EARLY IMPERIAL EX-AUXILIARY REBELLIONS THE ENEMY WITHIN

When Augustus reorganized the Roman army after the civil wars which had raged through much of the first century BC, one of his innovations was the introduction of dedicated auxiliary units drawn from the provinces, which were to be partially commanded by officers from the same background. While the new auxiliary system provided the empire with much-needed additional manpower, these auxiliaries would sometimes take the skills they had learned from Rome and use them to rebel against the empire.

By Jo Ball

Bringing those who could oppose you onto your side, finding ways to ensure their loyalty, and turning their aggression onto your own enemies are excellent ways to deal with potential threats. Through the auxiliary system, Rome recruited potential enemies into its army, by force if necessary. Over the course of his career, the Empire would then use each auxiliary as a vital military tool, while also instilling a sense of identity that would hopefully ensure loyalty to Rome both during and after his service. The new system was not without its teething problems, however, and although the auxilia would go on to be a core part of the military, the early decades after its introduction saw three instances where the auxilia played a significant part in several large-scale rebellions (see…

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Ancient Warfare (Digital) - 1 Issue, AW XVII.3

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