Roman unit: Lanciarii Gallicani Honoriani

As I wrote in an another post the Roman army of the late period (4th-5th century) can be divided into two type of units: 

- limitanei: troops  garrisoned in the fortification along the borders of the Empire. A first line of defense from barbarian's attacks

- comitatenses: the field army that had to contrast a breach in the deep.

One of the most important document related Imperial army is the “Notitia Dignitatum”. 

Here there are the links to different versions that are free available in internet: Oxford version:

http://bodley30.bodley.ox.ac.uk:8180/luna/servlet/view/all/what/MS.+Canon.+Misc.+378?sort=Shelfmark%2cFolio_Page%2cRoll_%23%2cFrame_%23

Paris version:

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b6000542r.r=latin+9661.langEN

Munich version:

http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/bsb00005863/images/index.html?fip=193.174.98.30&seite=179&pdfseitex=

The Lanciarii Gallicani were a unit of comitatenses assigned to Magister Militum Gallic command.

The pattern of their shields is reported below (Oxford version) 

Second shield ot the second line (starting from left)

Unfortunately the color changed depending on the manuscript version.

My miniatures are Gripping beast (Vikings and Anglo-Saxon) modified

The name lanciarii comes from lancea: a spear that was used both thrusting and throwing. On contrary the name Honoriani refers probably to Emperor Honorius and gallicani to the place were (presumably) the unit was raised or were it served.

Some other photos related my miniatures with a detail of the command group ...

... and another formation

If someone is interested to the Roman army of the late Empire  it is possible to find more details in these books:
- A companion to the Roman Army - Paul ErdKamp - Blackwell Publishing 
- The grand strategy of the Roman Empire: from the first century AD to the third - Edward Luttwak
- L'esercito romano vol III - Giuseppe Cascarino e Carlo Sansilvestri - Ed Il cerchio
- L'esercito romano vol IV - Giuseppe Cascarino e Carlo Sansilvestri - Ed Il cerchio
- L'esercito romano: da Augusto alla fine del terzo secolo - Yann Le Bohec - Ed Carocci
- 9 agosto 378. Il giorno dei barbari - Alessandro Barbero - Ed Laterza
- Le Storie - Ammiano Marcellino - Ed Utet
- L'arte della guerra - Flavio Vegezio - Ed Bur
and many Osprey Publishing books.