This page created 7 November 2014, and last modified: 7 November 2014

The fifth of the six auxilia palatina units listed under the Magister Militum per Illyricum is the Invicti iuniores. Its shield pattern is shown in various manuscripts as below:

The pattern shows a yellow boss (white in M) encircled by a white band (absent in W), then a broad red band (essentially the shield's main field), a green band (yellow in M, B; white in W), and a red rim; the closest resemblance among other patterns in the Notitia is probably that of the (Equites) Armigeri iuniores, under the Comes Africae.

The name Invicti means "invincible, indefatigable, unconquerable"; it was frequently paired with the divinity Sol in the time of Constantine I as "Sol invictus", "the unconquerable sun"; indeed Constantine used the name for himself before he espoused Christianity, when he changed his name to "Victor" (see Constantine: Roman Emperor, Christian Victor; Paul Stephenson, 2009, page 216).

Other units bearing the name Invicti are the Invicti seniores and the Invicti iuniores Britones, both under the "Comes" Hispenias. Both are also auxilia palatina units like the Invicti iuniores, but neither bear a similar shield pattern to that of the Invicti iuniores, nor to each other.

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