Cohors I Italica

The Cohors I Italica [voluntariorum] [civium Romanorum] [milliaria] [equitata] ( German 1st cohort Italica [of the volunteers] [of the Roman citizens ] [1000 men] [partially mounted] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is documented by military diplomas , inscriptions and Arrian's work ἔκταξις κατ᾽ Ἀλανῶν .

Name components

Italica : from Italy.

voluntariorum : the volunteer.

civium Romanorum : the Roman citizen. The soldiers of the cohort were recruited from Roman citizens when the unit was established. The unit was probably excavated under Augustus together with other cohorts; the formation of the units probably took place during the Pannonian uprising and after the defeat of the Varus . A total of up to 44 (or 48) cohorts of Roman citizens may have been formed, of which only 18 are recorded.

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.

equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and 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

The first evidence of unity in the province of Cappadocia is based on a military diploma dated to 94 AD. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Cappadocia ) that were stationed in the province. Another diploma, dated 99, proves the unity in the province of Galatia et Cappadocia .

The cohort was part of the armed forces that Arrian mobilized for his campaign against the Alans (ἔκταξις κατ᾽ Ἀλανῶν) around 135. Arrian mentions in two places in his report a unit he calls Ἰταλοί, which is led by a commander named Pulcher.

Locations

The locations of the cohort are not known.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known:

Commanders

Gaius Nasennius Marcellus , a tribune ( CIL 14, 171 ). He was also prefect of the Cohors I Apamenorum and the Ala VII Phrygum .
Pulcher

P (ublius) Valerius Priscus, a tribune ( AE 1974, 226 ). He was also prefect of the Cohors I Asturum et Callaecorum and the Cohors I Apamenorum .
T. Volumnius Varro, a prefect ( AE 1941, 142 )

Further cohorts with the designation Cohors I Italica

There may be another Cohors I Italica . On the diploma of 99 a Cohors I Italica milliaria and a Cohors I Italica milliaria voluntariorum c (ivium) R (omanorum) are listed. But it could also be a mistake in the creation of the diploma, as Arrian only mentions one unit.

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 19-20, 26-27

^ ^A ^b ^c Michael Alexander Speidel : The Development of the Roman Forces in Northeastern Anatolia. New evidence for the history of the exercitus Cappadocicus. , Special print from: MA Speidel, Heer und Herrschaft im Römischen Reich der Hohe Kaiserzeit, Stuttgart 2009, pp. 595–631, here pp. 603–606, 615–616 ( online ).

↑ ^a ^b 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. 61 ( PDF p. 63 ).

↑ Military diplomas of the years 94 ( RMM 7 ) and 99 ( ZPE-192-238 ).

[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 19-20, 26-27

[mas-2] A ^b ^c Michael Alexander Speidel : The Development of the Roman Forces in Northeastern Anatolia. New evidence for the history of the exercitus Cappadocicus. , Special print from: MA Speidel, Heer und Herrschaft im Römischen Reich der Hohe Kaiserzeit, Stuttgart 2009, pp. 595–631, here pp. 603–606, 615–616 ( online ).

[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. 61 ( PDF p. 63 ).