Ecdicius was the son of the emperor Avitus and brother-in-law of Sidonius Appollonaris. Ecdicius became the champion of his countrymen during the last resistance of Auvergne to Euric the Goth’s aggression. Ecdicius continued the policy of his father Avitus in conciliating the barbaric princes, and his diplomacy confirmed the Burgundians in their support of the Gallo-Romans against Euric. He was confirmed as Magister Militum by Julius Nepos in 474, but his career was short lived.
| Era: Triumph of Cavalry | Ecdicius in Southern Gaul 470 to 475 AD | CR: H: 4 L: 3 | BP: 2 | Init: 5 | ||||
| Core | ||||||||
| Number | Type | Description | Key | FV | PROT | Weapon | Cost | |
| 1 | HC(d) | Buccellarii* | Key | 5(1)0 | +1 | Lance/bow | 13 | |
| 1 | HC(d) | Buccellarii* | Key | 5(1)0 | +1 | Lance | 11 | |
| 1 | HC(d) | Lesser Buccellarii | Key | 4(1)0 | +1 | Lance | 10 | |
| 1 | LC | Roman | Key | 2(0)0 | +1 | Javelins | 7 | |
| 1 | FT | Buccellarii pedites | Key | 6(1)1 | +1 | Spears | 8 | |
| 2 | FT | Foederati | Key | 5(1)1 | +1 | Spears | 6 | |
| 1 | FT | Gallo-Roman militia | Key | 4(0)0 | +0 | Various | 4 | |
| 2 | SI | 3(1)2 | +2 | Javelins | 2 | |||
| 1 | SI | 2(1)1 | +2 | Bows | 2 | |||
| Bonus: | ||||||||
| 1 | HC | Alans | Key | 5(1)0 | +2 | Lances | 12 | |
| 1 | HC | Gallo-Roman | Key | 4(0)0 | +1 | Various | 10 | |
| 1 | LC | Roman | Key | 2(0)0 | +1 | Javelins | 7 | |
| 2 | FT | Foederati | Key | 5(1)1 | +1 | Spears | 6 | |
| 2 | FT | Pseudo-comitatenses | Key | 4(1)1 | +1 | Spears | 4 | |
| 4 | FT | Gallo-Roman militia | Key | 4(0)0 | 0 | Various | 4 | |
| 2 | LI | Auxilia | 3(1)2 | +1 | Javelins | 5 | ||
| 1 | LI | Auxilia | 2(1)1 | +1 | Bows | 4 | ||
| 2 | SI | 3(1)2 | +2 | Javelins | 2 | |||
| 2 | SI | 2(1)1 | +2 | Bows | 2 | |||
| O | BURGUNDIAN ALLIES* | |||||||
| 1 | HC | Burgundians | Key | 4(0)0 | +1 | Various | 10 | |
| 2 | FT | Burgundians | Key | 5(1)1 | +1 | Spears | 6 | |
| 1 | SI | 3(1)2 | +2 | Javelins | 2 | |||
| 1 | SI | 2(1)1 | +2 | Bows | 2 | |||
Terrain:
Core: 1 GR
Bonus: (Max: 3 ) 3 GR, 1 SH, 1 RG, 1 W
Notes:
Core: 106 Bonus: 113
* Only one line may chosen. There is some debate as to whether this cavalry had bows. Therefore a choice is provided.
All FV5 Cavalry, even those armed with bow, are subject to Obligatory Charge
** If any Burgundians are bought, all must be bought
Light troops from the Burgundian package only count against the requirement for purchasing all light troops in order to acquire an extra light division if any troops from that package are purchased.
There is a story of Ecdicius and his 10 or 15 or 18 companions who performed Robin Hood type deeds against the Goths. This may originate in a scenario where Ecdicius raced ahead of his army with just his own small guard to break into the city of Arverna and raise its morale enough to get it to hold out until his relief force could get there, or it may have been that Ecdicius’s own private army, his raised militia and the rump of the Army of Gaul that remained in the south was supplemented by up to 18 other Gallo-Roman luminaries with their own groups of bucellarii of varying size. I favour something along the lines of the latter view.
When Ecdicius fails in his mission, with the loss of Arverna, and is called to Ravenna to face the music; he does not answer the summons. Orestes is made Magister Militum in his place in 475.
Sources:
‘Late Roman Warlords’: Penny MacGeorge citing: Priscus, Gregory of Tours’, Gallic Chronicle 511, Hydatius, Marius of Avenches, Liber Historiae Francorum. ‘History Of The Franks’: Gregory of Tours; Sidonius: Letters
Author: O’Cahan
List Author: O Cahan