The immunes and principles of the Roman army

Abstract

This thesis discusses the two groups of officers found, in every branch of the Roman Army in both Rome and the provinces below the rank of centurion, the immunes and principales. The immunes were soldiers exempted from fatigues in return for carrying out special duties and the principales were soldiers who received extra pay in connection with their higher rank. The principales were the nearest equivalent in the Roman Army of the modem non-commissioned officer. The period covered is from Augustus to Diocletian, In Volume I, following the introduction and a discussion of the nature of the available evidence, the career structure of these officers in each branch of the army is analysied. Special attention is paid to the duration of the career, the promotion prospects of the soldiers and the chronological development of the career structure, tracing its growth from the Republic onwards, its developed state in the second century and the changes in the third century resulting from the increased dichotomy between the fighting and the clerical branches of the army. The known careers of individual soldiers in the army are also examined in detail. In Volume II each post in the army is investigated in turn. An attempt is made to determine the number of soldiers holding each post, the history of the post is discussed, and wherever possible its relative status determined, its position in the career structure analysised and the promotion prospects of its holders considered.