Equites singulares Augusti

The Equites singulares were a troop of horsemen in the Roman Empire, which acted as a guard of the emperor or of a governor.

The Mounted Imperial Guard, equites singulares Augusti, complemented the existing foot soldiers of the Praetorian Guard. It was founded under the Flavians, amplified under Trajan and dissolved by Constantine after the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, where they had fought on the side of his adversary Maxentius.

The Ala initially consisted of 16 turmae of 32 men and was commanded by a praefectus equitum. Under Diocletian the strength was increased from 512 to 1,000 men. The soldiers were from the auxiliary troops, initially the Germans, since Septimius Severus also Pannonians and Dacians were preferred. The usual period of service was 25 years. By entering the service the soldiers automatically received the Roman citizenship.

The horsemen unit was located on the outskirts of Rome in two barracks. The older Castra priora equitum singularium were on the Caelian Hill, near the present-day Via Tasso. Between 193 and 197 the Castra nova equitum singularium were obtained in the Lateran. This site was made ​​after the dissolution of the unity of the church is available; there, the church of San Giovanni in Laterano was built. A similar fate befell the cemetery of the unit on the third milestone of the Via Labicana. He, too, was built over a Christian basilica.

In addition to the equites singulares Augusti in Rome there were equites singulares also in the provinces, where they formed the Mounted Guard of a governor or a Legionslegaten. ( The well-known by his detailed grave inscription rider Tiberius Claudius Maximus was occasionally singularis of the legate of the legion VII. ) They were recruited from existing cavalry regiments of the province and of a Legionszenturio commanded as praepositus. A eques singularis often served only temporarily in this function and then returned to its original unity.