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The Roman Army of the Augustan era |
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The Roman Army of the Augustan era Although Augustus is rightly credited with instituting the permanent army of the Imperial era, his changes to the Republican system are less radical than is sometimes suggested. The full-grown Imperial army as is illustrated in inscriptions with its complicated hierarchical structure and its myriad of auxiliary units supporting the legions belongs to the Flavian era and later. The army of the Augustan era is in much more of a transitional phase than at a new start.
Powerbase When Octavian/Augustus emerged from the civil wars as the sole victor, there was no denying that he had won by feats of arms. Octavian was essentially nothing more than a warlord, unless he could get the support from the upper classes and senate to legitimize his position. He accordingly chose to emphasize just about any aspect of his status not related to the army.
Nevertheless, he did have to do something about it. After the battle of Actium Octavian was in command of some 60 legions (at a theoretical strength of some 300,000 troops), hundreds of warships and an unknown number of auxiliary troops. Many of the soldiers had been under arms for a decade and some had even lived through Caesar’s campaigns. They were clamouring for retirement and money or a plot of land. Octavian had to find a solution that would allow his soldiers to retire, allow him to remain the patron of his soldiers and would not break the bank.
The solution was subtle and fitted in the usual tradition: Rome’s soldiers from now on would serve a set number of years. Instead of being liable for sixteen years of service in total, as was the norm in the Republican era, legionaries now had to serve that same period consecutively, with another four as ‘reservist’, evocatus. After their service, their imperator, Augustus, was responsible for their pension-fund, thereby binding them to him. The idea of having standing garrisons in the provinces was nót one of Augustus’ ideas. That too was a subtle adaptation of the Republican system. Although they almost slip under the radar, it is clear from our sources that the provinces of the empire had had legionary garrisons from at least the early 1st century BC. It was only the campaign armies that were raised and disbanded at the start and end of every campaign, theoretically at least. For in practical terms, Caesar’s army of the Gallic wars was in fact a standing army and formed the core of both Octavian’s and Antony’s armies. Moreover, all through the last era of the Republic, there were always seasoned veterans from recently disbanded legions available for renewed service – mobilization – with their former generals.
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