Cohors III Campestris

The Cohors III Campestris [civium Romanorum] [Antoniniana] ( German  3rd cohort Campestris [the Roman citizens] [the Antoninian] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas , inscriptions and brick stamps. In the military diploma of 179 it is referred to as Cohors III Campestrum . Possibly the unit is identical to the Numerus Campestrorum listed in an inscription.

Name components

• Campestris : ( Latin campester belonging to the field of Mars).

• civium Romanorum : the Roman citizen . The addition appears in military diplomas from 103/106 to 157 and inscriptions.

• Antoniniana : the Antoninian. An honorary title that refers to Caracalla (211-217). The addition appears in an inscription that is dated to 213.

Since there are no references to the additions to the name milliaria (1000 men) and equitata (partially mounted), it can be assumed that it is a Cohors quingenaria peditata , a pure infantry cohort. The nominal strength of the unit was 480 men, consisting of 6 Centuries with 80 men each.

history

The cohort was stationed in the provinces of Moesia superior and Dacia . It is listed on military diplomas for the years 103/106 to 179 AD.

The unit may have been stationed in the province of Pontus et Bithynia before being moved to Moesia superior . The first evidence of unity in Moesia superior is based on a diploma dated 103/106. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Moesia ) that were stationed in the province. Another diploma, dated 103/107, proves unity in the same province.

The cohort probably took part in Trajan's two Dacian wars and was then stationed in the new province. The first evidence of unity in Dacia is based on a diploma dated 109. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Dacia ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, which are dated from 110 to 124, prove the unit in the same province (or from 124 in Dacia superior ).

At an unspecified point in time, the cohort was relocated to Moesia superior , where it is again evidenced by diplomas dated 129 to 161. For the year 179 it is documented by a diploma in the province of Dacia superior .

The last evidence of unity is based on an inscription dated 238/244.

Locations

Cohort locations may have been:

• Drobeta : Inscriptions and bricks with the stamp COH III CAMP were found here.
• Cluj-Napoca : the inscription of Titus Scarvius Vitalis was found here.
• Viminacium ( Kostolac ): Bricks marked COH III CAMP were found here.
• Pontes ( Kostol )
• Porolissum ( Moigrad-Porolissum ): inscriptions and bricks with the stamp COH III were found here.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

Avonius Saturninus : he is named on the diploma of 179 as a commander. Gaius Valerius Gracilis : he is named on the diploma of 124 as a commander.

T (itus) Scarvius Vitalis, a tribune ( AE 1977, 700 )

Others

Aurelius Tara, a veteran ( AE 1971, 424 ) Fl (avius) Ianuarius, a centurion ( CIL 3, 7289 ) Iulius Ingenuus, a veteran ( ILJug-03, 01372 ) Liccaius Vinentis, a soldier and beneficiarius ( CIL 3, 14216.08 ) M (arcus) Ulpius Bato, a foot soldier: the diploma of 124 was issued to him.

P (ublius) Ael (ius) Papirianus, a centurion ( CIL 3, 14216,10 ) Ulpius Herculanus, a foot soldier: the diploma of 179 was issued to him. Valens Iangali, a soldier ( CIL 3, 7289 ) Valerius Lo [ng] inus, a veteran ( CIL 3, 1607 )

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units
• Roman forces in Dacia
• Roman forces in Moesia

literature

• Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea: Auxilia Moesiae Superioris , Mega Publishing House 2018, ISBN 978-606-020-063-5 ( online )
• 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

Remarks

1. ↑ John Spaul suspects that the nominal strength of the unit had sunk so much at this point in time that it was no longer listed as a cohort but as a number . For Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea, a connection between the Cohors III Campestris and the Numerus Campestrorum is uncertain. Marcus Reuter rejects the declaration that the Numerus Campestrorum was a detached division of the Cohors III Campestris .
2. ↑ According to Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea, the name may be derived from campus , the soldiers' training ground.
3. ↑ John Spaul assigns the unit to the citizen cohorts, i.e. H. Cohorts that were formed from Roman citizens when they were drawn up. Michael P. Speidel does not assume a citizen cohort, but assumes that the soldiers of the unit were given Roman citizenship as an award at a certain point in time. Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea tend to think that it was a citizen cohort.
4. ↑ It has been suggested by historians that the unit was a Cohors milliaria , since Titus Scarvius Vitalis indicates his rank with tribune . John Spaul and Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea point out, however, that there is no evidence for milliaria and that the rank tribune therefore speaks more for a citizen cohort.
5. ↑ Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea refer to the inscription ( AE 1995, 1425 ) that was found in today's Amasra as evidence of the cohort's stay in Pontus et Bithynia . John Spaul assigns this inscription to the Cohors I Campanorum . The reading of the EDCS is cohortis camp (anae) .
6. ↑ ^{a b} Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea consider it probable that the cohort was divided between the camps in Drobeta and Pontes (on the opposite bank of the Danube).

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Inscription ( CIL 3, 1607 )
2. ↑ Inscriptions with civium Romanorum ( AE 2015, 1127 , AE 2015, 1142 )
3. ↑ Inscription with Antoniniana ( AE 2015, 1142 )
4. ^ ^{A b} John Spaul , Cohors², pp. 19-20, 30-31
5. ^ 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. 164, 169 tables 8, 11 ( PDF ).
6. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea, Auxilia, pp. 43–45, 98–100, 128–135.
7. ↑ Military diplomas of the years 103/106 ( RMM 13 ), 103/107 ( CIL 16, 54 ), 109 ( RMD 3, 148 ), 110 ( CIL 16, 57 ), 113/114 ( RMD 4, 225 ), 124 ( ZPE-175-248 ), 129 ( ZPE-207-224 ), 133 ( RMD 4, 247 ), 135 ( ZPE-203-227 ), 137 ( ZPE-194-236 ), 151 ( RMM 31 ), 152 / 161 ( ZPE-192-234 ), 157 ( Chiron-2008-286 , RMD 5, 418 , RMM 37 , ZPE-165-237 ), 158/159 ( RMD 5, 419 ), 159 ( CIL 16, 111 ), 160 ( RMM 40 ), 161 ( RMD 1, 55 ) and 179 ( RMD 2, 123 ).
8. ^ Inscription ( AE 2001, 1707 )
9. ↑ Inscriptions from Drobeta ( CIL 3, 14216.08 , CIL 3, 14216.10 )
10. ^ Bricks from Drobeta ( CIL 3, 01703,2 ).
11. ↑ Inscriptions from Porolissum ( AE 2015, 1127 , AE 2015, 1142 )
12. ↑ Bricks from Porolissum ( IDR-App-01-30, 00001 to 00219, IDR-App-01-31, 00001 to 00029, IDR-App-01-32, 00001 to 00292, IDR-App-01-33, 00001 to 00017, IDR-App-01-34, 00001 to 00016).
13. ↑ ^{a b} Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: Sex. Iulius Severus, cos. suff. 126, and his military diplomas (PA 456) In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik , Volume 175 (2010), pp. 247-257, here p. 254 ( online ).