Cohors II Ulpia equitata

The Cohors II Ulpia Equitata (or Equitum ) [sagittariorum or sagittaria] [civium Romanorum] [Commodiana] ( German 2nd cohort the Ulpische the partially mounted [the archers] [the Roman citizens] [the Commodian] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions.

Name components

Ulpia : the Ulpian. The honorary designation refers to Emperor Trajan , whose full name is Marcus Ulpius Traianus .

Equitata or Equitum : partially mounted or the rider. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The variant Equitum occurs in a diploma of 129 ( Chiron-2006-234 ).

sagittariorum or sagittaria : the archer. Since there is no ethnic name for the cohort, the soldiers were probably of different origins when the unit was set up. You may have served in other units before. The addition occurs in the military diplomas from 129 to 153 and in the inscription ( AE 1931, 113 ).

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 occurs in the military diplomas from 129 to 144 and in the inscriptions ( AE 1931, 113 , CIL 3, 600 ).

Commodiana : the Commodian. An honorary title that refers to Commodus (180–192). The addition appears in the inscription ( AE 1928, 86 ).

Since there is no evidence of the addition of milliaria (1000 men) to the name , the unit was a Cohors (quingenaria) 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 cohort was stationed in Syria Province . It is listed on military diplomas for the years 129 to 156/157 AD.

The unit was set up under Trajan (98–117), either in his first years of reign or during preparation for the Parthian War. She probably received the civium Romanorum award during the Parthian War. The first evidence of unity in the province of 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. Other diplomas, dated 144 to 156/157, prove unity in the same province.

A vexillation of the cohort took part in the Parthian War of Lucius Verus (161–166). It is listed in the inscription ( CIL 3, 600 ) as part of the units that were under the direction of Marcus Valerius Lollianus . The inscription says that Lollianus was the commander in Mesopotamia over sections of selected riders of the Alen [..] and the cohorts .

The final evidence of unity is based on an inscription in Greek, dated 251/253, found in Dura Europos .

Locations

The locations of the cohort in Syria were:

Dura Europos : The inscriptions ( AE 1928, 86 , AE 1931, 113 , AE 1934, 280 ) as well as an inscription in Greek were found here.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

Τ. Πορκιος Κυρεινα

Tre [b] ius Maximus, a tribune ( AE 1934, 280 )

Others

[] eus Mocimi, an Actuarius ( AE 1934, 280 )
Ael (ius) Tittianus, a Decurio ( AE 1928, 86 )

Αυρη (λιος) Λουκιος
Βαδδος

Cohors II Equitum

In the inscription ( CIL 3, 600 ) a Cohors II Equitum (or II Eqquitum ) is listed. This unit may be an independent cohort that was moved late to the province of Syria . However, it is also conceivable that the inscription was created incorrectly, as a result of which the Cohors II Ulpia Equitata was again erroneously listed as Cohors II Equitum .

Remarks

↑ ^a ^b According to Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl, the cohort was set up in the first years of Trajan's reign, although the location of the set-up is unclear. Peter Weiß assumes, however, that this unit of archers was probably formed together with the Cohors I Ulpia Sagittariorum especially for the Parthian War of Trajan.
↑ ^a ^b ^c John Spaul assigned the inscription Dura IX, 3, 971 as well as the soldiers Αυρηλιος Λουκιος and Βαδδος both to the Cohors II Ulpia Equitata and the Cohors II Ulpia Paphlagonum .

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Peter Weiß : The auxiliaries of the Syrian army from Domitian to Antoninus Pius. An interim balance sheet after the new military diplomas In: Chiron Communications of the Commission for Ancient History and Epigraphy of the German Archaeological Institute Volume 36 (2006), pp. 249–298, here pp. 273–276, 288–289, 291.

^ ^A ^b ^c 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 , P. 486

^ 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. 172 table 14 ( PDF, p. 174 ).

↑ Military diplomas of the years 129 ( AE 2005, 1736 , Chiron-2006-230 , Chiron-2006-234 , Chiron-2006-241 ), 144 ( ZPE-188-255 , ZPE-193-253 ), 153 ( Chiron-2006 -267 ) and 156/157 ( CIL 16, 106 ).

↑ Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: Syria under Domitian and Hadrian: New diplomas for the auxiliary troops of the province In: Chiron communications of the Commission for Ancient History and Epigraphy of the German Archaeological Institute Volume 36 (2006), pp. 205–247, here p. 228, 245.

↑ ^a ^b Rudolf Haensch , Peter Weiß: A difficult way. The road construction inscription by M. Valerius Lollianus from Byllis. In: Communications from the German Archaeological Institute. Roman department . Volume 118, 2012, pp. 435-454, here pp. 441-443, and pp. 448-449 ( online ).

[NA-2] According to Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl, the cohort was set up in the first years of Trajan's reign, although the location of the set-up is unclear. Peter Weiß assumes, however, that this unit of archers was probably formed together with the Cohors I Ulpia Sagittariorum especially for the Parthian War of Trajan.

[GE-8] John Spaul assigned the inscription Dura IX, 3, 971 as well as the soldiers Αυρηλιος Λουκιος and Βαδδος both to the Cohors II Ulpia Equitata and the Cohors II Ulpia Paphlagonum .

[pw-1] Peter Weiß : The auxiliaries of the Syrian army from Domitian to Antoninus Pius. An interim balance sheet after the new military diplomas In: Chiron Communications of the Commission for Ancient History and Epigraphy of the German Archaeological Institute Volume 36 (2006), pp. 249–298, here pp. 273–276, 288–289, 291.

[jsp-3] A ^b ^c 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 , P. 486

[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. 172 table 14 ( PDF, p. 174 ).

[MD-5] Military diplomas of the years 129 ( AE 2005, 1736 , Chiron-2006-230 , Chiron-2006-234 , Chiron-2006-241 ), 144 ( ZPE-188-255 , ZPE-193-253 ), 153 ( Chiron-2006 -267 ) and 156/157 ( CIL 16, 106 ).

[we-6] Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: Syria under Domitian and Hadrian: New diplomas for the auxiliary troops of the province In: Chiron communications of the Commission for Ancient History and Epigraphy of the German Archaeological Institute Volume 36 (2006), pp. 205–247, here p. 228, 245.

[rh-7] Rudolf Haensch , Peter Weiß: A difficult way. The road construction inscription by M. Valerius Lollianus from Byllis. In: Communications from the German Archaeological Institute. Roman department . Volume 118, 2012, pp. 435-454, here pp. 441-443, and pp. 448-449 ( online ).