Equites stablesiani

[3][4] The Notitia Dignitatum (400–c.425) lists at least 15 units of equites stablesiani stationed throughout the Roman Empire, seven in the East, eight in the West.

Hoffmann suggests that these units were raised from a corps of grooms, which, he hypothesises, were originally attached to new cavalry vexillationes created under Gallienus.

[5] Along similar lines, Speidel first argued that equites stablesiani were formed from stratores, soldiers (from both legions and auxilia) who had previously been seconded to the staff of provincial governors as grooms, equerries and/or bodyguards.

[3] More recently, Speidel, rejecting this earlier thesis, supposes that the designation equites stablesiani originally applied to those cavalry units which were temporarily stationed in north-western Italy during the reign of Gallienus under the command of Aureolus, whom Speidel identifies as stabulensis, a senior officer in charge of the imperial stables.

Later, probably during the Tetrarchy and/or the reign of Constantine I, most units of this class were permanently assigned to the garrisons of frontier provinces.