Cohors I Vindelicorum

The Cohors I Vindelicorum [civium Romanorum] [pia fidelis] [milliaria] [equitata] ( German  1st cohort of the Vindeliker [of the Roman citizens] [loyal and loyal] [1000 men] [partly mounted] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas and inscriptions.

Name components

• Vindelicorum : the Vindeliker . The soldiers of the cohort were recruited from the Celtic tribes of the Vindeliker in the area of ​​the Roman province of Raetia 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 some military diplomas.

• pia fidelis : loyal and loyal. Domitian (81-96) gave the Roman armed forces in Germania inferior who remained loyal to him after the suppression of the uprising of Lucius Antonius Saturninus the honorary designation pia fidelis Domitiana . The addition appears in some military diplomas.

• milliaria : 1000 men. Depending on whether it is 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. In the military diplomas and inscriptions, the symbol is used instead of milliaria . ${\displaystyle \infty }$

• equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The addition appears in the inscription ( AE 1987, 848 ).

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 cohort was stationed in the provinces of Germania inferior , Moesia superior , Dacia, and Dacia Superior (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years AD 98-179.

The first evidence of unity in the province of Germania inferior is based on a diploma dated to the year 98. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Germania ) that were stationed in the province. The cohort was almost certainly stationed there around 89, since the honorary title was awarded to the army in Germania inferior as a whole ( exercitus pius fidelis ).

The unit was then moved from Trajan to Moesia Superior in connection with the preparation for the Dacer Wars . Two military diplomas, dated 100, attest to those listed as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Moesia ) that were stationed in the province.

At an unspecified date, the unit was relocated to the new province of Dacia , where it is first evidenced by a diploma dated 109. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Dacia ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas, which are dated from 110 to 179, prove the unit in Dacia (or from 136/138 in the province of Dacia Superior ).

The last evidence of the cohort is based on the inscription ( AE 1977, 697 ), which is dated to 211/212.

Locations

The locations of the cohort in Dacia were:

• Tibiscum : The unit was stationed in Tibiscum during the reign of Septimius Severus and Caracalla .
• Vărădia : Based on the bronze plaque that was found in Vărădia and which was part of the equipment of Iulius Martialis, it is assumed that the cohort was stationed in Vărădia.

The cohort was probably not stationed in the province of Pannonia . The two grave inscriptions found there were erected for soldiers who died in transit.

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

Lucius Versinius Aper : he is named on the diploma of 157 as the commander of the cohort. Septi [mius] Diomedes, a tribune (around 200 to 202) ( AE 1987, 848 )

Sex. Pulfennius Salutaris M. Luccius Valerius Severus, a tribune ( CIL 10, 4873 ); he was also prefect of the Cohors IV Gallorum and the Ala I Pannoniorum .

Others

Ael (ius) Theim [es], a veteran and former centurion ( CIL 3, 12587 ) Aur (elius) Candidianus, an Actuarius Aurel (ius) Laecanius Paulinus, a veteran and former custos armorum ( AE 1977, 697 ) Barsimsus, a foot soldier: the diploma ( CIL 16, 107 ) was issued to him.

Cassius Gesatus, a soldier ( CIL 13, 8320 ) Clemens, a Centurion ( AE 1935, 109 ) Iulius Martialis ( AE 1935, 109 ) Surius, a soldier ( AE 1935, 103 )

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units
• Roman forces in Dacia
• Roman armed forces in Germania
• Roman forces in Moesia

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b} Paul A. Holder: Exercitus Pius Fidelis: The Army of Germania Inferior in AD 89 In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik . Volume 128 (1999), pp. 237-250, here pp. 237, 248-249 ( PDF ).
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 , Pp. 288-289
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, pp. 158, 164, 172 ( PDF, pp. 160, 166, 174 table 2, 8, 14 ).
4. ↑ ^{a b c d} Ovidiu Țentea, Florian Matei-Popescu: Alae et Cohortes Daciae et Moesiae. A review and update of J. Spaul's Ala and Cohors In: Acta Musei Napocensis 39-40 / I Cluj-Napoca, 2002-2003 (2004), pp. 259-296, here p. 296 ( online ).
5. ↑ Military diplomas of the years 98 ( RMD 4, 216 ), 100 ( AE 2008, 1731 , CIL 16, 46 ), 109 ( RMD 3, 148 ), 110 ( CIL 16, 163 ), 136/138 ( RMD 5, 384 ) , 144 ( CIL 16, 90 ), 157 ( CIL 16, 107 ) and 179 ( RMD 2, 123 ).