The Taurunenses



This page created 28 September 2014, and last modified: 2 October 2014 (Taurunum commentary added)

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The Taurunenses is listed as one of the pseudocomitatenses units in the Magister Peditum's infantry roster. Its shield pattern is shown in various manuscripts as below:

shield patterns



Disclaimer: remember, I'm not an expert in the field of Notitia studies, so take my comments with a grain of salt...


The pattern is extremely simple, with a plain red field (white in B; the "rays" are actually from a pattern on the other side partially visible through the page; in M, only the rim is red; the min filed is pink, and therefore probably representing a faded indigo) and a boss quartered white and green (white and white in M). Accordingly, several other units have near identical patterns: that of the Superventores iuniores differs only in the quartering being yellow and white; that of the Equites promoti seniores having the quartering being blue and white, and that of the Equites sagittarii Parthi iuniores having the quartering being black and white.

The Taurunenses is not apparently assigned to any field command in the Notitia; since the three preceding units in the Magister Peditum's infantry list, the Legio Secunda Iulia Alpina, the Lanciarii Lauriacenses, and the Lanciarii Comaginenses, are all assigned to the Comes Illyricum, this suggest the Taurunenses might also have been so-assigned; the same goes for the subsequent unit, the similarly unassigned Antianenses, and which may also have been an auxiliary unit; the Auxilia Novensia from "Arsaciana or Novas", as it is given in the Notitia.

The name Taurunenses evidently refers to Taurunum (modern Zemun in Belgrade, Serbia); presumably the unit was stationed there in the not-too-distant past.

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