Cohors III Augusta Cyrenaica

The inscription of Caius Vibius Quartus ( CIL 3, 647 )

The Cohors III Augusta Cyrenaica [sagittariorum or sagittaria] [equitata] ( German 3rd cohort the Augustan tables from the Cyrenaica [the archers] [partly mounted] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by a military diploma and inscriptions.

Name components

Augusta : the Augustan tables. The honorary title refers to Augustus ; the unit was either established during the reign of Augustus or the title was later conferred honoris causa .

Cyrenaica : from the Cyrenaica . The soldiers of the cohort were recruited when the unit was established in the area of Cyrenaica within the Roman province of Creta et Cyrene .

sagittariorum or sagittaria : the archer. The addition appears in the inscription ( AE 1896, 10 ).

equitata : partially mounted. The unit was possibly a mixed formation of infantry and cavalry.

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

history

The cohort was stationed in the province of Moesia in the early imperial period and was probably relocated to the east of the Roman Empire together with the Legio V Macedonica around AD 62 . Since she is not listed on any of the military diplomas for Syria Province , she will have left Syria before '88.

The first evidence of unity in the province of Galatia et Cappadocia is based on a military diploma dated to AD 101. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Cappadocia ) that were stationed in the province. It was then around 135 part of the armed forces that Arrian mobilized for his campaign against the Alans (ἔκταξις κατ᾽ Ἀλανῶν). Arrian mentions in his report a unit that he calls οἱ Κυρηναῖοι.

The last evidence of the cohort is based on the inscription ( AE 1888, 125 ), which is dated 180/199.

Locations

The locations of the cohort are not known.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

C (aius) Aelius Quirinus Domitianus Gaurus, a prefect (around 180/199) ( AE 1888, 125 )
C (aius) Vibius Quartus, a prefect ( CIL 3, 647 ). He was also Decurio of Ala I Scubulorum .

Publilius Memorialis, a prefect (around 98/117) ( AE 1896, 10 )

Web links

Commons : Cohors III Augusta Cyrenaica - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

↑ Michael Alexander Speidel and Jörg Scheuerbrandt indicate the unit as equitata , but John Spaul does not.

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b ^c 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 978-1-84171-046-4 , Pp. 5-7, 383-384, 388
^ ^A ^b ^c Michael Alexander Speidel : The Development of the Roman Forces in Northeastern Anatolia. New evidence for the history of the exercitus Cappadocicus. , Special print from: MA Speidel, Heer und Herrschaft im Römischen Reich der Hohen Kaiserzeit, Stuttgart 2009, pp. 595–631, here pp. 603, 605–606, 614 ( online ).
^ Jörg Scheuerbrandt : Exercitus. Tasks, organization and command structure of Roman armies during the imperial era. Dissertation, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg im Breisgau 2003/2004, pp. 64–65 ( PDF pp. 62-63 ).

[EQ-2] Michael Alexander Speidel and Jörg Scheuerbrandt indicate the unit as equitata , but John Spaul does not.

[jsp-1] A ^b ^c 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 978-1-84171-046-4 , Pp. 5-7, 383-384, 388

[mas-3] A ^b ^c Michael Alexander Speidel : The Development of the Roman Forces in Northeastern Anatolia. New evidence for the history of the exercitus Cappadocicus. , Special print from: MA Speidel, Heer und Herrschaft im Römischen Reich der Hohen Kaiserzeit, Stuttgart 2009, pp. 595–631, here pp. 603, 605–606, 614 ( online ).

[js-4] Jörg Scheuerbrandt : Exercitus. Tasks, organization and command structure of Roman armies during the imperial era. Dissertation, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg im Breisgau 2003/2004, pp. 64–65 ( PDF pp. 62-63 ).