Cohors II Batavorum

The Cohors II Batavorum [civium Romanorum] [pia fidelis] [milliaria] [equitata] ( German 2nd cohort of the Batavians [of the Roman citizens] [loyal and loyal] [1000 men] [partly mounted] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is attested by military diplomas and inscriptions.

Name components

Batavorum : The soldiers of the cohort were recruited from the Batavian people when the unit was set up .

civium Romanorum : the Roman citizen or with Roman citizenship . The soldiers of the unit had been granted Roman citizenship at one point in time (probably by Trajan during his 2nd Dacian War ). 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 the military diploma (RMD-04,223).

pia fidelis : loyal and loyal. The honorary designation was probably bestowed by Trajan during his 2nd Dacian War. The addition appears in the military diploma (RMD-04,223).

milliaria : 1000 men. Depending on whether it is 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. In the military diploma ( CIL 16, 42 ) the symbol is used instead of milliaria . ${\ displaystyle \ infty}$

equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The addition appears in the inscription ( AE 1969/70, 526 ).

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

history

The first evidence of unity in the province of Pannonia is based on a military diploma dated to AD 98. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Pannonia ) that were stationed in Pannonia under the governor Gnaeus Pinarius Aemilius Cicatricula Pompeius Longinus . Another military diploma, dated 112, proves unity in the province of Pannonia Superior .

The first evidence of unity in the province of Noricum is based on a military diploma dated 131/133. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops stationed in Noricum. Another military diploma, dated 135/138, proves unity in the same province.

Locations

Reconstructed Roman brick stamp of the Cohors II Batavorum , found at the Klosterneuburg fort

Locations of the cohort in Pannonia were possibly:

Locations of the cohort in Noricum were possibly:

In Utrecht (Province Germania inferior ) were bricks with the punch C II BB VI found ( AE 1936 111 , AE 1939 283 ); the cohort could have been there at the time of Julius Civilis or shortly thereafter. According to Barnabás Lőrincz , the unit was stationed in the Moesia inferior province in the 1990s .

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

The commanders all had the rank of prefect .

[.] us Severus ( AE 1969/70, 526 )
C. Titius Maximus (around 86/87) ( AE 1963, 102 )
L (ucius) Vitellius (around 131/133): he is named on the diploma ( CIL 16, 174 ) as the commander of the cohort.

Others

Iulius Adventus ( CIL 8, 21668 )
Octavius, a soldier: the diploma ( CIL 16, 174 ) was issued to him.

Web links

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

Remarks

↑ ^a ^b ^c See in the respective article the section garrison or troops as well as the individual references and literature cited there.

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b Paul A. Holder: EXERCITUS PIUS FIDELIS: THE ARMY OF GERMANIA INFERIOR IN AD 89 In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik . Volume 128 (1999), pp. 237-250, here pp. 247, 249 ( PDF pp. 13, 15 ).
^ 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. 161–162 ( PDF pp. 163–164 tables 5, 6 ).
^ ^A ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f 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. 212
↑ ^a ^b Military diplomas from the years 98 ( CIL 16, 42 ), 112 (RMD-04.223 = AE 1997, 1782 ), 131/133 ( CIL 16, 174 ) and 135/138 (RMD-02.93 = AE 1988, 915 ).

[ST-5] See in the respective article the section garrison or troops as well as the individual references and literature cited there.

[pah-1] A ^b Paul A. Holder: EXERCITUS PIUS FIDELIS: THE ARMY OF GERMANIA INFERIOR IN AD 89 In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik . Volume 128 (1999), pp. 237-250, here pp. 247, 249 ( PDF pp. 13, 15 ).

[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. 161–162 ( PDF pp. 163–164 tables 5, 6 ).

[jsp-3] A ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f 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. 212

[MD-4] Military diplomas from the years 98 ( CIL 16, 42 ), 112 (RMD-04.223 = AE 1997, 1782 ), 131/133 ( CIL 16, 174 ) and 135/138 (RMD-02.93 = AE 1988, 915 ).