The Roman Legion in Britain

Auxiliary Units in the
XV Valeria Victrix Legion

by Terry Gore


While doing our once-in-a-decade basement clearance, I found an old notebook of mine from the '70's. In it are a series of notes on Roman warfare. No footnotes (obviously just for my own use), but I thought this one list may be of interest.

It is a listing of the auxiliary units in the XV Valeria Victrix legion (it won the title during the war against Boudica).

Cavalry:

    Ala I Asturum: Spanish
    Ala I Bosporenorum: Thracians
    Ala I Civium Romanorum: Citizens of Rome
    Ala I Gallorum Flaviana: Gauls
    Ala I Hispanorum: Spanish
    Ala I Praetoria Singularium: German Guards
    Ala I Siliana: Roman citizens

Infantry:

    Cohors I Antiochesium: Syrians
    Cohors I Arvancorum: Gauls
    Cohors I Bessorum: Germans
    Cohors III: Britains
    Cohors II Chalcedenorum: Greeks
    Cohors III Campesres: Romans
    Cohors I Cilicum Sagittariorum: Asiatic Archers
    Cohors V Gallorum: Gauls
    Cohors I Cretan Sagittariorum: Cretan Archers
    Cohors I Lepidiana: Sicilian Romans
    Cohors IV Cypria: Romans

A very eclectic grouping of auxiliary units from throughout the empire. I see our old friends the Cretan archers are there as well! It's interesting to see just how varied the legion is in it's makeup, truly a 'melting pot' of troops from throughout the Empire.


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