The Notitia Dignitatum



Equites Illyriciani



This page created 28 June 2015, and last modified: 28 June 2015

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The following 23 units (or detachments of units) of Equites Illyriciani are to be found in the Notitia (the numbers in front of the names refer to Ingo Maier's numbering scheme):

59.2 Equites Dalmatae Illyriciani, at Benosabae, under the Dux Palaestinae
59.3 Equites promoti Illyriciani, at Menochiae, also under the Dux Palaestinae
59.4 Equites scutarii Illyriciani, at Chermulae, also under the Dux Palaestinae
59.5 Equites Mauri Illyriciani, at Aeliae, also under the Dux Palaestinae
59.6 Equites Thamudeni Illyriciani, at Birsama, also under the Dux Palaestinae
61.2 Equites scutarii Illyriciani, at Motha, under the Dux Arabiae
61.3 Equites promoti Illyriciani, at Tricoma, also under the Dux Arabiae
61.4 Equites Dalmati Illyriciani, at Ziza, also under the Dux Arabiae
61.5 Equites Mauri Illyriciani, at Areopoli also under the Dux Arabiae
63.2 Equites Mauri Illyriciani, at Otthara, under the Dux Foenicis
63.3 Equites scutarii Illyriciani, at Euhari, also under the Dux Foenicis
63.5 Equites Dalmati Illyriciani, at Latavi, also under the Dux Foenicis
65.2 Equites scutarii Illyriciani, at Seriane, under the Dux Syriae et Eufratensis Syriae
65.3 Equites promoti Illyriciani, at Occariba, also under the Dux Syriae et Eufratensis Syriae
65.11 Equites Dalmatae Illyriciani, at Barbalisso in Augusto Eufratensi, also under the Dux Syriae et Eufratensis Syriae
65.11 Equites Mauri Illyriciani, at Neocaesareae in Augusto Eufratensi, also under the Dux Syriae et Eufratensis Syriae
67.2 Equites Dalmatae Illyriciani, at Ganaba, under the Dux Osrhoenae
67.3 Equites promoti Illyriciani, at Callinico, also under the Dux Osrhoenae
67.4 Equites Mauri Illyriciani, at Dabana, also under the Dux Osrhoenae
69.2 Equites scutarii Illyriciani, at Amidae, under the Dux Mesopotamiae
69.3 Equites promoti Illyriciani, at Resain-Theodosiopoli, also under the Dux Mesopotamiae
69.4 Equites ducatores Illyriciani primi ducatores, at Amidae, also under the Dux Mesopotamiae
69.5 Equites felices Honoriani Illyriciani, at Constantina, also under the Dux Mesopotamiae.



Disclaimer: Remember, a lot of what comes below is speculation. Hopefully informed speculation, but speculation nonetheless. Comments welcome! (lukeuedasarson "at" gmail.com)


As all of these are limitanei units stationed in the east, none of their shield patterns are shown. As with "Equites Dalmatae", the precise meaning of the name "Equites Illyriciani" ("Illyrian cavalry") in the context of the late Roman army is unsure. The troop type (and even assuming the name corresponds to a "type" is something of an assumption) presumably originated in the region of Illyricum; most likely in the 3rd century under the "Illyrian" emperors. That five units are also entitled Dalmatae (or "Dalmati") gives one pause for thought, as these two overlapping apparently geographical descriptors would indicate that (at least) one of them means something non-geographic, but which (and what) is hard to tell. That Illyriciani cavalry can be simultaneously described as any of Mauri, promoti, scutarii, and Dalmatae, would seem to imply Illyriciani is not a functional classification. A "simple" geographic (or rather, former geographic) descriptor looks the most reasonable hypothesis.

It is worth noting that in the provincial troops lists in which Equites Illyriciani occur, units of Illyriciani are always ranked above units of Equites indigenae within the same list (with one exception, 63.4), and within the Illyriciani, scutarii come before promoti (again, with one exception, 59.4).

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