elite troops. This tactic is optimized for 1 reason: spare elite troops and waste more easily recruitable allieds. For that i didnt knew who use for these dangerous tasks. Usually i use mercenaries or auxilia.cohortes limitanei for that. Cover flanks. Simulate retreats. Etc but if you say that auxilia palatina was raised for auxiliary duties in field armies i ll do that. (before i did use they in this.duty only with legio palatina troops, while i use.lanciarii not like 2nd line legionaries but for surround. When barbarians engage first line, lanciarii run behind they and hit with missiles their back. Ending i usr lanciarii, dalmati, moorish, and scutarii, like numidians or samnite cavalry..hit and run from back. For kill moremenemies, since they cant cover with shields behind.. Well thank you guys. Until i ll can recruit foederati (after colonia liberation) i ll use auxilia palatina for auxiliary duties. Together with old auxiliary cohortes. Limitanei. I do large use of.missiles.cavalry too. Together with cataphracts. I.never engage enemy before have throw to.him everything i have. So half work is done. I have a "guerrilla approach" in the game. For.that i imvestigate about auxiliary duties in constantinian army. (ofc i dont think auxilia palatina can be sacrified like auxilia cohortes limitanei or foederati. But for me is better waste it than a legio comitatenses or palatina
Thr bulkhead of my troops.)

[AntonioHundangir]

A last question: equites.dalmatae and auxilia illirici.
Since caracalla times, they should be roman citizens.
Dalmatian coasts was also heavily colonized by latin people from roman times to middle.age (venice)
Somethinh like an latin-illyrian stock people.
Mixed of italic colonists and native illyric people (veterans, senators, farmers, etc.like dacia. Indeed today romanians are.latin.). So at least in the cities like salona etc should be an high.degree.of romanization.
Now, who are auxilia and equites illyricani? An elite.corp ofc. But who sre they? Roman/illyrian people that serve in a separate troop? Heirs of auxilia troops of principate time? Or are.laeti, like sarmatians, (equites dalmati at least) settled.by roman empire in illyricum and pannonia? In v century, an aetius officer, of italic origins,(greek speaker. Possibly of southern italy. We dont know.) marcellinus, the uncle of.nepos, occupied.dapmatia on aetius orders, he mantained a demi indipendent state, and.historoans say that.his troops (composed by the adriatic fleet, by dalmatian illyrian sailors, and by illyrian legionaries, flanked by.mercenary.cavalry while in campaign, hunnic usually.) was better equipped and trained than foederati recruited.by.the army of italy (commanded by ricimerus later). He controlled the fabbricae of weapons of salona i guess and several mines. This troops was the.famous equites dalmati (used later by.byzantines too) and something like a legio illyrica. A.comitatud of illyrian troops. Only composed by infantry. The cavalry was almost all hunnic.he was pagan (for that was hated by ravenna. By valentinian court. By galla placidia too. Together with litorius in gaul, galla.did hate that the best aetius officers was pagan. Thats for.mark.his indipendence. A pagan general in ravenna couldnt do much way. ). He declared war several times to magister.militum ticimerus, and revolted against valentinian when he knew thay.aetius was killed. He s been never defeated. At end is been killed by some assassin semd by ricimerus in sicily. He defeated.vandals too several times. For do.all thay, mean that his province.was rich and he.could afford a strong army.and a fleet. Mostly.composed.by illyric troops. So, i ask,.what do you.think? Who was auxilia and equites.dalmatae? Sarmatian laeti? Roman illyrian soldiers.recruited.in a diverse troop than normal legions? Or some people less romanized, that continued to have the status of "allied"?