This page created 23 March 2014, and last modified: 28 October (Frankfurt fragment image added)

The Latini is listed as a unit of auxilia palatina in the Magister Peditum's infantry roster, and is assigned to the Comes Illyricum. Its shield pattern as shown in various manuscripts is as below:

The pattern consists of a yellow main ground with a brown bird, presumably an eagle, with wings raised and facing to the left (right in B, which being printed, reverses the facings of all its shield patterns); it is thus essentially a mirror image of the pattern ascribed to the previous unit in both the Magister Peditum's roster and that of the Comes Illyricum: the Sagittarii venatores. However, it is evident that this might be the "wrong" shield pattern; like that of some other western auxilia platina units, it may have been shifted from its proper place (or, to be more exact, the label may have been shifted from its proper place), although which pattern (if any) among those shown properly belongs to the unit is not immediately apparent. Since the next unit in the Magister Peditum's list has a related name, Sabini (like the Latini, named after an Italian people), it might be these two eagle-embellished shields belong to them.

If this is the case, and I would consider it likely, then my alternative hypothesis, that the Latini might just possibly be the same unit as the Tungricani under the Comes litoris Saxonici per Britanniam, becomes untenable (see my reasoning under the Comes Illyricum).

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