Cohors I Flavia Brittonum

The Cohors I Flavia Brittonum [milliaria] ( German 1st Flavian cohort of the British [1000 men] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions.

Name components

Flavia : the Flavian. The honorary designation refers to the Flavian emperors Vespasian , Titus or Domitian .

Brittonum : the British. The soldiers of the cohort were recruited from the various British tribes in 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.

milliaria : 1000 men. Depending on whether it was 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 appears in the inscription ( CIL 3, 13704 ).

Since there is no evidence of the suffix equitata (partially mounted), it can be assumed that it was a pure infantry cohort ( Cohors milliaria peditata ). The nominal strength of the unit was therefore 800 men, consisting of 10 Centuries with 80 men each.

history

The cohort was stationed in the provinces of Dalmatia and Noricum (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years 95 to 157 AD.

The unit was stationed in Dalmatia in the first century AD ; it was moved to the province of Noricum before 95 . The first evidence in Noricum is based on a military diploma dated to the year 95. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, dated 135/138 to 157, prove unity in the same province.

The last evidence of the cohort is based on the inscription ( CIL 3, 4811 ) dated 267.

Locations

Locations of the cohort in Noricum were possibly:

Melk : the tombstone of Tertius was found here.
Pöchlarn (Arelape): the tombstone of Pompeius Celer was found here.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known:

Commanders

M (arcus) Aurel (ius) Cassianus, a tribune ( CIL 3, 13704 )
M (arcus) Bell (icius) Saturninus, a tribune (around 267) ( CIL 3, 4811 )
M (arcus) Iulius []: he is named on the diploma of 95 as the commander of the cohort.

Tiberius Claudius Zeno Ulpianus , a tribune ( CIL 11, 6337 ); he was also prefect of the Cohors I Asturum and the Ala I Claudia Miscellanea .

Others

Fidelis, a soldier ( CIL 3, 2024 )
Pompey Celer, a soldier ( AE 1973, 431 )

Ter [t] ius, a soldier ( CIL 3, 5668 )

Other cohorts with the designation Cohors I Brittonum

There were three other cohorts with this designation:

the Cohors I Aelia Brittonum . She was stationed in the province of Noricum .
the Cohors I Augusta Nerviana Brittonum . She is documented by military diplomas from 105 to 146 and was stationed in the provinces of Moesia Inferior and Dacia .
the Cohors I Ulpia Brittonum . It is documented by diplomas from 103/106 to 164 and was stationed in the provinces of Moesia superior and Dacia.

Remarks

↑ 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 Moesia and Dacia . John Spaul, on the other hand, assumes only one cohort that was stationed in these provinces.

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 978-1-84171-046-4 , 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. 98-101, 503-505 ( online ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 95 ( AE 2009, 993 ), 135/138 ( RMD 2, 93 ) and 157 ( AMNap-2015-82 ). Further undated military diplomas: ( AE 2012, 1080 ).

[GE-4] 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 Moesia and Dacia . John Spaul, on the other hand, assumes only one cohort that was stationed in these provinces.

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

[tai-2] 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. 98-101, 503-505 ( online ).

[MD-3] Military diplomas of the years 95 ( AE 2009, 993 ), 135/138 ( RMD 2, 93 ) and 157 ( AMNap-2015-82 ). Further undated military diplomas: ( AE 2012, 1080 ).