John of Strathbogie, Earl of Athol

John of Strathbogie, Earl of Athol

Off the table for my Scottish medieval army, a mix of Claymore and one foundry and one mirliton miniature. Based for impetus, I intend to also use them for the Barons wars and the Scottish wars.

Cheers

Matt

Sexta Parthica

"The Devout Sixth"

In 296 the Sassanid King Narseh invaded Armenia starting a war with the Roman client King Tiridates III, in response Galerius (Diocletian son in Law) invaded Mesopotamia. Three battles were fought subsequently, the first two of which were indecisive. In the third fought at Callinicum, Galerius suffered a complete defeat and was forced to retreat to Antioch. Galerius then made preparations throughout the winter of 297 and invaded Armenia with 25,000 men.

Galerius supported by the Armenians inflicted a crushing defeat on the Sassanids at the Battle of Satala. Narseh’s wives, his sisters and a number of his children were captured along with huge amount of treasure. Eastern Mesopotamia was recovered by the Romans and Tiridates III was reinstated as the monarch of Armenia.

According to this treaty,

·         Five provinces beyond the Tigris were to be ceded to the Romans. One writer gives these provinces as Intilene, Sophene, Arzanene, Carduene, and Zabdicene; by another as Arzanene, Moxoene, Zabdicene, Rehimene, and Corduene.

·         The semi-independent kingdom of Armenia was to be extended up to the fortress of Zintha, in Media.

·         Persia was expected to relinquish all her rights over Iberia.

·         Formal dealings between Persia and Rome would henceforth be conducted at Nisibis.

The Sexta Parthica was raised by Diocletian sometime after this war as a Limitanea Legio to garrison the new provinces possibly stationed at Cepha (modern Hasankeyf) or in one of the provinces east of the Tigris. Either in the late 4^th or early 5^th the VI Parthica was raised to the level of a pseudocomitatense  unit in the eastern field army. By the 5^th Century the Sexta Parthica was still a pseudocomitatense legio under the command of the Magister Militum per Orientem.

The unarmoured unit is all Musketeer miniatures with hand painted shields, from the description in the Notitia Dignitatum.

cheers

Matt

Modern gaming pics

Some selected pics from the weekend games full report on my ww2 & modern blog 

Quarta Italica

Quarta IIII Italica only has one real references to its existence and  a number of vague references; 

the raising of  novae Italicae suae ( a new Italica legion, next in line would be IIII Italica)  raised by Serverus Alexander in Transpadana (Cisalpine Gaul) sometime between 222 to 230, presumably for the Campaign in Sassanid Persia and returning for the Alamannic invasion of Gaul.

During this period Gaius Lulius Verus Maximinus (commonly known as Maximinus Thrax as he was likely born in Thrace)  was appointed a tribune in the IV Italica.  

The next reference is when Maximinus  made his bid for the purple he referred to the Italica legion as his legion, and finally at Aquileia shortly before the death of  Maximinus and his sons.

The only certain reference is in the Notitia Dignitatum, when it appears as a pseudocomitatensis unit under the command of the Magister Militum per Orientem .

I have used Crusader miniatures for the Quarta Italica, like most of my pseudocomitatensis units they are unarmoured. My Roman army is almost complete two more units to go and I am done!

cheers

Matt

References

Notitia Dignitatum

http://www.uni-koeln.de/phil-fak/ifa/zpe/downloads/1999/126pdf/126228.pdf

Alemanni CL infantry

Finished some Alemanni CL infantry, I could also use them as Germanic allies for my Romans, all hand painted shields.

cheers
Matt

Italian M13/40

Off the desk before Cancon so it could be sold with my Bolt action Italians a company B model that went together easily. I decided it was not smart to start another scale for ww2, and I am not that impresssed with the Bolt action rules so selling off all of my purchases in the coming weeks.

cheers

matt

Feudal Scottish Spear

Off the desk this week also some of Claymore Castings very fine Scottish and English feudal ranges for the late 1280s to the 1400s. I have selected from the range, figures that would step back  for my 1264 Lewes project. The only reason they were not posted up earlier is that I had no spears to fit them  out! They are based for impetus with purple flowers or perhaps thistles.........

Cheers
Matt