Sassanid & Roman casualty markers

Sassanid & Roman markers

More few pieces from my project drawers, these chaps have been sitting half finished for some time, two maybe three years, in some cases it was only the flocking and shields to be done! The figures are a mix of Old Glory dark age figures, hand painted shields and the Sassanids are from the lovely Aventine range with LBM transfers

Working through the drawer has been good for me, the cleaning out really is refreshing, I can see the back of one now an clear space in two of them so making good progress! 30 odd more figures and two space ships, a steam engine and one drawer will be empty. I may complete one whole drawer by Christmas I hope on the side along with the main projects.

More markers for Impetus or Hail Caesar 

Late Romans 28mm old glory miniatures 

28mm Aventine Sassanids, LBM transfers

Aventine Sassanids with LBM transfers

Aventine Sassanids with LBM transfers

Aventine Sassanids with LBM transfers

Aventine Sassanids with LBM transfers

Cheers

Matt

Sexta Parthica

"The Devout Sixth" Sexta Parthica

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 4th or early 5th the VI Parthica was raised to the level of a pseudocomitatense unit in the eastern field army. By the 5th Century the Sexta Parthica was still a pseudocomitatense legio.

Sexta Parthica

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

cheers

Matt

Primae Legio Armeniaca

1st Armeniaca Legio

Another  pseudo-comitatensis Legio, possibly founded in the third century by  Diocletian. Under the command of Magister Militum per Orientem per Pontica.

  I have only found one reference to garrison of the Primae Legio Armeniaca, the coastal city of Anemurium (on the tip of Cape Anamur, opposite Cyprus)  the city was sacked by the the Sassanids in 260 AD. The unit was raised to the Field Army status to take part in Julian's' campaign of 363, and was still part of the field army in 395AD (ND).

The figures are from the Crusader Late Roman range, the shields are hand painted, and this is my second last infantry unit in this army.

Cheers

Matt 

Equites Scutarii Indigenae Pafenses

Equites Scutari Indigenae Pafenses

Another unit of the desk for my late Roman army, the  Equites Scutarii Indigenae Pafenses, were stationed in (Mesopotamia) on the border at Tell Fafan, at the confluence of the Tigris and Bohtan Su rivers. The unit was known as the "Uholders or Defenders" and were used to patrol between the fortress crossing points along the border between Cepha (modern Hasankeyf) and Bezbade. 

The miniatures are again from the A & A range. The shield is based on the Equites Scutarii, and I gave them the oversize scutum from A and A miniatures. Still waiting to pick up some long silflor tufts to finish of the base, but otherwise done!

Cheers
Matt

Equites Promoti Seniores

Equites Promoti Seniores

Another cavalry unit off the desk, these guys have been sitting around half finished for some time, so I decided to hand paint some shields for them, add the draco, spears, finish the skin and clothing highlights, and do the eyes, I am very happy with them. The Black Tree design late Romans are quite good, I think i will get another two units of these to act as medium cavalry and do some more  heavy's with A and A .

cheers

Matt

Lanciarii Iuniores

Lanciarii Iuniores

Next unit off the desk this week Lanciarii Iuniores, I used a mix of armoured and unarmoured Musketeer and Crusader miniatures in this unit. All hand painted shuiled with a GB draco, which i intend swapping with a Vexillum soon, I have armed them with a Lancea and two 'subarmales'-light lancea. Speidel suggests that they may of had up to five lanceae each.

A few interesting arguments continue about the actual role of the lanciarii. Brian Campbell believes that lanciarii were associated with the 'sacer comitatus' ("sacred retinue") and was part of the small mobile field force accompanying the emperors, he also argues that the lanciarius ranked above a legionary, but below a guardsmen.

Phil barker suspects that the are light armed troops that performed the skirmishing of a Legio and later in the period were formed into their own troop type.

Speidel argues that there were two types of legionary in a legion and uses Arrian description of two types of longchopohoroi - fully half of the regular legionaries, who throw their weapons overhead of the other half. Arrian's legions in Cappadocia (XII Fulminata and XV Apollinaris) deployed in 10 rank deep formation, ranks five to eight were armed with lancea, nice was archers and ten was horse archers to counter the Alan Cataphracts.

Duncan Head suggests imperial Roman lanciarii had their origins in the republican Antesignani.Duncan also notes that a similar split among the legionaries can be found in a papyrus detailing donative records of Legio II Traiana in Egypt ca. 300 AD, from which it appears something like 45% of the men mentioned are lanciarii.

cheers

Matt

Late Roman Sagittarii

Roman Sagittari

A few more late Romans off the desk additions for my late Roman army in the east. A mix of 28mm A and A, Black Tree and Crusader miniatures. They will join my Impetus army that forever grows. 

cheers

Matt

Roman General and Bucellarii

Roman Bucellarii

One of several units off the table this week my general for my late Roman army with his private bucellarii. The shields are a mix of hand painted and LBM transfers.

The General is from Black Tree Design, his horse is A & A, the remaining horses are gripping Beast, the std bearer is foundry and the remaining figures are Gripping beast, the draco is BTD but with a wire pole.

cheers

Matt

Scola Scutariorum Clibanariorum

Scola Scutariorum Clibanariorum

This is the first of my units for my Western/Eastern Late Roman Army from 330 to around 400, This army is being built to fight my Sassanids. The First unit I had to paint was the Scola Scutariorum Clibanariorum, I decided upon A and A miniatures’ as they are beefy looking figures, befitting a guard unit and depict the Clibanariorum armor and the Nesaean horse nicely (and my Sassanid cavalry are also from this range).

A Short History

The Scola Scutariorum Clibanariorum were part of the “Schola” or the Imperial Guard cavalry retinue, Each Schola was between 500 and 600 men. Many of the recruits for the Palatine troops were from barbarian tribes, Franks, Goths, Alans, Alamanni, Armenians and Isaurians. The Palatine troops were under command directly by the Emperor, the Magister Officiorum had direct control over the disposition of the Schola. Each Schola was commanded by a tribune who ranked as a Comes.

By 400AD Scola Scutariorum Clibanariorum were part of the eastern Empire Army, according to the 'notitia dignitatum. The Scola Scutariorum Clibanariorum were present at the battle of Strasbourg/Argentoratum 357AD and they disgraced themselves by retreating when their commander was unhorsed (possibly Hormisdas who was a Persian) and several animals falling over in exhaustion. 

This event is noted by both Ammianus, 16.12.37-41 and in the “Historia Nova” of Zosimus, at the battle of Strasbourg/ Argentoratum in 357 (HN 3.3.4-5):

And I ought not omit what Caesar did after this victory. "He had a troop of 600 horse, well trained in war, on whose strength and experience he so relied that he hazarded many of his hopes with them. When the battle began, the whole army fell upon the enemy with maximum enthusiasm so that the Roman army was gaining considerable advantage, but these alone broke ranks and fled, and even though Caesar himself and a few others rode after them and called them back to share in the victory, they would not have any part in the battle. Caesar was therefore very properly angry with them because, as far as they were concerned, they had abandoned their countrymen to the barbarians, but he did not impose on them the penalty defined by law; rather he dressed them in women's clothing and led them through the camp to expel them, thinking this a punishment worse than death for manly soldiers."

Dressed as women could refer to the removal of their military belts and being discharged as women so no land rights.

Concerning Cataphractarii and Clibanarii

I am not a believer that cataphractarii and clibanarii were one and the same. The first Roman Cataphract unit known is ala I Gallorum et Pannoniorum catafractata. The evidence we have for this unit is in a diploma dated 1st June 125 (when it was stationed in Moesia Inferior; it remained in that province until at least the late 150s).

Both types appear in the Notitia Dignitatum and units of both types are included in a field army. The cataphracts are listed first, this I believe indicates that not only did they differ but the cataphractarii are the senior of the units. The difference, I suggest, lies in the way that they were equipped and mounted.
Western vs Eastern heavy cavalry

The Western type had their beginnings with Bosporan contarii , however the Roman type we are considering were introduced by the Sarmatian tribes. Both rider and horse were armoured; the man was armed with contus, bow and sword, and did not use a shield (Tacitus, Histories, 1.79). Tacitus calls the rider's armour catafractes and says that it was made from scales of horn or hard leather and was so heavy that the man had difficulty getting up when unhorsed. Trajan's Column shows Sarmatian cavalry with both horse and rider wholly covered with tight-fitting scale armor.

I have a theory to put forward that the Clibanariorum were mounted on the larger Nisean horses (which were larger than there western types and in bred on farms around Rome by this stage) with bronze scale armor (as horse sweat does not rust bronze and it polishes nicely) and that the men were armored head to foot, and armed with two handed Contus and the bow in the eastern style.

There was much discussion in the Roman Army Talk forum on whether clibanarii used shields or not. Certainly, the Parthian and Sasanian rock reliefs do not show their predecessors using them and Julian, in describing Constantius' clibanarii, states specifically that they did not need shields (Jul. Or. II, 57C) also I have a theory that the six Schola units of the Magister Officiorum only five shields are depicted on the Notitia Dignitatum, so perhaps the Scola Scutariorum Clibanariorum did not have them! (even though Scuta means shield!!!!)

A few Qoutes

Nazarius, Paneg., 24.5

What a spectacle that is said to have been, how dreadful to behold, how terrible, horses and men alike enclosed in a covering of iron.
Maxentius' clibanarii at the battle of Turin, AD 312.


Nazarius, Paneg., 24.5
When all had been killed to a man and your soldiers were untouched, people transferred the horror inspired by their armour to wonder at the victory . . .
Maxentius' clibanarii again.

Libanius, Oration XVIII, 18.37
. . . cavalry so invulnerably equipped as to lend them a terrible aspect . . .
Constantius' Scola Scutariorum Clibanariorum, AD 357.

Ammianus, 16.10.8
. . . all masked, furnished with protecting breastplates and girt with iron belts, so that you might have supposed them statues (simulacra) polished by the hand of Praxiteles, not men.
Scola Scutariorum Clibanariorum escorting Constantius on his entry into Rome, AD 357.

Claudian, In Rufinum II, 357-364
. . . the limbs within give life to the armour's pliant scales so artfully conjoined, and strike terror into the beholder. 'Tis as though iron statues (simulacra) moved and men lived cast from the same metal . . . each stands alone, a pleasure yet a dread to behold, beautiful yet terrible . . .
Rufinus' clibanarii, AD 395.


Cheers
Matt

Equites Sagittarii

Late Roman Equites Sagittarii 

This is the second and third of my completed units for my Western/Eastern Late Roman Army from 330 to around 400. This army is being built to fight Guys Sarmatians, Dave and Andrews Romans and my Goths and Sassanids! These guys also came off the painting table at the same time as around 12 other units, these guys also do not have shields so no wait of my daughters Graphic design work and transfers.....so they were easy to post as they are done.

Again they are A and A miniatures, The sagittarii are quite versatile and could be used in any of my Fall of the West armies. I have based them for Impetus so the Equites sagittarii seniores and the Equites sagittarii iuniores look as though they are part way through a exercise known as the circulus cantabricus or Cantabrian circle, I am quite happy with the result!

Cheers

matt

Equites Exploratores

Equites Exploratores

Finished  some late Romans from A & A, they are just beautiful to paint and really look good, I remember drawing the shield from a mosaic as palace guards. I searched the Notitia Dignitatum but no reference exists for the shield pattern. I will continue to look around in my research books but until then they will remain unnamed!

Cheers
Matt