Evocatus (plural Evocati) was the Latin term for soldiers in the Roman army, who had served out their time and obtained their discharge (missio), but had voluntarily enlisted again at the invitation of the consul or other commander.Dio Cassius, Roman History 45.12

There appears always to have been a considerable number of evocati in every army of importance; and when the general was a favourite among the soldiers, the number of veterans who joined his standard would of course be increased. The evocati were, doubtless, released, like the vexillarii, from the common military duties of fortifying the camp, making roads, et cetera,Tacitus, Annals, 1.36 and held a higher rank in the army than the common legionary soldiers. They are sometimes spoken of in conjunction with the equites Romani,Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico, 7.65 and sometimes classed with the centurions.Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Civili, The Civil War (Caesar)/Book 1#17 They appear to have been frequently promoted to a rank of centurions. Thus Pompey induced a great many of the veterans, who had served under him in former years, to join his standard at the outbreak of the civil war, with the promise of rewards and the command of centuries.ordinum, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Civili, The Civil War (Caesar)/Book 1#3 All the evocati could not, however, have rank as centurions,Ib. The Civil War (Caesar)/Book 3#88 nor could they belong to certain cohorts in the army. CiceroCicero, Epistulae ad Familiares, 3.6 §5 speaks of a Praefectus evocatorum,Cicero, Epistulae ad Familiares, 15.4 §3; Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Civili The Civil War (Caesar)/Book 3#91; Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars: Augustus 56; Justus Lipsius, ''De Militia Romana 1.8 an officer in charge of them.

The name of evocati was also given to a select body of young men of the equestrian order, who were appointed by Emperor Domitian to guard his bedchamber.Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars: Domitian, 10 This body is supposed by some writers to have existed under the succeeding emperors, and to have been the same as those who are called Evocati Augusti.Hyginus, de Lim. p209; Johann Caspar Orelli, Inscript. No. 3495, 153

References