- Petulantes
__NOTOC__"Petulantes" was an "
auxilia palatina " of theRoman Empire .The "Petulantes" were of Germanic origin, and it is possible they fought in the
Battle of the Milvian Bridge for EmperorConstantine I (312). This assumption is based on the fact that Constantine had had them possibly portrayed on his triumphal arch in Rome. [Speidel, p. 48.]In the 4th century, the "Petulantes" were in the army of the "Caesar" of the West Julian. The unit amounted to 500 men, but, in order to obtain a tactically valid unit, they were often united with the "Celtae". [MacDowall, p. 21.] As part of Julian's army, the "Petulantes" took part in the victorious
Battle of Argentoratum (357). When Julian, camped inParis , received the order by his cousin EmperorConstantius II to send some troops (among which the "Petulantes") to the east, the troops revolted, because Julian had promised to keep them next to their families. One of the standard-bearers of the "Petulantes", Maurus, put the crown on the head of Julian, proclaiming him "Augustus" (361). [Ammianus Marcellinus, xx.4.18.] Together with the "Celtae", the "Petulantes" fought against theAlamanni nearSanctium , inRaetia . [Ammianus Marcellinus, xxi.3.2-3.]In 365, the "Augustus senior" of the west,
Valentinian I , and the "Augustus iunior" of the east,Valens , divided the army in two parts, and it is possible that in this occasion the "Petulantes" were divided into two units, the "seniores" and the "iuniores". The "Notitia Dignitatum ", an early-5th century document, lists the "Petulantes seniores" among the "auxilia palatina ", the elite units, under the command of the "magister peditum " of the west. [The similarity of the emblem of the "Petulantes" (a twin-dragon) with those of the other "auxilia palatina" ("Cornuti", "Brachiati" and "Celtae") could be interpreted as the legions being raised together (Speidel, p. 47).] The same document gives the "Petulantes iuniores" under the command of the "magister militum perIllyricum ", with a different shield pattern. ["Notitia Dignitatum", .]Notes
References
Primary sources
*Ammianus Marcellinus , "Res Gestae Libri XXXI"
* "Notitia Dignitatum "econdary sources
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