Marcellinus (magister Militum and Patrician) - Source of Power

Source of Power

A topic of much debate concerns Marcellinus' source of power, mainly the forces under his command. This aspect becomes important in understanding his role as a player in the political and military theater of the Western Empire. A noteworthy comment on his army is that he is said that his troops were said to have always been well-equipped; to say that in an age when the armies in the west were declining this becomes especially important.

As the comes rei militaris Dalmatiae Marcellinus had a substantial fleet at his disposal which was based at Salona, and which would become of great importance in his career. From giving him the necessary means to threaten Italy with invasion, his ability to invade and secure Sicily on two occasions and from whence he accompanied Anthemius with an army from the East as well as forces of his own to install Anthemius as Emperor.

As for his land forces, we know for certain he had Hunnic troops. But it is not clear if these were federate forces or mercenaries. Regardless of which one they are, it not surprising he had Huns in his army since break up of the Hunnic Empire came in 454. He also had manpower to draw on from north of the Sava River and from traditional recruiting grounds in the Dalmatian interior. Perhaps most important of all, and the source of the "well-equipped" phrase is that Marcellinus had within his region the Imperial arms factory of Dalmatia and a naval arsenal at Salona and access to mining resources of lead in Domavia and iron in the Sava Valley. Due to the geography of Dalmatia which deterred approach from land, (for the coastal cities), and his control of the Adriatic Marcellinus was quite unassailable which allowed him to become very active in major areas of the West.