Cohors II Alpinorum

The military diploma of July 5, AD 149 ( CIL 16, 97 )

The Cohors II Alpinorum [equitata] ( German 2nd cohort of alpine inhabitants [partially mounted] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas , inscriptions and brick stamps. In the inscription ( AE 1974, 454 ) it is referred to as Cohors II Alpina .

Name components

Alpinorum : the alpine dweller. When the unit was set up, the soldiers of the cohort were recruited from the tribes that settled in the Alps around the Roman province of Gallia cisalpina .

equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The addition appears in the inscription ( CIL 3, 3646 ).

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 tombstone of Iovincatus ( AE 1974, 454 )

The cohort was stationed in the provinces of Illyricum and Pannonia (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years AD 60 to 163.

The first evidence of unity in the province of Illyricum is based on a diploma dated to the year 60. The cohort was then possibly during the reign of Vespasian (69-79) in the province of Germania .

At an unspecified time the unit was relocated to the province of Pannonia . The first evidence in Pannonia is based on a diploma which is dated to the year 84. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Pannonia ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, which are dated from 102 to 163, prove the unit in the same province (or from 110 in Pannonia inferior and from 126 in Pannonia superior ).

The last evidence of the cohort is based on the inscription ( AE 1982, 799 ), which is dated to 222/235.

Locations

Locations of the cohort in Pannonia were possibly:

Ad Flexum ( Mosonmagyaróvár )
Cirpi ( Dunabogdány ): Several inscriptions have been found here.
Mursa ( Osijek ): The tombstone of Velagenus Ulattius was found here.
Quadrata ( Lébény ): bricks marked COH II A ( RHP 236 ) were found here.

Bricks with the stamp COH II ALP ( AE 1966, 00301a ) were found in Baratfold.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

[?], a prefect ( CIL 14, 3903 )
A (ulus) Plautius Bassianus, a prefect ( CIL 3, 3646 )
Cl (audius) Claudianus, a prefect ( AE 1982, 798 )

M (arcus) Longinius Longus: he is named on the diploma of 154 as the commander of the cohort.
T (itus) Caesius Marti []: he is named on the diploma of 152 as the commander of the cohort.

Others

[?], a soldier and Vexillarius ( CIL 3, 3261 )
Ael (ius) Serenianus, a soldier ( CIL 3, 6454 )
Iovincatus, a veteran ( AE 1974, 454 )
Longinus, a Centurion ( AE 1913, 135 )
P (ublius) Petron (ius) Ursus, a rider and Tubicen ( CIL 3, 10589 )

Primus, a custos armorum ( AE 1913, 135 )
Sep (timius) Bauleus, a horseman and Capsarius ( CIL 3, 13386 )
Tertius, a foot soldier: the diploma of 152 was issued to him.
Ursio, a foot soldier: the diploma of 154 was issued to him.
Velagenus Ulattius, a horseman ( AE 1913, 135 )

Web links

Commons : Cohors II Alpinorum - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

↑ ^a ^b Since the tombstone of Iovincatus was found in Cologne, John Spaul considers it possible for the cohort to stay in the province of Germania inferior .

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b ^c ^d ^e 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 , p. 257, 264-265
^ Jörg Scheuerbrandt : Exercitus. Tasks, organization and command structure of Roman armies during the imperial era. Dissertation, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg im Breisgau 2003/2004, pp. 161–163 Tables 5–7 ( PDF pp. 163–165 ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 60 ( CIL 16, 4 ), 84 ( CIL 16, 30 ), 102 ( CIL 16, 47 ), 110 ( CIL 16, 164 ), 114 ( RMD 3, 153 ), 126 ( RMD 4, 236 ), 133 ( CIL 16, 76 ), 134 ( RMD 4, 250 ), 146 ( CIL 16, 178 ), 148 ( CIL 16, 96 ), 149 ( CIL 16, 97 ), 152 ( RMD 5, 406 ), 153 ( AE 2010, 1863 ), 154 ( CIL 16, 104 ), 156/160 ( RMM 00042 ), 159 ( ZPE-181-194 ), 161 ( RMD 3, 176 , RMD 5, 430 ) and 163 ( RMD 1 , 62 ).
^ Barnabás Lőrincz , Sándor Petényi: Two new military diplomas from Pannonia In: Journal for papyrology and epigraphy . Volume 101 (1994), pp. 197-204, here pp. 202-203 ( PDF ).

[AN-4] Since the tombstone of Iovincatus was found in Cologne, John Spaul considers it possible for the cohort to stay in the province of Germania inferior .

[jsp-1] A ^b ^c ^d ^e 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 , p. 257, 264-265

[js-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, pp. 161–163 Tables 5–7 ( PDF pp. 163–165 ).

[MD-3] Military diplomas of the years 60 ( CIL 16, 4 ), 84 ( CIL 16, 30 ), 102 ( CIL 16, 47 ), 110 ( CIL 16, 164 ), 114 ( RMD 3, 153 ), 126 ( RMD 4, 236 ), 133 ( CIL 16, 76 ), 134 ( RMD 4, 250 ), 146 ( CIL 16, 178 ), 148 ( CIL 16, 96 ), 149 ( CIL 16, 97 ), 152 ( RMD 5, 406 ), 153 ( AE 2010, 1863 ), 154 ( CIL 16, 104 ), 156/160 ( RMM 00042 ), 159 ( ZPE-181-194 ), 161 ( RMD 3, 176 , RMD 5, 430 ) and 163 ( RMD 1 , 62 ).

[bl-5] Barnabás Lőrincz , Sándor Petényi: Two new military diplomas from Pannonia In: Journal for papyrology and epigraphy . Volume 101 (1994), pp. 197-204, here pp. 202-203 ( PDF ).