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Speculatores

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The speculatores, also known as the speculatores augusti or the exploratores, were an ancient Roman reconnaissance agency.[1][2] They were part of the consularis and were used by the Roman military.[3][4][5] The speculatores were headquartered in the Castra Peregrina.[6][7]

This organization probably originated from previous Greek military spies and scouts. There are references to a Roman scouting agency operating during the Samnite Wars and the speculatores being employed during the Roman war with the Aequi.[8] Emperor Augustus reformed the Roman communications system. Among other reforms, he also added 10 speculatores to each legion.[9][10][11] There was one speculator per cohort.[12] They also served in the Praetorian Guard.[13][14] They also served as political police. Although they were replaced by the frumentarii as police in the third century.[15] As bodyguards, they were tasked with clearing the emperor's pathway of crowds. To do this, they used a type of non-lethal spear known as a lancea.[16][17] They also served as scouts, executioners, torturers, and assassins.[18] During their operations, they worked in small numbers. Usually in pairs or as individuals.[9] The speculatores were trained by an official known as a centurio exercitator to become skilled in fighting, horseriding, parading, and escorting.[19] Three other officials had important roles in the speculatores. These were the centurio and the centurio speculatorum,[20] centurio trecenarius, and the centurio speculatorum equitarum.[21] There were around 300 members of the speculatores.[22][23] They were chosen based on their discretion and loyalty.[24] Many speculatores would go on to become couriers.[25][26] Their duties lead to them becoming feared and despised by the populace.[18]

References

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  1. ^ Rankov 2015, p. 1.
  2. ^ Fuhrmann 2011, p. 119.
  3. ^ Hurley 2014, p. 193.
  4. ^ Golding 1951, p. 478-485.
  5. ^ Nelis-Clément 2015, p. 3.
  6. ^ Sheldon 2015, p. 13.
  7. ^ Rankov 1990, p. 167.
  8. ^ Sheldon 2004, p. 18.
  9. ^ a b Sheldon 2004, p. 165.
  10. ^ Triplat 2019, p. 458.
  11. ^ Rankov 2016, p. 24.
  12. ^ Kyrychenko 2014.
  13. ^ Ng 2012, p. 2.
  14. ^ Cowan 2014, p. 33.
  15. ^ Sheldon 2004, p. 167.
  16. ^ Speidel 2002.
  17. ^ Wolff 2015, p. 2.
  18. ^ a b Bunson 2014, p. 512.
  19. ^ Speidel 2002, p. 34, 56.
  20. ^ Coulston 2018, p. 177.
  21. ^ Cowan 2014, p. 32-33.
  22. ^ Bunson 2014, p. 315-316.
  23. ^ Busch 2007, p. 315-316.
  24. ^ Sheldon 2004, p. 122.
  25. ^ Sheldon 2004, p. 144.
  26. ^ Cairo 2015, p. 1.

Bibliography

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