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Abstract

The author of the article reconstructs the main command ranks and organization of the army of the Late Antique Bosporus, relying both on well-studied sources on the command and organizational system of the Bosporan army of the 1st–3rd centuries AD, as well as fragmentary sources of later times. It is assumed that in Late Antiquity, the middle and lower military ranks disappeared, replaced by barbarian aristocratic commanders, and the highest command ranks continued to exist, although partly modifi ed; new positions appear that have Byzantine roots. Bosporan army of the 3rd–4th centuries AD consists of light and heavy Sarmatized cavalry, as well as light infantry composed on the barbarian garrisons of border fortresses and the local militia of the cities. Further migration processes on the territory of the Northern Black Sea region led to a gradual exodus of Sarmatized cavalry from the Bosporus, and then of the barbarian garrisons of border fortresses.

Keywords

Cimmerian Bosporus, Late Antiquity, army, organization, command structure.

Ivan A. Astakhov

Independent Researcher, Tula, Russia

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