At the Emperor’s Service: The Armies of Dependent States and Peoples as a Military Factor in the Early Imperial Period

Abstract

The armies of the dependent allies of the Roman Empire have thus far received little attention in scholarship. The paper will look at their contributions to the defence of the imperium, to suppressing rebellions and to offensive operations. Three case studies (Commagene, Nabataea, Cherusci) will be analysed regarding the numerical strength, equipment and organisation of their militaries and their operational history as Roman allies in the first century AD. The analysis demonstrates the value of allied armies in a range of campaigns and suggests that such forces were vital to military success in all parts of the early empire.