The Notitia Dignitatum



Equites stablesiani



This page created 5 August 2014, and last modified: 5 October 2014 (helmet inscription link added)

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The following units of Equites stablesiani are to be found in the Notitia:

In the eastern half of the empire:
Equites secundi stablesiani, a vexillationes comitatenses under the Magister Militum per Orientem
Equites tertii stablesiani, a vexillationes comitatenses under the Magister Militum per Orientem
Equites stablesiani, at Pelusio, under the Comes limitis Aegypti
Cuneus equitum stablesianorum, at Cii, under the Dux Scythiae
Cuneus equitum stablesianorum, at Bireo, under the Dux Scythiae
Cuneus equitum stablesianorum, at Sucidava, under the Dux Moesiae secundae
Cuneus equitum stablesianorum, at Almo, under the Dux Daciae ripensis
And in the western half of the empire:
Equites stablesiani Africani, a vexillationes comitatenses listed in the Magister Equitum's cavalry roster
Equites stablesiani Italiciani, a vexillationes comitatenses listed in the Magister Equitum's cavalry roster and assigned to the Comes Africae
Equites stablesiani seniores, under the Comes Africae
Equites stablesiani Gariannonenses, at Gariannonor, under the Comes litoris Saxonici per Britanniam
Equites stablesiani, under the Comes Britanniae
Cuneus equitum stablesianorum, at Ripa Alta-now Conradcuha, under the Dux Provinciae Valeriae ripensis
Cuneus equitum stablesianorum, at Arrabonae, under the Dux Pannoniae primae et Norici ripensis
Equites stablesiani seniores, at Augustanis, under the Dux Raetiae primae et secundae
Equites stablesiani iuniores, at Ponte Aoni near Febiens, under the Dux Raetiae primae et secundae
Equites stablesiani iuniores, at Submuntorio, under the Dux Raetiae primae et secundae
Of these, the Equites stablesiani under the Comes Britanniae and the Equites stablesiani Gariannonenses would appear to be the same unit; likewise the Equites stablesiani Africani would appear to be same unit as the Equites stablesiani seniores under the Comes Africae.
Only the shield patterns for the two units in the Magister Equitum's cavalry roster are shown; both under the same simple label: Stablesiani.

Shield patterns Shield patterns

Those under O come from the Bodleian manuscript in Oxford, those under P from the Paris manuscript, those under M from the first portion of the Munich manuscript, those under W from the second portion of the Munich manuscript, and those under B from the Froben edition.

The precise meaning of the name Stablesiani (pertaining to stables) in the context of the late Roman army is unsure. Various theories have been propounded; they are usefully summarised by Philip Rance in "The Third Equites Stablesiani at Cyrrhus", Chiron 42 (2012), 347-360, available here, at page 349, note 8.

In addition to the 15 (or so) units listed above in the Notitia, inscriptional evidence (SEG 6.187) dating to the late 4th century - i.e. about contemporary with the drawing up if the Notitia - has been found in Sebaste, Phrygia (Selcikler in Turkey) on a stele witten in Greek for a "kortas stablesianon". More interestngly, an early 4th century inscription (AE 1927, 153) from Deurne near Tessenderlo in Belgium gives evidence for a stabelsia VI, i.e. a unit of equitum "stablesianorum VI"; as does another (AE 1974, 466), this one inscribed on a helmet. This implies not only the existence of a some-time Equites sexti stablesiani unit, but also 5th, 4th and 1st Equites stablesiani units to go with the 2nd and 3rd units listed in the Notitia.

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