Cohors V Gallorum (Britannia)

This article covers the Cohors V Gallorum stationed in the provinces of Pannonia and Britannia . For the unit stationed in the provinces of Moesia superior and Dacia superior , see Cohors V Gallorum (Moesia) .

The Cohors V Gallorum [equitata] [Gordiana] ( German  5th cohort of the Gauls [partly mounted] [the Gordian] ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is evidenced by military diplomas , inscriptions and brick stamps.

Name components

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

• V : The Roman number stands for the ordinal number the fifth ( Latin quinta ). Hence the name of this military unit is pronounced as Cohors quinta ...

• Gallorum : the Gaul . The soldiers of the cohort were recruited from the various tribes of the Gauls in the Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis when the unit was established .

• equitata : partially mounted. The unit was a mixed association of infantry and cavalry. The addition appears in an inscription.

• Gordiana : the Gordian. A title of honor that refers to Gordian III. (238-244) refers. The addition occurs on a brick.

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 provinces of Pannonia and Britannia (in that order). It is listed on military diplomas for the years 84 to 158 AD.

The first evidence of unity in Pannonia is based on a diploma dated 84. In the diploma, the cohort is listed as part of the troops (see Roman Armed Forces in Pannonia ) that were stationed in the province. Further diplomas dated from 85 to 110 prove the unit in the same province (or from 110 in Pannonia Inferior ).

At an unspecified point in time, the cohort was relocated to Britannia . The first evidence of provincial unity is based on a diploma dated 122. The diploma lists the cohort as part of the troops (see Roman Forces in Britannia ) that were stationed in the province. Other diplomas, dated 127 to 158, prove unity in the same province.

The last evidence of the cohort is based on a brick dated 238/244.

Locations

Cohort locations in Britain may have been:

• Arbeia ( South Shields ): two inscriptions and numerous brick and lead seals have been found here.

• Cramond : an inscription was found here. The unit was stationed here either during the reign of Antoninus Pius (138-161) or Septimius Severus (193-211).

Members of the cohort

The following members of the cohort are known.

Domitius Epictetus Gaius Minicius Italus , a prefect

Lucius Minthonius Tertullus , a prefect Marcus Macrinius Avitus Catonius Vindex , a prefect

See also

List of Roman auxiliary units Roman forces in Britannia

Roman forces in Pannonia

Web links

• 2517 - Cohors V Gallorum. Roman Inscriptions of Britain (RIB), accessed December 6, 2019 . 

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

1. ↑ ^{a b} The assignment to the unit is assumed, but is not certain.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Inscription with equitata ( CIL 5, 875 ).
2. ↑ ^{a b} Brick with Gordiana : stamp COH VGG ( RIB-02-04, 02473,9 ).
3. ↑ Military diplomas of the years 84 ( CIL 16, 30 ), 85 ( CIL 16, 31 ), 110 ( CIL 16, 164 ), 122 ( CIL 16, 69 , AE 2008, 800 ), 127 ( RMD 4, 240 ), 130 / 131 ( AE 2006, 1836 ), 132 ( AE 2010, 1856 ), 135 ( CIL 16, 82 ) and 158 ( RMD 5, 420 ).
4. ^ ^{A b} John Spaul , Cohors², pp. 151-152, 168-169.
5. ^ Jörg Scheuerbrandt : Exercitus. Tasks, organization and command structure of Roman armies during the imperial era. Dissertation, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg im Breisgau 2003/2004, pp. 157, 161, 163 tables 1, 5, 7 ( PDF ).
6. ↑ Inscriptions from Arbeia ( RIB 1060 , RIB 3272 ).
7. ↑ Bricks from Arbeia : stamp CVG ( RIB-02-04, 02473,1,1 to RIB-02-04, 02473,1,8 ), COH VG ( AE 1952, 92 , RIB-02-04, 02473,2 , 1 to RIB-02-04, 02473,8,2 ), COH V GAL ( AE 1975, 560 ) and COH VGG ( RIB-02-04, 02473,9 ).
8. ↑ Lead seal from Arbeia : stamp CVG ( AE 1992, 1138 , AE 2007, 880 , AE 2007, 881 , AE 2011, 674 , AE 2011, 675 , RIB-02-01, 02411,100 to RIB-02-01, 02411 , 105 ).
9. ^ Inscription from Cramond ( RIB 2134 ).
10. ^ Paul A. Holder : A Roman Military Diploma from Ravenglass, Cumbria. In: Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, Volume 79, Number 1 (1997), pp. 3–42, here p. 13 ( PDF ).