Exploratores Boiorum et Tribocorum

The Exploratores Boiorum et Tribocorum ( German scouts of the Boier and the Triboker ) were a Roman auxiliary unit . It is documented by inscriptions. The epigrapher Rainer Wiegels added the name of the unit to the only fragmentary grave inscription of Marcus Cossius Natalis from Murrhardt with Numerus exploratorum Boiorum et Tribocorum .

Name components

Exploratores : scouts or scouts.

Boiorum et Tribocorum : the Boier and the Triboker . When the unit was set up, the soldiers were recruited from the tribes of the Boier and the Triboker .

history

The Exploratores were possibly stationed since the reign of Hadrian (117-138) at (or in) Benningen Castle , which was occupied by the Cohors XXIV Voluntariorum . Around 159/161 the Cohors XXIV Voluntariorum was moved to Fort Murrhardt and the Exploratores will probably have followed this cohort to which they were assigned.

Locations

Locations of the Exploratores in the province of Germania superior were possibly:

Benningen Fort ( Benningen am Neckar ): The inscription ( CIL 13, 6448 ) was found here.
Murrhardt Castle ( Murrhardt ): The inscription ( AE 1981, 692 ) was found here.

Members of the unit

A member of the Exploratores , M (arcus) Coss [ius] Natali (s) , possibly a centurion , is known from the inscription ( AE 1981, 692 ).

Remarks

↑ The scenario given here follows the remarks by Marcus Reuter . It assumes that the Exploratores unit was probably not a numerus , but a smaller unit. The nominal strength of the unit is unknown; but it was probably well below the 150 to 200 men of an ordinary Numerus Exploratorum .
↑ According to Marcus Reuter the reading of part of the inscription ( AE 1981, 692 ) is uncertain. The following readings were proposed for this: CIV , CR and CE . In the latter case, Marcus Cossius Natalis would have been the centurion of a division, but not the commander of the entire unit. The reading in the Clauss-Slaby epigraphy database is C (ivi) R (omano) .

Individual evidence

^ Rainer Wiegels : Numerus exploratorum Tribocorum et Boiorum. In: Epigraphic Studies. Volume 12, 1981, pp. 309-331.
^ ^A ^b Marcus Reuter : Studies on the numbers of the Roman Army in the Middle Imperial Era, dissertation, In: Reports of the Roman-Germanic Commission 80, 1999, pp. 359–569, here pp. 364–365, 436–440.

[NU-2] The scenario given here follows the remarks by Marcus Reuter . It assumes that the Exploratores unit was probably not a numerus , but a smaller unit. The nominal strength of the unit is unknown; but it was probably well below the 150 to 200 men of an ordinary Numerus Exploratorum .

[AN-4] According to Marcus Reuter the reading of part of the inscription ( AE 1981, 692 ) is uncertain. The following readings were proposed for this: CIV , CR and CE . In the latter case, Marcus Cossius Natalis would have been the centurion of a division, but not the commander of the entire unit. The reading in the Clauss-Slaby epigraphy database is C (ivi) R (omano) .

[1] Rainer Wiegels : Numerus exploratorum Tribocorum et Boiorum. In: Epigraphic Studies. Volume 12, 1981, pp. 309-331.

[mr-3] A ^b Marcus Reuter : Studies on the numbers of the Roman Army in the Middle Imperial Era, dissertation, In: Reports of the Roman-Germanic Commission 80, 1999, pp. 359–569, here pp. 364–365, 436–440.