«ЦЕРКОВНАЯ ИСТОРИЯ» ГЕЛАСИЯ КИЗИКИЙСКОГО И ПОХОД КОНСТАНТИНА I ВЕЛИКОГО ПРОТИВ МАКСЕНЦИЯ В 312 Г.: К ВОПРОСУ ОБ УЧРЕЖДЕНИИ ПОЗДНЕРИМСКОГО ВОЙСКОВОГО РАНГА AUXILIA PALATINA
THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF GELASIUS OF CYZICUS AND THE CAMPAIGN OF CONSTANTINE THE GREAT AGAINST MAXENTIUS IN 312 A.D.: ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LATE ROMAN MILITARY RANK AUXILIA PALATINA

Summary/Abstract: The main problem of research on the military reforms initiated by the Emperor Constantine I (306–337 A.D.) is that it is hard to trace differences between the legal status and rank of military units established by this ruler. All the sources most frequently cited by the scholars (Eusebius of Caesarea, Zosimus, Latin Panegyrics), unfortunately, specify nothing on the origin and titles of all the detachments, which fought together with Constantine against Maxentius and Licinius, his main rivals. In this respect, the data provided by Gelasius of Cyzicus in his neglected Ecclesiastical History may clarify some aspects of this problem despite that the text itself was published as early as 1918. However, this source has not drawn attention of the scholars, who traditionally relied on more famous ancient writers. On the basis of Gelasius’ evidence, the origin of military units, which received the title of auxilia palatina in the Late Roman military hierarchy, was considered in this paper. Solution to the discussed problem is directly associated with the involvement and role of the German tribes in Constantine’s army. The evidence presented by Gelasius help to understand the kinds of this involvement and how differences in service influenced the formation of auxilia palatina rank.

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