The comitatenses and later the palatini were the units of the field armies of the late Roman Empire. They were the soldiers that replaced the legionaries, who had formed the backbone of the Roman military since the late republic.
Units such as the Joviani and Herculiani had 5,000 soldiers and 726–800 cavalrymen. Many units' sizes would vary. There were three types of units, the heavy infantry, medium infantry, and light infantry. The comitatenses were the heavy infantry. The auxiliaries, auxilia palatina, and the peltasts were the medium infantry, and the psiloi were the light infantry. Comitatenses regiments consisted of 1,024 soldiers. Comitatenses legions could consist of 6,000 to 7,000 soldiers. Some of these soldiers would be lightly armed, while others would be heavily armed. During a battle the army would divide into 3-4 divisions. The army might use a double phalanx to protect its rear. Reserves would be located behind or between each division.[1]
In the Late Roman Empire the army was divided into two major units, the limitanei border guards and mobile armies consisting of comitatenses. The limitanei would deal with smaller raids, or, in the case of larger invasions, try to defend or stall long enough for the comitatenses legions to arrive. These comitatenses would be grouped into field armies.[2] This strategy has been described as "defense in depth." To conserve manpower, the general would do his best to avoid a pitched battle. Rather than attack the enemy, the legions would form a shield wall and wait for the enemy to attack the Romans. The Romans would use their superior coordination to defeat the enemy. The Emperor would command a comitatenses field army to put down rebellions.[3][4][5]
Comitatenses — это латинский именительный падеж множественного числа от comitatensis , прилагательного, полученного от comitatus («рота, партия, свита»; в этом военном контексте оно пришло к новому значению слова «полевая армия»), которое само происходит от Comes («товарищ», но отсюда и конкретные исторические значения, военные и гражданские).
Однако исторически оно стало общепринятым (обоснованным) названием для тех римских имперских войск ( легионов и вспомогательных войск), которые не просто располагались гарнизонами на липах (укрепленной границе, на Рейне и Дунае в Европе и вблизи Персии, а также у пустынных племен в других местах) — limitanei или созревает , т . е. «по берегам» — но более подвижные линейные войска; кроме того, существовали войска второй линии, называемые псевдокомитатенсами , бывшие лимитаны, прикрепленные к комитатусу ; palatini , элитные («дворцовые») подразделения, обычно приписанные к magister militum ; и scholae palatinae настоящей дворцовой стражи, обычно под началом magister officiorum , старшего придворного чиновника Поздней Империи. [ нужна цитата ]
Среди подразделений comitatenses , перечисленных Notitia Dignitatum, есть: