Abstract
Basing on the material of Roman narrative tradition and epigraphic evidence, this paper examines the Batavians auxiliary participating in Roman campaigns. The Batavians were a signifi cant unit in the Roman legions from the reign of Augustus. The earliest auxiliary troops were the irregular units. In the early 1st century AD they were transformed into regular units consisting of eight or nine cohorts and one alae. On the Rhine limes the Batavians were involved in the Germanic wars under the Julio-Claudians. Eight cohorts of Batavian infantry were a part of the Claudian invasion force that landed in Britain in 43 AD. At the end of 1st century AD the unit took part in the campaign under the command of Agricola. Later it joined the Dacian Wars and was garrisoned in Pannonia and Raetia. In the 4th century AD the Batavians cohorts were mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum. The Batavians were considered indisputably the best riders and swimmers of the army, but also the model of real soldiers. In the late Roman Empire the Batavian auxiliary was regarded as the elite troops. The analysis of ethnical situation on the Lower Rhine of the 50 BC – 50 AD is given. The research focuses mainly on the changes in the ethnical structure of the Batavian cohorts.
Keywords
The Batavians, Roman army, auxiliaries
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