The paper deals with some features of Late Roman military organization in the Near East in 333-337, the last years of Constantine the Great’s rule. The author turned to epigraphic evidence (Latin building inscriptions) and compared them with the data of narrative sources (Ammianus Marcellinus, Arabic historiographical tradition, which relates about interrelations of Rome and Arabian tribes at the beginning of the 4th century, and also one little-studied Coptic papyrus). The evidence of such sources demonstrates that Near East provinces during that period were protected by military units which were called agrarienses , i.е. «guard outposts»; these units were alae, cohorts and vexillations (mobile cavalry detachments). The territorial deployment of agrarienses units depended clearly on the location of reservoirs and water storages, as their main task was to protect such water storages. Nevertheless, in 325/326 the Near East garrisons were reinforced by new detachments, the units of Arabian tribal cavalry, which were under command of their own chief Imrulkais. These tribal units migrated in the province of Arabia by the decision of Constantine the Great and received from him the status of federates, while Imrulkais himself became the phylarchos, a military ally of Rome. Then Constantine I established a temporary and extraordinary office of dux Orientis to ensure coordinated command of both local regular frontier garrisons and Imrulkais’ units. The office of dux Orientis is mentioned in a newly-found inscription that was published in 2016.
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