View source for Bucellarii

{{Short description|Roman Empire escort troops}}
{{RomanMilitary}}

'''Bucellarii''' (the [[Latin language|Latin]] plural of ''Bucellarius''; literally "biscuit–eater",{{sfn|Dixon|Southern|1996|page=72}} ''{{langx|el|Βουκελλάριοι}}'') were formations of escort troops used in the [[Roman Empire]] in [[Late Antiquity]].{{sfn|Coulston|2018|page=270}}{{efn|They are also described as "militarily organized bodyguards" or "elite defence forces".{{sfn|Prinzing|2008|page=662}}}} They were employed by high-ranking military figures (such as [[Flavius Aetius]] and [[Belisarius]]) or civil office-holders.{{sfn|Coulston|2018|page=270}}{{sfn|Prinzing|2008|page=662}} Their name is derived from the type of bread rations eaten by these troops, so-called ''buccellatum''.{{sfn|Coulston|2018|page=270}} The term ''bucellarii'' came into common use during the reign of Emperor [[Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]] ({{reign|395|423}}).{{sfn|Coulston|2018|page=270}} 

According to [[Jon Coulston]], one ''bucellarii'' regiment is attested in the ''[[Notitia Dignitatum]]''.{{sfn|Coulston|2018|page=270}} The creation of the ''bucellarii'' reflected an increase in the "use of armed retinues by public officials" in the Roman Empire.{{sfn|Coulston|2018|page=270}} These armies were, therefore, associated with the decline of imperial authority because they demonstrated that it no longer had the monopoly of violence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Mercenaries and Paid Men: The Mercenary Identity in the Middle Ages : Proceedings of a Conference Held at University of Wales, Swansea, 7th-9th July 2005|url=https://archive.org/details/mercenariespaidm00fran|url-access=limited|last=France|first=John|date=2008|publisher=BRILL|isbn=9789004164475|location=Leiden|pages=[https://archive.org/details/mercenariespaidm00fran/page/n201 189]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=AD69: Emperors, Armies and Anarchy|last=Fields|first=Nic|date=2014|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=9781781591888|location=Barnsley, UK}}</ref> The ''bucellarius'' had close ties with its commander, supporting him in his quarrel with other commanders and even against the Empire, court, and emperor. This is shown by the army of [[Heraclianus|Heraclian]], which was used in his attempt to seize [[Italy|Roman Italy]] from [[Honorius (emperor)|Emperor Honorius]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=War and Society in the Roman World|last1=Rich|first1=John|last2=Shipley|first2=Graham|date=2002|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0203075544|location=London|pages=269}}</ref> 

Coulston notes that the ''bucellarii'' provided the best cavalry in 5th and 6th century Roman armies, and were "recruited from Romans, [[Sasanian Empire|Persians]], [[Goths]], and [[Huns]], amongst others".{{sfn|Coulston|2018|page=270}} The recruitment of soldiers of barbarian origin is well-documented as evidenced in the description of the army inherited by [[Constantius III|Constantius]]' widow [[Galla Placidia]].<ref name=":2" /> The poet [[Claudian]] also described the ''bucellarii'' as an army of barbarians under the employ of military figures, politicians, and warlords such as [[Stilicho]], Aetius, and the [[praetorian prefect]] [[Rufinus (consul)|Rufinus]].<ref name=":1" />

The ''bucellarii'' generally received the highest salaries and were armed with the best equipment from the empire's factories.{{sfn|Heather|2018|page=54}} Some sources state that the ''bucellarii'' were mercenaries and describe their leaders as soldiers of fortune.<ref name=":0" /> This was particularly the case for the military companies that operated in Italy from the sixth to seventh centuries.<ref name=":0" />

==See also==
* [[Bucellarian Theme]]
* [[Ka'ak]]

== Explanatory notes==
{{notelist}}

== Citations ==
{{reflist}}

== General and cited sources ==
{{sfn whitelist|CITEREFCoulston2018}}
* {{Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity|title=bucellarii|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198662778.001.0001/acref-9780198662778-e-816?rskey=XDBWCZ&result=3|first=Jon|last=Coulston}}
* {{cite book |last1=Dixon |first1=Karen R. |last2=Southern |first2=Pat |author-link2=Pat Southern |title=Late Roman Army |date=1996 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1134724222}}
* {{cite book |last1=Heather |first1=Peter |author-link=Peter Heather|title=Rome Resurgent: War and Empire in the Age of Justinian |date=2018 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199362745}}
* {{cite book |last1=Prinzing |first1=Günter |editor1-last=Jeffreys |editor1-first=Elizabeth |editor2-last=Haldon |editor2-first=John F. |editor3-last=Cormack |editor3-first=Robin |editor1-link=Elizabeth Jeffreys |editor3-link=Robin Cormack |title=The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies |date=2008 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0199252466 |chapter=Patronage and retinues}}

{{Byzantine Empire topics}}

[[Category:Late Roman military units]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:Types of cavalry unit in the army of ancient Rome]]

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