Cohors II Flavia Brittonum

An inscription found in Russe listing the COH II FL BRITT ( AE 2008, 1188 )

The Cohors II Flavia Brittonum [Alexandriana] [equitata] ( German 2nd Flavian cohort of the British [the Alexandrian] [partly mounted] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions.

Name components

Flavia : the Flavian. The honorary designation refers to the Flavian emperors Vespasian , Titus or Domitian . A total of 14 cohorts with this suffix are known.

Brittonum : [the] British. The soldiers of the cohort were recruited on the territory of the Roman province of Britannia when the unit was established . The auxiliary units set up in Britain have 3 different names: Britannica , Brittanorum and Brittonum . The reasons why different names were chosen are unclear.

Alexandriana : the Alexandrian. An honorary title that refers to Severus Alexander (222-235). The addition occurs in the inscription ( CIL 3, 7473 ).

equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The addition appears in the inscription ( CIL 11, 5632 ).

Since there is no evidence of the addition of milliaria (1000 men) to the name , the unit was a Cohors 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 first evidence of unity in the province of Moesia Inferior is based on 2 military diplomas dated to the year 99. In the diplomas, the cohort is listed as part of the troops that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 105, 111, 125, 127, 145, 146 and 155, demonstrate unity in the same province. Around 162/164 the cohort was busy with road construction work, which is evidenced by milestones .

The stationing of the cohort in the province of Mauretania Caesariensis is controversial (see section Uncertainties ).

Locations

Cohort locations in Moesia Inferior Province may have been:

Sexaginta Prista ( Rousse ): In 230 the unit was busy repairing the bathhouse in Rousse. ( CIL 3, 7473 )

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

The commanders all had the rank of prefect .

L (ucius) Alfius Restitutus ( CIL 5, 6995 )
M (arcus) Maenius Agrippa L (ucius) Tusidius Campester (around 117) ( CIL 11, 5632 )

Septimius Agathonicus (around 230) ( CIL 3, 7473 )

Uncertainties

The stationing of the cohort in the province of Mauretania Caesariensis is controversial. On the military degree ( CIL 16, 56 ), issued on 24.11.107 for the province Mauretania Caesariensis , a is Cohors II Brittonum listed.

John Spaul assumes that the Cohors II Brittonum is identical to the Cohors II Flavia Brittonum , since there is only the diploma of 107 and an inscription as evidence for the existence of the Cohors II Brittonum ( AE 1937, 44 ). He suspects that the unit was temporarily staying in Mauretania Caesariensis for the purpose of recruitment .

Ovidiu Țentea / Florian Matei-Popescu reject this and assume 2 different units. They also think it is possible that L. Alfius Restitutus was in command of the Cohors II Brittonum .

Jörg Scheuerbrandt lists the Cohors II Brittonum for Mauretania Caesariensis and gives 2 military diplomas for them .

Web links

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

Remarks

↑ The dating of the military diplomas follows the information in the Clauss-Slaby epigraphic database (EDCS). Neither John Spaul nor Jörg Scheuerbrandt list all diplomas (see the discussion page for details).

Individual evidence

↑ Julian Bennett: THE REGULAR ROMAN AUXILIARY REGIMENT FORMED FROM THE PROVINCES OF ASIA MINOR , anatolica XXXVII, 2011, pp 251-274 here p 265 ( PDF page 15 ).
^ ^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 978-1-84171-046 -4 , pp. 189, 199-200
↑ ^a ^b 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. 2736 ( online ).
↑ ^a ^b 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, 175, table 9.17 ( PDF, p. 168, 177 ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 99 ( CIL 16, 45 , RMD-04,217 = AE 1999, 1360 ), 105 (RMM 00011, AE 2004, 1256 ), 111 (RMD-04,222), 125 (RMD-04,235 = AE 1997, 1772 ) , 127 (RMD-04,241 = AE 1997, 1780 ), 145 (RMD-03,165 = AE 1991, 1380 ), 146 (RMD-04,270 = AE 1999, 1359 ) and 155 (ZPE-134-264 = AE 2001, 2160 ) .
↑ Military diplomas for Mauretania Caesariensis of the years 107 ( CIL 16, 56 ) and 128/131 (RMD-05,377 = AE 2002, 1753 ).

[MD-6] The dating of the military diplomas follows the information in the Clauss-Slaby epigraphic database (EDCS). Neither John Spaul nor Jörg Scheuerbrandt list all diplomas (see the discussion page for details).

[jb-1] Julian Bennett: THE REGULAR ROMAN AUXILIARY REGIMENT FORMED FROM THE PROVINCES OF ASIA MINOR , anatolica XXXVII, 2011, pp 251-274 here p 265 ( PDF page 15 ).

[jsp-2] 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 978-1-84171-046 -4 , pp. 189, 199-200

[ot-3] 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. 2736 ( online ).

[js-4] 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, 175, table 9.17 ( PDF, p. 168, 177 ).

[MD-5] Military diplomas of the years 99 ( CIL 16, 45 , RMD-04,217 = AE 1999, 1360 ), 105 (RMM 00011, AE 2004, 1256 ), 111 (RMD-04,222), 125 (RMD-04,235 = AE 1997, 1772 ) , 127 (RMD-04,241 = AE 1997, 1780 ), 145 (RMD-03,165 = AE 1991, 1380 ), 146 (RMD-04,270 = AE 1999, 1359 ) and 155 (ZPE-134-264 = AE 2001, 2160 ) .

[MD2-7] Military diplomas for Mauretania Caesariensis of the years 107 ( CIL 16, 56 ) and 128/131 (RMD-05,377 = AE 2002, 1753 ).