The Auxiliarius (auxiliary) were soldiers in the Roman army recruited from the Provinces of the Roman Empire (most frequently Gaul, Hispania, Thracia, North Africa, the Near East, and the German frontier). While Roman citizens usually served in the infantry of the Legions, they tended to not be so skilled in other roles, such as cavalry. Peoples from the Provinces, who were more skilled in these roles, were used to occupy these positions. Sometimes, Auxilia brought their specialty to the army. The eastern Mediterranean lands (Crete, Syria, Arabia) had skilled Sagittarii (archers), while the Balearic Isles (Majorca and Minorca) had skilled Funditors (people who used slings), as well as (oddly enough) swimmers, who were supposed to guide horses across rivers. They were more lightly equipped