Cohors IV Aquitanorum

The dedicatory inscription of Lucius Petronius Florentinus ( AE 1903, 381 )

The Cohors IV (or IIII ) Aquitanorum [equitata] [civium Romanorum] [Commodiana] ( German  4th cohort of the Aquitanians [partly mounted] [the Roman citizens] [the Commodian] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas , inscriptions and brick stamps.

Name components

• Aquitanorum : the Aquitaine . When the unit was set up, the soldiers of the cohort were recruited from the various Aquitaine tribes in the Roman province of Gallia Aquitania .

• equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The addition appears in several inscriptions.

• civium Romanorum : the Roman citizen. The soldiers of the unit had been granted Roman citizenship at one point in time. However, this did not apply to soldiers who were accepted into the unit after this point in time. They received Roman citizenship only with their honorable farewell ( Honesta missio ) after 25 years of service. The addition appears in several inscriptions.

• Commodiana : the Commodian. An honorary title that refers to Commodus (180–192). The addition appears in the inscription ( AE 2003, 1274 ) at a point that was subsequently chiseled out.

Since there is no evidence of the addition of milliaria (1000 men) to the name , the unit was a Cohors (quingenaria) equitata . The nominal strength of the cohort was 600 men (480 infantry and 120 horsemen), consisting of 6 centuries of infantry with 80 men each and 4 tower cavalry with 30 horsemen each.

history

The cohort was stationed in the provinces of Germania and Germania superior (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years AD 74-134.

The first evidence of unity in Germania is based on a diploma dated 74. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Germania ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, dated between 82 and 134, prove the unit in the same province (or from 90 in Germania superior ).

The last evidence of the cohort is based on the inscription ( CIL 13, 6742 ), which is dated to 210.

Locations

Locations of the cohort in Germania were possibly:

• Friedberg Castle ( Friedberg )
• Fort Obernburg ( Obernburg am Main ): The inscriptions of Lucius Petronius Florentinus were found here.

Bricks with the stamps COH IIII A and COH IIII AQ were found in Friedberg and Obernburg.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

C (aius) Tet [t] ius Secundus, a prefect ( AE 1964, 150 )

L (ucius) Petronius Florentinus, a prefect ( AE 1903, 381 , AE 1903, 382 , AE 2003, 1274 )

Others

Marcellinius Marcianus, possibly a Cornicen ( CIL 13, 6742 ) M (arcus) Rubrius Zosimus, a medicus ( AE 1903, 382 )

Ti (berius) Iul (ius) Niger, a centurion ( CIL 13, 17 )

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units
• Roman armed forces in Germania

Web links

Commons : Cohors IV Aquitanorum  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b} John Spaul: Cohors² The evidence for and a short history of the auxiliary infantry units of the Imperial Roman Army , British Archaeological Reports 2000, BAR International Series (Book 841), ISBN 978-1841710464 , pp. 139-140, 149 -150
2. ^ Jörg Scheuerbrandt : Exercitus. Tasks, organization and command structure of Roman armies during the imperial era. Dissertation, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg im Breisgau 2003/2004, p. 159 table 3 ( PDF p. 161 ).
3. ↑ Military diplomas of the years 74 ( CIL 16, 20 ), 82 ( CIL 16, 28 ), 90 ( CIL 16, 36 , RMD 5, 333 ), 116 ( CIL 16, 62 ), 129 ( RMD 2, 90 ) and 134 ( CIL 16, 80 ).
4. ↑ brick temple Friedberg ( CIL 13, 12417 ), Obernburg ( AE 1903 00384b , CIL 13, 12416 ).