Numerus Brittonum Triputiensium

The inscription of Titus Manius Magnus ( CIL 13, 6502 )

The Numerus Brittonum Triputiensium ( German Numerus der Briten Triputiensium ) was a Roman auxiliary unit . It is documented by inscriptions. The full name of the unit appears in the inscriptions ( CIL 13, 6517 , CIL 13, 6606 ). In the inscription ( CIL 13, 6599 ) the unit is referred to as Exploratorum Triputiensium , in the other inscriptions as Brittones Triputienses .

The nominal strength of the unit was probably 160 men, consisting of two Centuries with 80 men each. They were probably all foot soldiers.

Name components

Brittonum : the British. The soldiers of the numerus were recruited in the province of Britannia when the unit was established .

Triputiensium : The addition may refer to an (unknown) location of the unit.

Exploratorum : the scout or scout. The addition appears in the inscription ( CIL 13, 6599 ).

history

The British probably came to Germania superior around 100 AD , possibly even under Domitian (81–96). Presumably the numbers formed from them were used at the Neckar-Odenwald-Limes for monitoring tasks in order to relieve the auxiliary units already stationed here.

Building inscriptions that are dated to 145/146 prove that members of the Numerus have the Limes watchtowers 10/19 ( CIL 13, 6518 ), 10/22 ( CIL 13, 6517 ), 10/33 ( CIL 13, 6514 ) and 35 ( CIL 13, 6511 ). These watchtowers are located on a 20 km long stretch of the Limes north of the (presumed) site of Kastell Schloßau .

In the course of relocating the Limes further east, probably around 159/161, the Cohors I Sequanorum et Rauracorum was relocated from Fort Oberscheidental to Fort Miltenberg-Altstadt and the number will probably have followed this cohort to which it was assigned.

The last proof of the number is based on the inscription ( CIL 13, 6599 ), which is dated to a point in time after 161.

Locations

Locations of the Numerus in Germania superior were possibly:

Fort Miltenberg-Altstadt ( Miltenberg ): the Exploratores Triputiensium may have been stationed here together with the Cohors I Sequanorum et Rauracorum .
Fort Schloßau ( Mudau ): The inscription ( CIL 13, 6502 ) was found here.

Members of the number

The following members of the number are known:

Commanders

M (arcus) Ulpius Malchus, a centurion of Legio XXII Primigenia ( CIL 13, 6606 ).
P (ublius) Ael (ius) S [] anus, a centurion of the Legio XXII Primigenia ( CIL 13, 6504 ).

T (itus) Manius Magnus, a centurion of Legio XXII Primigenia ( CIL 13, 6502 ).
Sextilius P (...), a centurion of the Legio XXII Primigenia ( CIL 13, 07325 ).

Others

M (arcus) Ael (ius) Titus, a librarius ( CIL 13, 6599 ).

Web links

Commons : Numerus Brittonum Triputiensium - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

↑ ^a ^b According to Marcus Reuter , the British who were recruited for the first time came to Germania superior as a closed contingent and were only then divided into the respective units. He assumes 1500 to 2000 Britons in this first contingent.
↑ According to Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva , it is conceivable that the name was formed from the words tres (three) and puteus (pit, well, source). In Vielbrunn was in a grave one brick with the stamp TPR ( CIL 13, 6519 ) found. The addition to [Brittones] T / r / [i] p (utienses) is not guaranteed according to the EDH .
↑ In this section of the Limes there are three more numerus forts: Eulbach , Hesselbach and Würzberg . For Marcus Reuter , the following possibilities come into consideration: 1) The Numerus Brittonum Triputiensium was not only stationed in Fort Schloßau , but also in the castles Eulbach, Hesselbach and Würzberg. In this case, however, the number of staff would have been significantly larger than that of comparable numbers. 2) The Numerus was stationed in Schloßau, but his relatives provided the crew for the watchtowers they built along this section of the Limes. If one assumes four men per watchtower, then the 20 watchtowers 10/19 to 10/38 of the route section would have a crew of 80, i.e. H. half the soldiers of the number, requires. 3) The Numerus erected the watchtowers north of its own Limes section, but the crew was provided by the Numbers who were stationed in the forts of Eulbach, Hesselbach and Würzberg.
↑ According to Marcus Reuter , Publius Aelius Silvanus cannot be assigned to the numerus with certainty, since it is also conceivable that he commanded a delegation of the Cohors I Sequanorum et Rauracorum .

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Marcus Reuter : Studies on the numbers of the Roman Army in the Middle Imperial Period , Dissertation, In: Reports of the Roman-Germanic Commission 80, 1999, pp. 359–569, here pp. 385–389, 457– 460
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva: Britons abroad: the mobility of Britons and the circulation of British-made objects in the Roman Empire Dissertation, Leiden University 2012, pp. 170–171, 190–193, 552–555 ( online ) .

[NA1-2] According to Marcus Reuter , the British who were recruited for the first time came to Germania superior as a closed contingent and were only then divided into the respective units. He assumes 1500 to 2000 Britons in this first contingent.

[NA2-4] According to Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva , it is conceivable that the name was formed from the words tres (three) and puteus (pit, well, source). In Vielbrunn was in a grave one brick with the stamp TPR ( CIL 13, 6519 ) found. The addition to [Brittones] T / r / [i] p (utienses) is not guaranteed according to the EDH .

[GE-5] In this section of the Limes there are three more numerus forts: Eulbach , Hesselbach and Würzberg . For Marcus Reuter , the following possibilities come into consideration: 1) The Numerus Brittonum Triputiensium was not only stationed in Fort Schloßau , but also in the castles Eulbach, Hesselbach and Würzberg. In this case, however, the number of staff would have been significantly larger than that of comparable numbers. 2) The Numerus was stationed in Schloßau, but his relatives provided the crew for the watchtowers they built along this section of the Limes. If one assumes four men per watchtower, then the 20 watchtowers 10/19 to 10/38 of the route section would have a crew of 80, i.e. H. half the soldiers of the number, requires. 3) The Numerus erected the watchtowers north of its own Limes section, but the crew was provided by the Numbers who were stationed in the forts of Eulbach, Hesselbach and Würzberg.

[AN-6] According to Marcus Reuter , Publius Aelius Silvanus cannot be assigned to the numerus with certainty, since it is also conceivable that he commanded a delegation of the Cohors I Sequanorum et Rauracorum .

[mr-1] Marcus Reuter : Studies on the numbers of the Roman Army in the Middle Imperial Period , Dissertation, In: Reports of the Roman-Germanic Commission 80, 1999, pp. 359–569, here pp. 385–389, 457– 460

[tai-3] Tatiana Alexandrovna Ivleva: Britons abroad: the mobility of Britons and the circulation of British-made objects in the Roman Empire Dissertation, Leiden University 2012, pp. 170–171, 190–193, 552–555 ( online ) .