alarii

ALA´RII[ALA]

were the troops of the allies in the Roman army, and were so called because they were usually stationed in the wings (alae). The alarii consisted of both horse and foot soldiers, and were commanded by praefects, in the same manner as the legions were commanded by tribunes. The cavalry of the allies were called equites alarii, to distinguish them from the cavalry of the legions (equites legionarii); and the infantry-soldiers were called cohortes alariae, to distinguish them from the cohortes legionariae.