At the core of Belisarius’ army rode the bucellarii, the spearhead of his troops. They were private armies raised by Roman generals and landlords to serve as their household troops and bodyguards, a common practice from the reign of Honorius. The term bucellarrii translates to ‘dry biscuit men’ and is possibly derived from the rations they received. Another theory is that their scale or lamellar armour resembled the shape of the hardtack biscuits.
Being the private armies of wealthy landlords and generals, the bucellarii were paid and equipped by them. This meant they were generally better equipped and trained than the average Roman soldier. This also meant that their loyalty lay with their paymasters as opposed to the state. Needless to say, possessing a personal army made one a threat to…
You're reading a preview of
Medieval World Culture & Conflict (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 8 - 2023