Cohors I Ulpia Afrorum

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

Name components

Ulpia : the Ulpian. The honorary designation refers to Emperor Trajan , whose full name is Marcus Ulpius Traianus .

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 .

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

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 Aegyptus is based on a diploma dated 157/161. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Aegyptus ) that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 179 to 206, prove unity in the same province.

Locations

The locations of the cohort are not known.

Members of the cohort

A commander of the cohort, Πατροκλης, is known by an inscription.

Further cohorts with the designation Cohors I Afrorum

There were two other cohorts with this designation:

the Cohors I Afrorum . She is documented by military diplomas from 122 to 124 and was stationed in the province of Britannia .
the Cohors I Flavia Afrorum . It is documented by diplomas from 127 to 128/129 and was stationed in Africa .

Remarks

↑ ^a ^b The scenario given here follows the explanations of Yann Le Bohec . He assumes four 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 the Cohors I Flavia Afrorum in the province of Africa and the 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 (= BAR International Series. Volume 841). Archaeopress, Oxford (GB) 2000, ISBN 978-1-84171-046-4 , 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. 174 Tables 16 ( PDF, p. 176 ).
↑ Military diplomas of the years 157/161 ( CIL 16, 184 ), 179 ( RMD 3, 185 ) and 206 ( AE 2012, 1960 ).

[GE-4] The scenario given here follows the explanations of Yann Le Bohec . He assumes four 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 the Cohors I Flavia Afrorum in the province of Africa and the 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 (= BAR International Series. Volume 841). Archaeopress, Oxford (GB) 2000, ISBN 978-1-84171-046-4 , 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. 174 Tables 16 ( PDF, p. 176 ).

[MD-3] Military diplomas of the years 157/161 ( CIL 16, 184 ), 179 ( RMD 3, 185 ) and 206 ( AE 2012, 1960 ).