Miguel P. SANCHO GÓMEZ (Universidad Católica San Antonio, Murcia, España)
EL EJÉRCITO ROMANO DE AURELIANO Y PROBO EN LA HISTORIA AUGUSTA
Keywords: Aurelian, Probus, Late Roman Army, cavalry, Illyriciani, legions.
Abstract: The Roman army of Aurelian and Probus in the Historia Augusta. The Roman armies, under the command of the emperors Aurelian (270-275) and Probus (276-282), played a crucial role in stabilizing the Empire during the Crisis of the Third Century. Aurelian focused on imperial reunification by defeating secessionist states such as the Palmyrene Empire and the Gallic Empire, earning him the title “Restorer of the World”. Probus capitalized on Aurelian’s successes, securing borders and recovering provinces weakened by years of conflict and neglect after defeating numerous barbarians. Both emperors emphasized military discipline and employed their troops in public works projects to aid economic recovery, which likely influenced their assassinations. In this work, we will offer the view of both emperors in the Historia Augusta, also showing the characteristics of the Roman army as it appears in that work. The forged letters and information on the text picture an army in continual progress and innovation, learning from the enemies and capitalizing its mobility and flexibility with the new role of the cavalry comitatus to defeat the barbarians and tyrants and unify once more the frontiers of the Roman Empire.