Cohors II Gemina Ligurum et Corsorum

The Cohors II Gemina Ligurum et Corsorum ( German 2nd cohort Gemina of the Ligurians and Corsicans ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions. In the inscriptions it is referred to as Cohors Ligurum .

Name components

Cohors : The cohort was an infantry unit of the auxiliary troops in the Roman army .

II : The Roman number stands for the ordinal number, the second ( Latin secunda ). Hence the name of this military unit is pronounced as Cohors secunda ...

Gemina : ( Latin Geminus twin).

Ligurum et Corsorum : the Ligurians and Corsicans . The cohort probably originated in the late 1st century AD, when two new units were formed from three units stationed in the province of Sardinia , the Cohors I Corsorum , the Cohors Ligurum and the Cohors I Sardorum : the Cohors I Gemina Sardorum et Corsorum and the Cohors II Gemina Ligurum et Corsorum .

Since there is no evidence of the additions milliaria (1000 men) and equitata (partially mounted), it can be assumed that it is a pure infantry cohort, a Cohors (quingenaria) peditata . The nominal strength of the unit was 480 men, consisting of 6 Centuries with 80 men each.

history

The cohort was stationed in the provinces of Sardinia and Syria . It is listed on military diplomas for the years AD 88-153.

A Cohors Ligurum is first proven in Sardinia by the inscription ( AE 1892, 137 ), which is dated to 54/68. The first evidence of the Cohors II Gemina Ligurum et Corsorum is based on a diploma dated 88. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 96 to 102, prove unity in the same province.

The cohort was probably moved to Syria in connection with Trajan's Parthian War . The first evidence of unity in Syria is based on diplomas dated to 129. In the diplomas, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Syria ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, dated 144 to 153, prove unity in the same province.

Locations

The locations of the cohort are not known.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

Lucius Terentius Serenus : he is named on the diploma of 102 as a commander.

T (itus) Flav [ius] [] gnus: he is named on the diploma of 96 as a commander.

Others

[?], a rider ( AE 2014, 542 )
C (aius) Cassius Blaesianus, a Decurio ( AE 1892, 137 )
Hannibal, a foot soldier: the diploma of 102 was issued to him.

L (ucius) Valer (ius) Felix, a centurion ( CIL 5, 7426 )
M (arcus) Junius Germanus, a signifer ( AE 1994, 795 )

Remarks

↑ There were two units named Cohors Ligurum and Cohors I Ligurum, respectively . One was stationed in the province of Alpes Maritimae : it gave birth to the Cohors I Ligurum et Hispanorum . The other was stationed in Sardinia : it gave rise to the Cohors II Gemina Ligurum et Corsorum .

^ From the inscriptions ( AE 1892, 137 , AE 2014, 542 ) it emerges that the predecessor unit Cohors Ligurum was a Cohors (quingenaria) equitata .

↑ Attilio Mastino, Raimondo Zucca and Paola Ruggeri assign the Caius Cassius Blaesianus to a Cohors Ligurum , from which the Cohors II Gemina Ligurum et Corsorum emerged . John Spaul assigns him to the Cohors I Ligurum et Hispanorum .

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b Attilio Mastino, Raimondo Zucca: Un nuovo Titulus della Cohors Ligurum in Sardinia e il problema dell'organizzazione militare della Sardegna nel I secolo DC , p. 383-410, here p. 385, 387–388, 390, 399– 400 ( online ).

^ ^A ^b 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 , pp. 258, 271

^ Antonio Sanciu, Paola Pala, Mario Sanges: Un nuovo diploma militare dalla Sardegna In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik , Volume 186 (2013), pp. 301–306, here p. 304 ( online ).

↑ ^a ^b Peter Weiß : The auxiliaries of the Syrian army from Domitian to Antoninus Pius. An interim assessment based on the new military diplomas In: Chiron , Volume 36 (2006), pp. 249–298, here pp. 277, 287.

^ ^A ^b Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: Syria under Domitian and Hadrian: New diplomas for the auxiliary troops of the province In: Chiron, Volume 36 (2006), pp. 205–247, here p. 228.

↑ Military diplomas of the years 88 ( CIL 16, 34 ), 96 ( CIL 16, 40 ), 102 ( ZPE-186-301 ), 129 ( Chiron-2006-230 , Chiron-2006-233 , Chiron-2006-242 ), 144 ( ZPE-188-255 , ZPE-193-253 ) and 153 ( Chiron-2006-267 ).

^ Paola Ruggeri: Un signifer della Cohors Ligurum in Sardegna In: Journal for papyrology and epigraphy. Volume 101 (1994), pp. 193-196, here pp. 193-194 ( PDF ).

[EIN-1] There were two units named Cohors Ligurum and Cohors I Ligurum, respectively . One was stationed in the province of Alpes Maritimae : it gave birth to the Cohors I Ligurum et Hispanorum . The other was stationed in Sardinia : it gave rise to the Cohors II Gemina Ligurum et Corsorum .

[NA-3] From the inscriptions ( AE 1892, 137 , AE 2014, 542 ) it emerges that the predecessor unit Cohors Ligurum was a Cohors (quingenaria) equitata .

[AN-10] Attilio Mastino, Raimondo Zucca and Paola Ruggeri assign the Caius Cassius Blaesianus to a Cohors Ligurum , from which the Cohors II Gemina Ligurum et Corsorum emerged . John Spaul assigns him to the Cohors I Ligurum et Hispanorum .

[am-2] A ^b Attilio Mastino, Raimondo Zucca: Un nuovo Titulus della Cohors Ligurum in Sardinia e il problema dell'organizzazione militare della Sardegna nel I secolo DC , p. 383-410, here p. 385, 387–388, 390, 399– 400 ( online ).

[jsp-4] A ^b 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 , pp. 258, 271

[as-5] Antonio Sanciu, Paola Pala, Mario Sanges: Un nuovo diploma militare dalla Sardegna In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik , Volume 186 (2013), pp. 301–306, here p. 304 ( online ).