Cohors I Aelia Singularium
The Cohors I Aelia Singularium ( German 1st Aelian cohort of guard soldiers ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is documented by inscriptions on tombstones, altars and the like.
Name components
- Aelia : The honorary title refers to Antoninus Pius , whose full name as Roman Emperor Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius is. Of the total of nine cohorts with this name affix, the Cohors I Aelia Singularium and the Cohors Aelia Expedita are the only two that received this designation from Antoninus Pius. An inscription on a tombstone found in Auzia gives the full name of the unit: ( CIL 8, 20753 )
[...] coh (places) I Ael (ia) sing (ularium) [...]
- Singularium : [the / from] guard soldiers . The soldiers of the cohort were originally members of the Pedites Singulares Pannoniciani , a guard unit stationed in Aquae Calidae in the province of Mauretania Caesariensis .
Since there is no reference to the addition of equitata (partially mounted) to the name , it can be assumed that it is a pure infantry cohort ( Cohors peditata ). The nominal strength of the unit was therefore 480 men, consisting of 6 centuries of infantry with 80 men each.
history
The guard unit Pedites Singulares Pannoniciani was used as reinforcement to put down a revolt in Mauritania during the reign of Antoninus Pius (138-161). After the suppression of the uprising, the guard unit was upgraded to an independent cohort, the Cohors I Aelia Singularium .
The unit is mentioned for the last time on an inscription from Auzia, which is dated to 260. ( CIL 8, 9047 )
Locations
Locations of the cohort in Mauretania Caesariensis were possibly:
- Auzia : Inscriptions prove the presence (of parts) of the cohort in Auzia. On the inscriptions the unit is referred to as cohors singularium .
Commanders
No commanders of the unit are known.