Cohors II Aurelia Nova

The Cohors II Aurelia Nova [milliaria] [equitata] [civium Romanorum] [Antoniniana] [Severiana Alexandriana] ( German  2nd cohort the Aurelian die Neue [1000 men] [partly mounted] [the Roman citizens] [the Antoninian] [the Severian Alexandrian] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions. In the military diplomas it is referred to as Cohors II Nova .

Name components

• Aurelia : The honorary title refers to Marcus Aurelius .

• Nova : the new one.

• 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 inscriptions; in some inscriptions the sign is used instead of milliaria . ${\displaystyle \infty }$

• equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The addition occurs in 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 military diplomas from 96 to 115 AD and in inscriptions.

• Antoniniana : the Antoninian. An honorific designation that refers to Caracalla (211-217) or Elagabal (218-222). The addition appears in an inscription.

• Severiana Alexandriana : the Severian Alexandrian. An honorary title that refers to Severus Alexander (222-235). The addition appears in two inscriptions.

The unit was a Cohors milliaria equitata . The nominal strength of the unit was 1040 men, consisting of 10 Centurien infantry with 80 men each and 8 tower cavalry with 30 riders each.

history

The cohort was stationed in the provinces of Moesia superior and Pannonia inferior . It is listed on military diplomas for AD 193.

The unit was set up by Marcus Aurelius (161-180). The first evidence in Moesia superior is based on an inscription which is dated to 179 and which proves that the unit set up a valetudinarium in their camp . At an unspecified point in time, the cohort was moved to Pannonia Inferior , where it is evidenced by diplomas dated 193. In the diplomas, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Pannonia ) that were stationed in the province.

The cohort was then transferred again to Moesia superior ; the last evidence of unity in the province is based on an inscription dated 222/235.

Locations

Locations of the cohort in the province of Moesia superior were possibly:

• Gberevac : Inscriptions were found here.
• Stojnik : Inscriptions were found here.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known:

Commanders

[C] aesen [ni] us Nigri [nus], a tribune ( IMS-01, 00110 ) C (aius) Servilius Diodorus, a prefect ( AE 1998, 282 )

T (itus) Bebenius Iustus, a prefect ( CIL 3, 14537 )

Others

[?] ( AE 1955, 65 ) Aurel (ius) Acutio, a soldier ( IMS-01, 00118 ) Aur (e) l (ius) Victor, a soldier, and Cornicularius ( CIL 03, 14217.06 ) Marc [i] an [u] s ( AE 1910, 98 )

Publius Aelius Victorinus, a veteran ( IMS-01, 00120 ) [S] cribonius Faustus, a veteran ( CIL 3, 14545 ) Septimiu [s Vo] lusanus T [] ( CIL 3, 14541 )

See also

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

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. ↑ ^{a b} The scenario given here assumes that the Cohors II Aurelia Nova and the Cohors II Nova are the same unit. According to Paul Holder , however, it is also conceivable that two different units were involved; this would then explain why a unit stationed in Moesia superior is listed in diplomas for Pannonia inferior .
2. ↑ ^{a b} According to Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea, the full name of the cohort is in the inscription ( AE 1998, 282 ) Cohors II Aurel (ia) Nova equit (ata) Sev (eriana) Alexan (driana) ${\displaystyle \infty }$ , with Severiana Alexandriana afterwards was chiseled out.
3. ↑ ^{a b c} According to Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea, the most likely reading of the letters SA COR in the inscription ( CIL 03, 14217.06 ) S (everiana) A (lexandriana) Cor (nicularius) .
4. ↑ According to Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea, the unit was probably set up in connection with the Marcomann Wars .
5. ↑ John Spaul assigns Faustus to the Cohors II Aurelia Nova . The reading of the EDCS is Aure (l) ia (?) Pasina (?) .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ inscriptions with milliaria ( AE 1910, 98 , AE 1955, 65 , AE 1998, 282 , CIL 3, 14537 )
2. ^ Inscriptions with equitata ( AE 1910, 98 , AE 1955, 65 , AE 1998, 282 , CIL 3, 14537 )
3. ↑ inscriptions with civium Romanorum ( AE 1955, 65 , CIL 3, 14537 )
4. ^ Inscription with Antoniniana ( AE 1910, 98 ).
5. ↑ Inscriptions with Severiana Alexandriana ( AE 1998, 282 , CIL 03, 14217.06 ).
6. ↑ Paul Holder : Roman Military Diplomas V (= Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies Supplement 88), Institute of Classical Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London, London 2006, pp. 872-874, no. 446, note. 6th
7. ↑ Military diplomas of 193 ( RMD 5, 446 , RMD 5, 447 ).
8. ↑ Inscription ( CIL 3, 14537 )
9. ↑ ^{a b} Florian Matei-Popescu, Ovidiu Țentea, Auxilia, pp. 35–36, 92–96.
10. ↑ Inscription ( CIL 03, 14217.06 )
11. ↑ Inscriptions from Gupevac ( CIL 03, 14217,06 , CIL 3, 14541 , IMS-01, 00118 )
12. ↑ Inscriptions from Stojnik ( AE 1910, 98 , CIL 3, 14537 , IMS-01, 00120 )
13. ↑ John Spaul , Cohors², S. 475, 484