Cohors VIII Voluntariorum

The grave stone of Servius Ennius Fuscus ( CIL 3, 9782 )

The Cohors VIII (or IIX ) Voluntariorum [civium Romanorum] [equitata] [Antoniniana] [Philippiana] ( German  8th cohort of volunteers [of the Roman citizens] [partly mounted] [the Antoninian] [the Philippian] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by a military diploma , inscriptions and brick stamps.

Name components

• 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.

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

• Antoniniana : the Antoninian. An honorific designation that refers to Caracalla (211-217) or Elagabal (218-222). The addition appears in the inscription ( CIL 3, 9732 ).

• Philippiana : the Philippian. An honorary title that refers to Philip Arabs (244–249). The addition occurs in the inscription ( CIL 3, 2706 ).

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 cohort was stationed in the province of Dalmatia . It is listed on a military diploma for the year 94 AD.

The first evidence of unity in Dalmatia is based on the inscription ( AE 1913, 194 ), which is dated to 14/37 AD. The cohort is documented in the province for the first time in 94 through a diploma. The building inscription ( AE 1940, 176 ) shows that soldiers of the unit built a tower for an aqueduct during the reign of Antoninus Pius .

The last evidence of the cohort is based on the inscription ( CIL 3, 2706 ), which is dated to 245.

Locations

Locations of the cohort in Dalmatia were possibly:

• Andetrium ( Muć ): The tombstone of Servius Ennius Fuscus was found here.
• Bigeste ( Ljubuški ): The inscription ( CIL 3, 8490 ) was found here.
• Epidaurum ( Cavtat ): The inscriptions ( CIL 3, 1742 , CIL 3, 1743 ) were found here.
• Salona ( Solin ): Numerous inscriptions have been found here.
• Tilurium ( Trilj ): Several inscriptions have been found here.

Bricks marked COH VIII VOL have been found in several locations in Dalmatia .

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Commanders

L (ucius) Septi [mius] Petro [nianus], a prefect ( AE 1958, 156 ) M (arcus) Acilius [P] riscus, a tribune ( AE 1955, 169 ) M (arcus) Aure [lius] [], a tribune ( AE 1963, 42 ) M (arcus) Caec [i] lius Africanus, a tribune ( AE 1940, 176 )

P (ublius) Fabius [] C (aius) Clodius, a prefect ( HEp 1994, 283 ) Q (uintus) Iulius Frontinu [s], a prefect ( AE 1954, 145 ) Ti (berius) Iuli Iulianus, a tribune ( AE 1913, 194 )

Others

[?], a soldier and Bucinator ( CIL 3, 8522 ) [] aicus, a centurion ( AE 2004, 1104 ) Ael (ius) Ursacius, a soldier ( CIL 3, 2002 ) Aemilius Fortis, a Beneficiarius ( CIL 3, 1808 ) Artanus, a centurion ( CIL 3, 8490 ) Atilius, a centurion ( CIL 3, 13975 ) Aur (elius) Annianus, a bucinator ( CIL 3, 13187 ) Aur (elius) Ianuarius, a soldier ( CIL 3, 8729 ) Aurel (ius) Tertius, a soldier ( CIL 3, 9732 ) C (aius) Alasinius Secundinus, a soldier and Duplicarius ( ILJug-03, 02007 ) C (aius) Lartidius Crispus, a centurion ( CIL 3, 1742 ) C (aius) P () Ver (), a soldier ( CIL 3, 2045 ) C (aius) Surenus Seneca, a soldier ( CIL 11, 4749 ) That [i] us Aeternal [i] s, a soldier ( CIL 3, 8775 ) Fla (vius) P [l] ares, a soldier and beneficiarius ( CIL 3, 14930 ) Licinius, a soldier ( CIL 3, 2039 ) Liv (ius) Maternus, a centurion ( CIL 3, 8336 ) L (ucius) Adennius Philetian (us), a soldier ( AE 2013, 1193 ) L (ucius) Aebutius Felix ( CIL 3, 2745 )

L (ucius) Iul (ius) [], a veteran ( CIL 3, 9708 ) L (ucius) Sorn (ius) C [], a soldier ( CIL 3, 8757 ) L (ucius) Sulpicius Proculus, an Actuarius and Adiutor ( AE 1904, 10 ) L (ucius) Teren [t] ius Severus, a soldier and Vexillarius ( CIL 3, 2745 ) M (arcus) Ippi [us] Vitalis, a centurion ( CIL 3, 2706 ) M (arcus) Pla (etorius) P (), a soldier ( CIL 3, 8490 ) P (ublius) Attecius Venimarus, a soldier ( CIL 3, 13975 ) P (ublius) Bennius Egregius, a soldier, adiutor and beneficiarius ( AE 1897, 5 ) P (ublius) Bennius Priscianus, a soldier ( Kurilic 48 ) Q (uintus) Iul (ius) Vere [cundinius], a centurion ( CIL 3, 13875 ) Sabininus, a soldier ( CIL 3, 1743 ) Seius Severinus, a centurion ( CIL 3, 3163 ) Ser (vius) Ennius Fuscus, a soldier ( CIL 3, 9782 ) [S] ex (tus) Aquilli [us] Severus, a centurion ( CIL 3, 1940 ) [Si] lvanus, a veteran ( CIL 3, 12904 ) T (itus) Coninius Ursus, a centurion ( ILJug-03, 01645 ) T (itus) Statilius Maximus, a soldier and adiutor ( CIL 3, 2052 ) Vivius Silvester, a soldier ( AE 1913, 41 )

See also

• List of Roman auxiliary units

Web links

Commons : Cohors VIII Voluntariorum  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

1. ↑ John Spaul assigns Marcus Aurelius to the Cohors VIII Voluntariorum . The reading at EDCS is trib (unus) coh (ortis) [I (miliariae) Dalmatar (um?)] Anto [ninianae] .
2. ↑ John Spaul assigns Caius Surenus Seneca to the Cohors VIII Voluntariorum . The reading of the EDCS is coh (ortis) VII [c (ivium)] R (omanorum) volunt [ar (iorum)] .

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{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 978-1841710464 , pp. 19-20, 35-37
2. ^ Military diploma of the year 94 ( CIL 16, 38 ).