Minor question about Roman auxiliaries

[Argeus the Paladin]

I have always heard that Roman auxilia would fight in the army for sixteen to twenty years and then gain Roman citizenship upon finishing their service.

But a question: What about the auxilia who, le gasp, died in battle before completing heir service term?

[hellheaven1987]

They died as a foreigner, why??

[Argeus the Paladin]

*sigh*

My argument of fighting in the Roman auxilia for citizenship fails.

[hellheaven1987]

That depends, although it seems most tombstone we have suggested that they simply died as a foreigner and auxiliary status. Still, it was heavily depending on what term the auxiliary units agreed when they signed contract with Roman (auiliaries generally joined Roman military system in a whole unit), so it might not even require 20 years before those auxiliaries ever got citizenship.

I am more interesting about the status of family of dead auxiliaries - would the descents had an immediate grant of citizenship?? I don't think so but it might be possible.

[Argeus the Paladin]

That's what I was debating in the past few days. Exactly that.

Any historical or archaerological evidence?

[hellheaven1987]

That's what I was debating in the past few days. Exactly that.

Any historical or archaerological evidence?

Why part you want?? Anyway, check out Adrian Goldsworthy's "Complete Roman Army", which I remember there is a photo of tombstone of an auxiliary member, which clearly printed his auxiliary status on the tombstone but not sure whether he was dead before or after the service was complete.

For further information, check the same book.

[Cornelius Plautus]

Why part you want?? Anyway, check out Adrian Goldsworthy's "Complete Roman Army", which I remember there is a photo of tombstone of an auxiliary member, which clearly printed his auxiliary status on the tombstone but not sure whether he was dead before or after the service was complete.

For further information, check the same book.

That is one of the best possible books for a casual military enthusiast to get information on the Roman military.

As for your question, I'd imagine that an auxiliary would need to live long enough to sign citizenship papers and be assigned the tria nomina to become a citizen, and that dead auxiliaries would just be thrown in unmarked graves, especially since there seemed to have been so many more of them that there were regular legionaries. Maybe, on the other hand, foreigners from the same culture as the perished auxiliary would give him an appropriate burial if they could find the body.

[hellheaven1987]

That is one of the best possible books for a casual military enthusiast to get information on the Roman military.

For casual people I only provide casual sources. Not want some people accuse me providing some thousands pages source to simply crush their mind.

[Stavroforos]

I think it's also important to keep in mind what year we're talking about here, as conditions of joining the auxilia changed throughout the course of the empire. Citizenship was an end-goal, but there were many details which changed over time, like who could join, where you'd serve, if your family became citizens or not, etc.

[hellheaven1987]

I think it's also important to keep in mind what year we're talking about here, as conditions of joining the auxilia changed throughout the course of the empire. Citizenship was an end-goal, but there were many details which changed over time, like who could join, where you'd serve, if your family became citizens or not, etc.

Change over time is rather not important, since there was no official rule how to recruit auxilia units under what condition. Like I said, auxilia units generally recruited in groups, not individual recriuts. Most time, a warband of foreigners would agree to sign contracts with Roman, and the condition of each contract was depending on what term the band and Roman agreed. Different units of course had different terms of service and would be granted once the purpose was served. It was much more like the mercenary system of Carthage overall.

We know much less about auxilia because this chaotic condition (some auxilias were simply because their tribes agreed to provide warriors for tax free exchange). It also seems that some auxilias were equiped by Roman, while others were not.

[Stavroforos]

Change over time is rather not important, since there was no official rule how to recruit auxilia units under what condition. Like I said, auxilia units generally recruited in groups, not individual recriuts. Most time, a warband of foreigners would agree to sign contracts with Roman, and the condition of each contract was depending on what term the band and Roman agreed. Different units of course had different terms of service and would be granted once the purpose was served. It was much more like the mercenary system of Carthage overall.

We know much less about auxilia because this chaotic condition (some auxilias were simply because their tribes agreed to provide warriors for tax free exchange). It also seems that some auxilias were equiped by Roman, while others were not.

I was actually more referring to the ban (which Septimius Severus lifted or created) on giving citizenship to the families of auxiliaries out of the fear that troop numbers would dwindle without having non-Romans to recruit into the auxilia.

[Burnum]

How well were Roman auxiliaries treated by the Romans?

[hellheaven1987]

How well were Roman auxiliaries treated by the Romans?

Cannon fodder troops??

It depends on period, regions and status. Military officers generally treated them fair (means follow the term of contract), but I am not sure about civilian officers.