Equites singulares Augusti
Encyclopedia
The equites singulares Augusti (lit: "personal cavalry of the emperor" i.e. imperial horseguards) during the Principate
period of imperial Rome
. Based in Rome, they escorted the Roman emperor
whenever he left the City on campaign or on tours of the provinces
.
The regiment was reconstituted in the late 1st century AD as a milliary ala, under the command of a tribunus militum
. Initially, it contained 720 horse, divided into 24 turma
e, or squadrons, of 30 men each. Numbers rose to around 1,000 under Hadrian
(r. 117-38) and the regiment was expanded to 2,000 horse in the early 3rd century by the emperor Septimius Severus
(ruled AD 197-211). The base constructed at this time for the expanded unit has been excavated underneath the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome (see Castra Nova equitum singularium
).
Recruited from the finest troopers of the alae
(cavalry regiments of the imperial army's auxilia corps), the equites singulares was the only regiment of the Guard that admitted peregrini
, imperial subjects who were not Roman citizens. The regiment's original core component were crack Batavi
horsemen. On Trajan's Column
(AD 113), the standards of the unit are depicted bearing the same lightning-and-thunderbolt motif (with or without wings) as the legions.
It appears that after some campaigns, detachments of singulares were left behind in the provinces, to form the core of new regular alae, which retained the prestigious singulares title and crack reputation e.g. the Ala I Flavia singularium stationed in Raetia
in mid 2nd century.
In AD 312, after the defeat of the emperor Maxentius
at the battle of the Milvian bridge, the regiment was disbanded, together with the Praetorian Guard, by the emperor Constantine I
(ruled 312-37). The unit may already have become redundant, if the scholae
, elite cavalry regiments escorting the emperor, had already been established by the emperor Diocletian
(ruled 284-305). Alternatively, the scholae may have been founded by Constantine as a direct replacement for the equites singulares.
Principate
The Principate is the first period of the Roman Empire, extending from the beginning of the reign of Caesar Augustus to the Crisis of the Third Century, after which it was replaced with the Dominate. The Principate is characterized by a concerted effort on the part of the Emperors to preserve the...
period of imperial Rome
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. Based in Rome, they escorted the Roman emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
whenever he left the City on campaign or on tours of the provinces
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
.
The regiment was reconstituted in the late 1st century AD as a milliary ala, under the command of a tribunus militum
Military tribune
A military tribune was an officer of the Roman army who ranked below the legate and above the centurion...
. Initially, it contained 720 horse, divided into 24 turma
Turma
A turma was a cavalry squadron in the Roman army of the Republic and Empire. In the Byzantine Empire, it became applied to the larger, regiment-sized military-cum-administrative divisions of a thema....
e, or squadrons, of 30 men each. Numbers rose to around 1,000 under Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
(r. 117-38) and the regiment was expanded to 2,000 horse in the early 3rd century by the emperor Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus , also known as Severus, was Roman Emperor from 193 to 211. Severus was born in Leptis Magna in the province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through the customary succession of offices under the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. Severus seized power after the death of...
(ruled AD 197-211). The base constructed at this time for the expanded unit has been excavated underneath the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome (see Castra Nova equitum singularium
Castra Nova equitum singularium
The Castra Nova equitum singularium was an ancient Roman fort in Rome housing part of the emperor's cavalry bodyguard. The site of the fort now lies beneath the Basilica of St John Lateran....
).
Recruited from the finest troopers of the alae
Ala (Roman military)
An Ala was the term used during the mid- Roman Republic to denote a military formation composed of conscripts from the socii, Rome's Italian military allies. A normal consular army during this period consisted of 2 legions, composed of Roman citizens only, and 2 allied alae...
(cavalry regiments of the imperial army's auxilia corps), the equites singulares was the only regiment of the Guard that admitted peregrini
Peregrinus (Roman)
Peregrinus was the term used during the early Roman empire, from 30 BC to 212 AD, to denote a free provincial subject of the Empire who was not a Roman citizen. Peregrini constituted the vast majority of the Empire's inhabitants in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD...
, imperial subjects who were not Roman citizens. The regiment's original core component were crack Batavi
Batavi
Batavi - Latin for Batavians - is an open source webshop under the GNU General Public License. The development of Batavi started in 2007 inspired by a preliminary osCommerce 3.0 version, a version that seemed to be never finished by the osCommerce team...
horsemen. On Trajan's Column
Trajan's Column
Trajan's Column is a Roman triumphal column in Rome, Italy, which commemorates Roman emperor Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars. It was probably constructed under the supervision of the architect Apollodorus of Damascus at the order of the Roman Senate. It is located in Trajan's Forum, built near...
(AD 113), the standards of the unit are depicted bearing the same lightning-and-thunderbolt motif (with or without wings) as the legions.
It appears that after some campaigns, detachments of singulares were left behind in the provinces, to form the core of new regular alae, which retained the prestigious singulares title and crack reputation e.g. the Ala I Flavia singularium stationed in Raetia
Raetia
Raetia was a province of the Roman Empire, named after the Rhaetian people. It was bounded on the west by the country of the Helvetii, on the east by Noricum, on the north by Vindelicia, on the west by Cisalpine Gaul and on south by Venetia et Histria...
in mid 2nd century.
In AD 312, after the defeat of the emperor Maxentius
Maxentius
Maxentius was a Roman Emperor from 306 to 312. He was the son of former Emperor Maximian, and the son-in-law of Emperor Galerius.-Birth and early life:Maxentius' exact date of birth is unknown; it was probably around 278...
at the battle of the Milvian bridge, the regiment was disbanded, together with the Praetorian Guard, by the emperor Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
(ruled 312-37). The unit may already have become redundant, if the scholae
Scholae
Scholae is a Latin word, literally meaning "schools" that was used in the late Roman Empire to signify a unit of Imperial Guards. The unit survived in the Byzantine Empire until the 12th century...
, elite cavalry regiments escorting the emperor, had already been established by the emperor Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
(ruled 284-305). Alternatively, the scholae may have been founded by Constantine as a direct replacement for the equites singulares.
See also
- Castra Nova equitum singulariumCastra Nova equitum singulariumThe Castra Nova equitum singularium was an ancient Roman fort in Rome housing part of the emperor's cavalry bodyguard. The site of the fort now lies beneath the Basilica of St John Lateran....
- Praetorian GuardPraetorian GuardThe Praetorian Guard was a force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors. The title was already used during the Roman Republic for the guards of Roman generals, at least since the rise to prominence of the Scipio family around 275 BC...
- Auxiliaries (Roman military)Auxiliaries (Roman military)Auxiliaries formed the standing non-citizen corps of the Roman army of the Principate , alongside the citizen legions...