Cohors II Augusta Nerviana Pacensis Brittonum

The Cohors II Augusta Nerviana (or Nervia ) Pacensis Brittonum [milliaria] [Antoniniana] [pia fidelis] ( German  2nd cohort Augusta Nerviana Pacensis of the British [1000 men] [the Antoninian] [loyal and loyal] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas , inscriptions and brick stamps. In the military diplomas of 99/110, 133 and 161/162 it is referred to as Cohors II Brittonum , in the diploma of 105 as Cohors II Brittonum Augusta Nerviana Pacensis , in the diploma of 123 as Cohors II Augusta Brittonum and in the diplomas of 164 and 165 as well as an inscription as Cohors II Nerviana (or Nervia ) Brittonum .

Name components

• Augusta Nerviana Pacensis : the origin of the name is uncertain.

• Brittonum : the British. The soldiers of the cohort were recruited from the various British tribes in the Roman province of Britannia when the unit was established .

• milliaria : 1000 men. Depending on whether it was an infantry cohort ( Cohors milliaria peditata ) or a mixed association of infantry and cavalry ( Cohors milliaria equitata ), the nominal strength of the unit was either 800 or 1040 men. The addition occurs in almost all military diplomas, in an inscription and in brick stamps; instead of milliaria , the symbol is used throughout . ${\displaystyle \infty }$

• Antoniniana : the Antoninian. An honorary title that refers to Caracalla (211-217). The addition occurs in inscriptions.

• pia fidelis : loyal and loyal. The addition appears in an inscription.

Since there is no reference to the addition of equitata (partially mounted) to the name , it can be assumed that it is a Cohors milliaria peditata , a pure infantry cohort. The nominal strength of the unit was 800 men, consisting of 10 Centuries with 80 men each.

history

The cohort was stationed in the provinces of Moesia inferior , Pannonia inferior, and Dacia Porolissensis (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years 99/110 to 165 AD.

The first evidence of unity in Moesia Inferior is based on a diploma dated 99/110. 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 105, proves unity in the same province. The cohort was probably moved to Moesia Inferior in connection with the Dacian Wars of Trajan and may have participated in them.

At an unspecified point in time, the cohort was moved to Pannonia inferior , where it is evidenced by diplomas dated 114. In the diplomas, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Pannonia ) that were stationed in the province. Possibly it should replace units in Pannonia inferior that were withdrawn for the Parthian War of Trajan.

Between 114 and 123 the unit was relocated to Dacia Porolissensis , where it is documented for the first time by a diploma dated 123. 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, dated 130/131 to 165, prove the unity in the same province.

The last evidence of unity is based on inscriptions dated to 213.

Locations

Cohort locations may have been:

• Alisca ( Szekszárd ): Bricks with the stamps COH II B ${\displaystyle \infty }$ and COH II BR ${\displaystyle \infty }$ were found here.
• Buciumi fort : inscriptions and bricks marked COH II NBA were found here.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known:

Commanders

[] ivius Felix []: he is named on the diploma of 138/142 as a commander. L (ucius) Secundini [us] []: he is named on the diploma of 135 as a commander.

L (ucius) Volusius []: he is named on the diploma of 133/140 as a commander.

Others

Aprion, a foot soldier: the diploma of 138/142 was issued to him.

Didaecuttius, a foot soldier: the diploma of 133/140 was issued to him.

Further cohorts with the designation Cohors II Brittonum

There were two other cohorts with this designation, see Cohors II Brittonum .

See also

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

literature

• Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva: Britons abroad: the mobility of Britons and the circulation of British-made objects in the Roman Empire Dissertation, Leiden University 2012 ( online ).
• Florian Matei-Popescu: Cohortes Augustae Nervianae Pacenses Brittonum In: Editura POROLISSVM Cluj-Napoca, 2010, ISBN 978-973-88250-4-8 , pp. 395-398 ( 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. ↑ See Cohors I Augusta Nerviana Pacensis Brittonum for possible explanations.
2. ↑ On the (incomplete) diploma from 118/128 the name of the province is not preserved.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ inscription ( EDCS 00477 )
2. ↑ inscription with milliaria ( AE 1960, 361 )
3. ↑ ^{a b} Bricks from Alisca ( RHP 00279a , RHP 00279b ).
4. ↑ ^{a b} inscriptions with Antoniniana ( AE 1960, 361 , EDCS 00477 )
5. ↑ inscription with pia fidelis ( AE 1960, 361 )
6. ^ ^{A b c} John Spaul , Cohors², pp. 189, 201.
7. ^ 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. 166 table 9 ( PDF ).
8. ↑ Florian Matei-Popescu, Cohortes Augustae Nervianae, pp. 396–398.
9. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva, Britons abroad, pp. 112-116, 515-519.
10. ↑ Military diplomas of the years 99/110 ( RMD 4, 221 ), 105 ( RMM 10 ), 114 ( AE 2010, 1860 , CIL 16, 61 , RMD 2, 87 , RMD 4, 228 ), 118/128 ( RMD 5, 370 ), 123 ( ZPE-176-236 ), 130/131 ( RMD 5, 378 ), 133 ( RMD 1, 35 ), 133/140 ( AE 2003, 2046 ), 135 ( AE 2003, 2043 ), 138 / 142 ( RMD 1, 40 ), 151 ( RMD 5, 404 ), 159 ( IDR-01, 00017b ), 161/162 ( RMD 3, 177 ), 164 ( AE 2007, 1764 , AMN-2006 / 07-203 , RMD 1, 63 , RMD 1, 64 , RMD 2, 117 , RMD 4, 287 ) and 165 ( CIL 16, 185 ).
11. ^ Ovidiu Țentea, Florian Matei-Popescu: Alae et Cohortes Daciae et Moesiae. A review and update of J. Spaul's Ala and Cohors In: Acta Musei Napocensis 39-40 / I Cluj-Napoca, 2002-2003 (2004), pp. 259-296, here p. 277 ( online ).
12. ↑ inscriptions from Buciumi ( AE 1960, 361 , AE 1978, 690 , EDCS 00477 )
13. ↑ tile Buciumi ( IDR-app 01-29, 00064 ).