Cohors I Flavia Chalcidenorum

The Cohors I Flavia Chalcidenorum [sagittariorum or sagittaria] [equitata] ( German 1st Flavian cohort from Chalcis [the archer ] [partly mounted] ) 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 . A total of 14 cohorts with this suffix are known.

Chalcidenorum : from Chalcis . The soldiers of the cohort were recruited from the town of Chalcis and its surroundings when the unit was set up .

sagittariorum or sagittaria : [the / from] archer. The addition appears in the inscription ( CIL 3, 6658 ).

equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The addition appears in 2 inscriptions ( CIL 3, 6658 , AE 1969/70, 610 ).

Since there is no evidence of the addition of milliaria (1000 men) to the name , the unit was a Cohors 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 Syria is based on military diplomas dated to 144 AD. In the diplomas, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Syria ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, dated 153 to 156/157, prove unity in the same province.

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

Locations

Cohort locations in Syria may have been:

Admedera
Palmyra

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

[.] diani [.], a prefect (around 206/207) ( AE 1969/70, 610 )
Aelius Herculanus, a prefect (around 162) ( CIL 3, 6658 )

[C. Iulius] Rogatianus (around 247) ( AE 1991, 1574 )

Further cohorts with the designation Cohors I Chalcidenorum

There was another cohort, the Cohors I Chalcidenorum . She is documented by military diplomas from 127 to 128/129 and was stationed in the province of Africa .

Individual evidence

^ Julian Bennett: The Regular Roman Auxiliary Regiments Formed from the Provinces of Asia Minor , ANATOLICA XXXVII, 2011, pp. 251-274 here p. 265 ( PDF p. 15 ).
^ ^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. 422,430
^ 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 144 ( ZPE-188-255 , ZPE-193-253 ), 153 ( AE 2006, 1841 ) and 156/157 ( CIL 16, 106 ).

↑ 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. 441-442, and p. 449 ( online ).

[jb-1] Julian Bennett: The Regular Roman Auxiliary Regiments Formed from the Provinces of Asia Minor , ANATOLICA XXXVII, 2011, pp. 251-274 here p. 265 ( PDF p. 15 ).

[jsp-2] 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. 422,430

[js-3] 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-4] Military diplomas of the years 144 ( ZPE-188-255 , ZPE-193-253 ), 153 ( AE 2006, 1841 ) and 156/157 ( CIL 16, 106 ).

[rh-5] 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. 441-442, and p. 449 ( online ).