Simplistically there are two views of Marcellinus; one that he was a former Western army commander who, following the murder of Aetius by Valentinian III, performed a coup and formed a final enclave of Roman ideals in a quasi-independent and isolated Dalamatia (which probably fell under the aegis of the eastern Emperors in 437, however, the sources conflict on this point). He organised its defence by the hiring of Ostrogothic and Hunnic mercenaries through his own coffers and through deals with Western (Majorian) and Eastern (Leo I) emperors in the prosecution of military missions.

The other view is that he was a rich, opportunistic freebooter who’s power base was limited to his influence in the important city and port of Salona; he used his wealth to hire and retain mercenaries and he made deals with whichever emperor or administration to provided him with support, power and the means to finance military strength.

Era: Triumph of Cavalry		Marcellinus of Dalmatia 454 to 468 AD	CR: H: 4 L: 4			BP: 2	Init: 5
Core
Number	Type	Description	Key	FV	PROT	Weapon	Cost
1	HC	Bucellarii (d!)	X	5[1]0	+2	Lance/Bow	15
2	LC	Illyricani	X	2[0]0	+1	Javelin	7
3	FT	Mercenary Warriors*	X	5[1]1	+1	Spear/Bow	8
1	SI	Auxilia		3[1]2	+2	Javelin	2
1	SI	Auxilia		2[1]1	+2	Bow	2
Bonus:
O		Dalmatian Forces#
1	HC	Buccellarii	X	4[1]0	+1	Lance/Bow	12
2	HC	Mercenaries	X	4[0]0	+1	Spear/Javelin	10
1	LC	Illyricani	X	2[0]0	+1	Javelin	7
1	FT	Mercenary Warriors*	X	5[1]1	+1	Spear/Bow	8
3	FT	Limitianei	X	4[1]1	+1	Spear	4
2	LI	Auxilia		3[1]2	+1	Javelin	5
1	SI	Auxilia		3[1]2	+2	Javelin	2
1	SI	Auxilia		2[1]1	+2	Bow	2
O
O		Eastern Forces**
1	HC	Clibanarii (d!)	X	5[1]0	+2	Lance/Bow	15
1	HC	Cavallarii (d!)	X	4[0]0	+1	Lance/Bow	12
1	LC	Sagittari	X	2[0]0	+1	Javelin	7
4	LHI	Auxilia Palatina ##	X	4[1]2	+1	Javelin	7
1	LI	Auxilia	X	3[1]2	+1	Bow	6
2	LI	Auxilila		3[1]2	+1	Javelin	5
1	SI	Auxilia		3[1]2	+2	Javelin	2
2	SI	Auxilia		2[1]1	+2	Bow	2
O
O		Mercenary Ostrogoths*#
1	HC	Saiones (d)	X	5[1]0	+1	Lance	11
2	HC	Retainers (d)	X	4[0]0	+1	Lance	10
4	FT	Warriors*	X	5[1]1	+1	Spear/Bow	8
2	SI			2[1]1	+2	Bow	2
O
O		Mercenary Huns*#
3	LC	Huns	X	2[0]0	+1	Various/Bow	8
3	LC	Huns	X	1[0]0	+1	Bow	6
O
O		Mercenary Sarmatians
1		Sarmatian Riders	X	5[1]0	+2	Lance	12

Terrain:

Core: 1GR

Bonus: (Max: 3 ) 2GR, 2SH, 1RG, 1 W

Notes:

Core: 95 Bonus: 278

Unit/Army Specific Notes

*Any or all of the Mercenary Warrior or Warrior units from these lines may also be fielded as FT 5{1]1 +1 K with Spear (6 points) and an additional SI 2[1]1 +2 with Bow (2 points).

#May not be used with Eastern Forces

**May not be used with Dalmatian Forces.

##These four LHI units may also be fielded as either:

(1) FT K 6(1)1 +1 Spears at 8 pts. (legios palatina) or

(2) FT K 5(1)1 +1 Spears/bows at 8 pts (legios comitatenses) or

(3) FT K 5(1)1 +1 Spears at 6pnts and SI Bow @ 2pts

You may mix and match the units in this line in any combination.

*#Huns and Ostrogoths may not be used in the same army.

General Notes

FV5 HC are Obligatory Chargers unless they are bow armed.

Whenever possible, a minimum of 16 points must be purchased from any bonus package if any troops from that package are purchased.

Light troops from any 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.

For accuracy no Eastern forces should be used for games pre 464.

From this list it is possible to construct several specific forces which fought under Marcellinus, including:

(1) the 454 ‘rebellion’ by Marcellinus in Dalmatia following the murder of Aetius by Valentinian III;

(2) the expedition to Sicily in 457 against the Vandals;

(3) the army in Dalmatia in 462 (following Ricimer’s bribing of Marcellinus’ mercenaries);

(4) the 2nd expedition to Scilly in 464 with the support of Leo I

(5) the army that accompanies Marcellinus and Antheminus to the West in 467; and

(6) the forces that rid Sicily and Sardinia of the Vandals in 464-468.

For players which choose to use one of these campaign armies, we offer the following guide:

Dalmatia 454: Dalmatian, Ostrogoth or Hun, Sarmatian

Sicily 457: Dalmatian, Ostrogoth or Hun, Sarmatian

Dalmatia 462: Dalmatian, Ostrogoths

Sicily/Sardinia 464-8: Eastern, Ostrogoth or Hun, Sarmatian

Antheminus 467: Eastern, Ostrogoth or Hun, Sarmatian

Sources: Procopius 'History of the Wars', Drinkwater etc. ‘Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire’, MacGeorge 'Late Roman Warlords', Maechen-Helfen 'The World of the Huns', Kulikowski 'Marcellinus 'of Dalmatia' and the dissolution of the fifth-century Empire'.

List Author: O\'Cahan