Cohors I Aelia Brittonum

Brick stamp of unity in the Wallsee-Sindelburg Roman Museum

The Cohors I Aelia Brittonum [Antoniniana] [milliaria] [equitata] ( German 1st Aelian cohort of the British [the Antoninian] [1000 men] [partly mounted] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas , inscriptions and brick stamps.

Name components

Aelia : the Aelian. The honorary designation refers to Emperor Hadrian , whose full name is Publius Aelius Hadrianus . A total of nine 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 three different names: Britannica , Britannorum and Brittonum . The reasons why different names were chosen are unclear.

Antoniniana : the Antoninian. An honorific designation that refers to either Caracalla (211-217) or Elagabal (218-222). The addition occurs in brick stamps.

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. The addition does not appear in any inscription, but since Titus Appalius Alfinus Secundus was a tribune in command of the cohort , this is assumed.

equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The addition does not appear in any inscription, but in the inscription ( AE 1974, 500 ) Aelius Martius and Flavius Tacitus are referred to as the summus curator of the unit. The summus curator of a unit was responsible for supplying the cavalry.

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

It is unclear whether the cohort was set up under Hadrian or whether it existed before and only received the honorary title Aelia during his reign . It is also uncertain in which provinces the cohort was stationed before it was moved to the province of Noricum . A Cohors I Brittonum milliaria is documented in military diplomas for the years 85 AD in the province of Pannonia , 111 and 116 in Moesia inferior and 135 in Pannonia inferior. It is unclear whether this is the Cohors I Aelia Brittonum or another unit.

The first reliable evidence of unity in Noricum is the inscription of Titus Appalius Alfinus Secundus ; the time at which he commanded the unit can be dated to the late reign of Hadrian . The cohort is also listed in military diplomas for the province of Noricum, but the assignment is uncertain.

The last evidence of the cohort is based on the inscriptions ( AE 1974, 500 , CIL 03, 4812 ), which are dated to 238.

Locations

Locations of the cohort in Noricum were possibly:

Mautern ( Favianis ): The finds of bricks with stamps such as CIAB or CO IAB ANT indicate the presence (of parts) of the cohort in Mautern.
Zollfeld ( Virunum ): The inscription ( CIL 3, 4812 ) was found in Zollfeld.
Wallsee

Locations of the cohort in Pannonia were possibly:

Winden am See ( Scarbantia ): The inscription ( AE 1974, 500 ) was found in Winden am See.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known:

Commanders

Ael [ius]: he is named on the diploma of 133/190 as the commander of the cohort.
L (ucius) Alfius Restitutus, a tribune ( CIL 5, 6995 ); he was also prefect of the Cohors II Flavia Brittonum .

Titus Appalius Alfinus Secundus , a Tribune ( CIL 09, 5357 ); he was also prefect of the Ala I Augusta Thracum and the Cohors IV Gallorum .

Others

Ael (ius) Martius, a summus curator (around 238) ( CIL 3, 4812 )
Fl (avius) Tacitus, a summus curator ( AE 1974, 500 , CIL 3, 4812 )

L (ucius) Iulius Pansa, a veteran and former centurion ( AE 1990, 387 )
Mog (etius), a soldier ( CIL 3, 5455 )

Web links

Commons : Cohors I Aelia Brittonum - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

↑ According to Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva , the following units are considered for the Cohors I Brittonum milliaria listed in these military diplomas : For the year 85 the Cohors I Aelia Brittonum and the Cohors I Ulpia Brittonum , for 111 and 116 the Cohors I Aelia Brittonum and the Cohors I Augusta Nerviana Pacensis Brittonum and for 135 the Cohors I Aelia Brittonum and the Cohors I Flavia Brittonum .

↑ The scenario given here follows the explanations of Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva . It is based on 3 different cohorts: the Cohors I Aelia Brittonum and the Cohors I Flavia Brittonum , both of which were stationed in the province of Noricum , and the Cohors I Ulpia Brittonum , which was stationed in the provinces of Pannonia , Moesia and Dacia . John Spaul , on the other hand, assumes only one cohort that was stationed in these provinces.

↑ A reliable assignment to Cohors I Aelia Brittonum is not possible. The inscription reads COH I BR , so the Cohors I Britannica could also be considered.

↑ ^a ^b A reliable assignment to Cohors I Aelia Brittonum is not possible because the addition Aelia is missing in the inscription.

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b ^c ^d ^e Paul A. Holder: Auxiliary units entitled Aelia In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik . Volume 122 (1998), pp. 253-263, here pp. 253-254 ( PDF pp. 3-4 ).
^ ^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 978-1-84171-046-4 , p 189, 195-197.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva: Britons abroad: the mobility of Britons and the circulation of British-made objects in the Roman Empire Dissertation, Leiden University 2012, pp. 91–94, 498–501 ( online ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 85 ( CIL 16, 31 ), 111 ( RMD 4, 222 ), 116 ( AE 2006, 1863 ) and 135 ( RMD 4, 251 ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 133/190 ( RMD 2, 129 ) and 157 ( AMNap-2015-82 ). Further undated military diplomas: ( AE 2012, 1080 ).

[GE1-5] According to Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva , the following units are considered for the Cohors I Brittonum milliaria listed in these military diplomas : For the year 85 the Cohors I Aelia Brittonum and the Cohors I Ulpia Brittonum , for 111 and 116 the Cohors I Aelia Brittonum and the Cohors I Augusta Nerviana Pacensis Brittonum and for 135 the Cohors I Aelia Brittonum and the Cohors I Flavia Brittonum .

[GE2-7] The scenario given here follows the explanations of Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva . It is based on 3 different cohorts: the Cohors I Aelia Brittonum and the Cohors I Flavia Brittonum , both of which were stationed in the province of Noricum , and the Cohors I Ulpia Brittonum , which was stationed in the provinces of Pannonia , Moesia and Dacia . John Spaul , on the other hand, assumes only one cohort that was stationed in these provinces.

[AN-8] A reliable assignment to Cohors I Aelia Brittonum is not possible. The inscription reads COH I BR , so the Cohors I Britannica could also be considered.

[AN2-9] A reliable assignment to Cohors I Aelia Brittonum is not possible because the addition Aelia is missing in the inscription.

[pa-1] A ^b ^c ^d ^e Paul A. Holder: Auxiliary units entitled Aelia In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik . Volume 122 (1998), pp. 253-263, here pp. 253-254 ( PDF pp. 3-4 ).

[jsp-2] 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 978-1-84171-046-4 , p 189, 195-197.

[tai-3] Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva: Britons abroad: the mobility of Britons and the circulation of British-made objects in the Roman Empire Dissertation, Leiden University 2012, pp. 91–94, 498–501 ( online ).

[MD1-4] Military diplomas of the years 85 ( CIL 16, 31 ), 111 ( RMD 4, 222 ), 116 ( AE 2006, 1863 ) and 135 ( RMD 4, 251 ).

[MD2-6] Military diplomas of the years 133/190 ( RMD 2, 129 ) and 157 ( AMNap-2015-82 ). Further undated military diplomas: ( AE 2012, 1080 ).