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 organized its defense 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		Armies of Marcellinus of Dalamatia 454 to 468 AD	CR: H: 4 L: 4			BP: 2	Init: 5
Core
Number	Type	Description	Key	FV	PROT	Weapon	Cost
1	HC(d!)	Bucellarii	Key	5(1)0	+2	Lance/bow	15
2	LC	Illyricani	Key	2(0)0	+1	Javelin	7
3	FT	Mercenary warriors	Key	5(1)1	+1	Spear/bow	8
1	SI	Auxilia		3(1)2	+2	Javelins	2
1	SI	Auxilia		2(1)1	+2	Bows	2
Bonus:
O		DALMATIAN FORCES*
1	HC(d!)	Bucellarii	Key	4(1)0	+1	Lance/bow	12
2	HC(d!)	Mercenaries	Key	4(0)0	+1	Spears	10
1	LC	Illyricani	Key	2(0)0	+1	Javelins	7
1	FT	Mercenary Warriors	Key	5(1)1	+1	Spear/bow	8
3	FT	Limitanei	Key	4(1)1	+1	Spears	4
2	LI	Auxilia		3(1)2	+1	Javelins	5
1	SI	Auxilia		3(1)2	+2	Javelins	2
1	SI	Auxilia		2(1)1	+2	Bows	2
O		EASTERN FORCES**
1	HC(d!)	Clibanarii	Key	5(1)2	+2	Lance/bow	15
1	HC(d!)	Cavallarii	Key	4(0)0	+1	Bows	12
1	LC	Sagittarii	Key	1(0)0	+1	Bows	6
4	LHI	Auxilia Palatina***	Key	4(1)2	+1	Javelins	7
1	LI	Auxilia		3(1)1	+1	Bows	6
2	LI	Auxilia		3(1)2	+1	Javelins	5
1	SI	Auxilia		3(1)2	+2	Javelins	2
1	SI	Auxilia		2(1)1	+2	Bows	2
O		MERCENARY OSTROGOTHS
1	HC(d!)	Saiones	Key	5(1)0	+1	Lances	11
2	HC(d!)	Retainers	Key	4(0)0	+1	Spears	10
4	FT	Warriors	Key	5(1)1	+1	Spears/bows	8
2	SI	Youthful Warriors		2(1)1	+2	Bows	2
O		MERCENARY HUNS
3	LC	Huns	Key	2(0)0	+1	Bows	8
3	LC	Huns	Key	1(0)0	+1	Bows	6
O		MERCENARY SARMATIANS
1	HC	Sarmatian Riders	Key	5(1)0	+1	Lances	11

Terrain:

Core: 1 GR

Bonus: (Max: 3 )

2 GR, 2 SH, 1 RG, 1 W Notes:

Core: 95/96 Bonus: 272/274

*May not be used with Eastern Forces.

**May not be used with Dalmatian Forces.

***Up to 4 FT may be substituted. These may be either:

FT K 6(1)1 +1 Spears/bows at 10 pts. (legios palatina) or

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

You may mix and match the units in this line.

FV5 HC are Obligatory Chargers unless they are bow armed.

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.

From this list it is possible to construct forces for the 454 ‘rebellion’ by Marcellinus in Dalmatia following the murder of Aetius by Valentinian III, the expedition to Sicily in 457 against the Vandals, the army in Dalmatia in 462 (following Ricimer’s bribing of Marcellinus’ mercenaries), the 2nd expedition to Scilly in 464 with the support of Leo I, the army that accompanies Marcellinus and Antheminus to the West in 467 and the forces that rid Sicily and Sardinia of the Vandals in 464-468.

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

For players that wish to match army choices to ‘campaigns’ the following is a guide:

Dalmatia 454: Dalmatian, Ostrogoth, Hun, Sarmatian

Sicily 457: Dalmatian, Ostrogoth, Hun, Sarmatian

Dalmatia 462: Dalmatian, Ostrogoths

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

Antheminus 467: Eastern, Ostrogoth, Hun, Sarmatian

Sources: Procopius 'History of the Wars', 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