Cohors I Montanorum (Syria Palaestina)

The military diploma of the year 139 ( CIL 16, 87 )

The Cohors I Montanorum [civium Romanorum] ( German 1st cohort of the mountain dwellers [the Roman citizens] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is documented by military diplomas.

Name components

Cohors : The cohort was an infantry unit of the auxiliary troops in the Roman army .

I : The Roman number stands for the ordinal number, the first ( Latin prima ). Hence the name of this military unit is pronounced as Cohors prima ...

Montanorum : the mountain dweller. The soldiers of the cohort were recruited on the territory of the Roman provinces of Raetia and Noricum when the unit was established .

civium Romanorum : the Roman citizen. 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 diploma of 142.

Since there are no references to the additions to the name milliaria (1000 men) and equitata (partially mounted), it can be assumed that it is a Cohors quingenaria peditata , a pure infantry cohort. The nominal strength of the unit was 480 men, consisting of 6 Centuries with 80 men each.

history

The cohort was stationed in Syria Palestine Province . It is listed on military diplomas for the years 136/137 to 160 AD.

The unit probably originated from the Cohors I Montanorum (Moesia) (or from a vexillation of this unit), which was seconded to the east of the Roman Empire. Part of the unit remained there and was again added to a full cohort. The first evidence of unity in Syria Palestine is based on a diploma which is dated to the year 136/137. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Syria ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, dated 139 to 160, prove unity in the same province.

Locations

The locations of the cohort are not known.

Members of the cohort

A member of the cohort, Gaius Vibius Celer Papirius Rufus , a prefect is known.

Web links

Commons : Cohors I Montanorum (Syria Palaestina) - Collection of images, videos and audio files

literature

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

Remarks

↑ The scenario given here is based on three cohorts: the Cohors I Montanorum (Moesia) , which was stationed in the provinces of Noricum , Pannonia , Moesia and Dacia , the Cohors I Montanorum (Pannonia) , which was stationed in the provinces of Pannonia and Pannonia Inferior was and the Cohors I Montanorum (Syria Palestine) , which was stationed in the province of Syria Palestine .

^ According to Franziska Beutler-Kränzl , the Cohors I Montanorum (Moesia) took part in Trajan's Parthian War. After that, part of the cohort stayed in the east of the Roman Empire while the other part returned to Moesia . According to Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl , the Cohors I Montanorum (Moesia) (or a vexillation from this unit) could have participated in Trajan's Parthian War . After that, part of the cohort (or the vexillation) remained in the east of the Roman Empire. According to Margaret M. Roxan , a vexillation following the Bar Kochba uprising was delegated to Syria Palestine by one of the other two Cohortes I Montanorum .

↑ The assignment to the unit is controversial.

Individual evidence

↑ Military diplomas of the years 136/137 ( RMD 3, 160 ), 139 ( CIL 16, 87 ), 142 ( RMM 29 ), 158 ( ZPE-159-283 ) and 160 ( AE 2005, 1730 , AE 2011, 1810 , RMD 3, 173 , RMM 41 ).
↑ John Spaul , Cohors², pp. 275, 292-295.
^ 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. 173 Table 15 ( PDF ).
↑ ^a ^b Franziska Beutler-Kränzl: Fragment of an Upper Moselle military diploma from July 1, 126 (plate 1). In: Tyche Contributions to Ancient History, Papyrology and Epigraphy. Volume 15 (2000), pp. 7-30, here pp. 21-22 ( PDF ).
↑ Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: Traian's Army in the Parthian War. On a new diploma from the year 115. In: Chiron Communications of the Commission for Ancient History and Epigraphy of the German Archaeological Institute Volume 35 (2005), pp. 49–66, here pp. 59–60, 63 ( online ).
↑ Margaret M. Roxan : Two Complete Diplomas of Pannonia Inferior: 19 May 135 and 7 Aug. 143. In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik . Volume 127 (1999), pp. 249-273, here p. 262 ( PDF ).

[GE1-5] The scenario given here is based on three cohorts: the Cohors I Montanorum (Moesia) , which was stationed in the provinces of Noricum , Pannonia , Moesia and Dacia , the Cohors I Montanorum (Pannonia) , which was stationed in the provinces of Pannonia and Pannonia Inferior was and the Cohors I Montanorum (Syria Palestine) , which was stationed in the province of Syria Palestine .

[MD-1] Military diplomas of the years 136/137 ( RMD 3, 160 ), 139 ( CIL 16, 87 ), 142 ( RMM 29 ), 158 ( ZPE-159-283 ) and 160 ( AE 2005, 1730 , AE 2011, 1810 , RMD 3, 173 , RMM 41 ).

[jsp-2] John Spaul , Cohors², pp. 275, 292-295.

[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. 173 Table 15 ( PDF ).

[fbk-4] Franziska Beutler-Kränzl: Fragment of an Upper Moselle military diploma from July 1, 126 (plate 1). In: Tyche Contributions to Ancient History, Papyrology and Epigraphy. Volume 15 (2000), pp. 7-30, here pp. 21-22 ( PDF ).

[we-6] Werner Eck , Andreas Pangerl: Traian's Army in the Parthian War. On a new diploma from the year 115. In: Chiron Communications of the Commission for Ancient History and Epigraphy of the German Archaeological Institute Volume 35 (2005), pp. 49–66, here pp. 59–60, 63 ( online ).

[mmr-7] Margaret M. Roxan : Two Complete Diplomas of Pannonia Inferior: 19 May 135 and 7 Aug. 143. In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik . Volume 127 (1999), pp. 249-273, here p. 262 ( PDF ).