Cohors I Afrorum

The Cohors I Afrorum [civium Romanorum] [equitata] ( German 1st cohort of the (North) Africans [the Roman citizens ] [partly mounted] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and an inscription.

Name components

Afrorum : [the] (North) Africans. The soldiers of the cohort were recruited on the territory of the Roman province of Africa when the unit was established .

civium Romanorum : the Roman citizen or with Roman citizenship. 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 appears in the military diplomas from 122 to 124 and the inscription ( CIL 9, 5841 ).

equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The addition appears in the inscription ( CIL 9, 5841 ).

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 first evidence of unity in the province of Britannia is based on diplomas dated to 122. In the diplomas, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Britannia ) that were stationed in the province. Another diploma, dated 124, proves unity in the same province.

Locations

The locations of the cohort are not known.

Members of the cohort

A commander of the cohort, L (ucius) Praesentius Paetus Lattius Severus , a prefect , is known by the inscription ( CIL 9, 5841 ).

Further cohorts with the designation Cohors I Afrorum

There were two other cohorts with this designation:

the Cohors I Flavia Afrorum . She is documented by military diplomas from 127 to 128/129 and was stationed in the province of Africa .
the Cohors I Ulpia Afrorum . It is documented by diplomas from 157/161 to 206 and was stationed in Aegyptus .

Remarks

↑ ^a ^b The scenario given here follows the explanations of Yann Le Bohec . He assumes 4 different cohorts with this designation: a Cohors I Afrorum , which was stationed in the province of Britannia and a second unit of the same name, which was stationed in the province of Dacia . There was also a Cohors I Flavia Afrorum in the province of Africa and a Cohors I Ulpia Afrorum in the province of Aegyptus . John Spaul , on the other hand, assumes a single cohort that was stationed in these provinces under changing names.

Individual evidence

^ ^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. 459-461
^ 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. 157 Tables 1 ( PDF, p. 159 ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 122 ( CIL 16, 69 , AE 2008, 800 ) and 124 ( CIL 16, 70 ).

[GE-4] The scenario given here follows the explanations of Yann Le Bohec . He assumes 4 different cohorts with this designation: a Cohors I Afrorum , which was stationed in the province of Britannia and a second unit of the same name, which was stationed in the province of Dacia . There was also a Cohors I Flavia Afrorum in the province of Africa and a Cohors I Ulpia Afrorum in the province of Aegyptus . John Spaul , on the other hand, assumes a single cohort that was stationed in these provinces under changing names.

[jsp-1] 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. 459-461

[js-2] 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. 157 Tables 1 ( PDF, p. 159 ).

[MD-3] Military diplomas of the years 122 ( CIL 16, 69 , AE 2008, 800 ) and 124 ( CIL 16, 70 ).