Cohors I Alpinorum equitata | |
---|---|
![]() Roman infantry helmet (late 1st century) | |
Active | early 1st century to at least early 3rd century |
Country | Roman Empire |
Type | Roman auxiliary cohort |
Role | infantry/cavalry |
Size | 600 men (480 infantry, 120 cavalry) |
Garrison/HQ | before 80 Illyricum; 80-5 Pannonia Inferior; 60-70 Aquitania ; 103 Britannia; 110-43 Pannonia Inferior; 144 Dacia Superior; 148-215 Pannonia Inferior |
Cohors prima Alpinorum equitata ("1st part-mounted Cohort of Alpini") was a Roman auxiliary mixed infantry and cavalry regiment.
Alpini was a generic name denoting several Celtic-speaking mountain tribes inhabiting the Alps between Italy and Gaul, which were organised as the Tres Alpes provinces. The regiment was probably raised as one of 4–6 Alpini units recruited after the final annexation of the western Alpine regions by emperor Augustus in 15 BC. [1]
It was originally stationed in Illyricum, where it is recorded in 60 AD. Not later than 80, it was based in Pannonia, later Pannonia Inferior after Pannonia was divided in two c. 107. It was still in that province c. 215, according to its last datable inscription. There were three brief interruptions to the regiment's sojourn in Pannonia. It is recorded first in Aquitania in 60–70 (Excisum, Villeneuve-sur-Lot [2] ) from recent finds of military equipments (confirming tombstones inscriptions; secondly, in Britannia in 103, but cannot have stayed longer than 85–110, and probably less; thirdly, it is recorded in Dacia Superior in 144, but cannot have remained longer than five years. The regiment's inscriptions have been found in the following Roman forts (in likely order of occupation): Carnuntum; Matrica (Százhalombatta); Excisum; Apulum (Dacia); Mursa (c. 215); Lussonium (Dunakömlőd). [3]
The names of seven praefecti (regimental commanders) have been preserved, but none of their origins are certain. One erected a votive altar at Thuburbo Maius (Tunisia), while another at Caesarea, so these may be their respective home towns. Senior officers attested are four centuriones (infantry officers) and 1 decurio (cavalry officers). One junior officer (optio) is known. An eques (common cavalryman) with the title "buc." is attested: this probably stands for buccinator ("bugler"). Caligati (common soldiers) attested are 3 foot soldiers and one eques. Only the latter of all the personnel has a certain origin: he is denoted a member of the Eravisci, a Pannonian tribe. [4]
Cohors quarta Gallorum equitata was a Roman auxiliary cohort containing both infantry and cavalry contingents.
Cohors secunda Gallorum Dacica equitata was a Roman auxiliary regiment which contained both infantry and cavalry contingents.
Cohors prima Alpinorum peditata was a Roman auxiliary infantry regiment. It was probably raised as one of 4–6 Alpini regiments recruited after the final annexation of the western Alpine regions by emperor Augustus in 15 BC. Alpini was a generic name covering several Celtic-speaking mountain tribes inhabiting the Alps between Italy and Gaul, which were organised as the Tres Alpes provinces. It was originally stationed either on the Rhine or in Illyricum.
Cohors prima Aquitanorum veterana was a Roman auxiliary infantry regiment. It was probably originally raised in Gallia Aquitania in the reign of founder-emperor Augustus after the revolt of the Aquitani was suppressed in 26 BC. Unlike most Gauls, the Aquitani were not Celtic-speaking but spoke Aquitanian, a now extinct non- Indo-European language closely related to Basque.
Cohors quarta Aquitanorum equitata civium Romanorum was a Roman auxiliary mixed infantry and cavalry regiment. It was probably originally raised in the Julio-Claudian era, perhaps under Augustus after the subjugation of the Aquitani in 26 BC. Alternatively, it may have been raised in a later levy of Aquitani after 14 AD. Unlike most Gauls, the Aquitani were not Celtic-speaking but spoke Aquitanian, a now extinct non Indo-European language closely related to Basque. Some tribes in Aquitania were Celtic-speaking however, such as the Bituriges.
Cohors secunda Alpinorum equitata was a Roman auxiliary (non-citizen) mixed infantry and cavalry regiment. Alpini was a generic name denoting several Celtic-speaking mountain tribes inhabiting the Alps between Italy and Gaul, which were organised as the Tres Alpes provinces.
Cohors tertia Alpinorum equitata was a Roman auxiliary mixed infantry and cavalry regiment. Alpini was a generic name denoting several Celtic-speaking mountain tribes inhabiting the Alps between Italy and Gaul, which were organised as the Tres Alpes provinces.
Cohors prima Raetorum was a Roman auxiliary infantry regiment. It is named after the Raeti, a designation probably given to some Alpine tribes, which were part of the eponymous province Raetia et Vindelicum, later called simply Raetia. It comprised much of modern Switzerland, western Austria and Germany south of the river Danube. The Raeti originally spoke a non Indo-European language that seems related to Etruscan. However, by the time their territory was annexed by Rome under founder-emperor Augustus, they had become largely Celtic-speaking through contact with neighbouring peoples such as the Vindelici. Finally, during the centuries of Roman rule, they became Latin speakers: their distinctive provincial patois survives today in the form of the Rhaeto-Romance languages.
Cohors prima Delmatarum was a Roman auxiliary infantry regiment. It is named after the Dalmatae, an Illyrian-speaking tribe that inhabited the Adriatic coastal mountain range of the eponymous Dalmatia. The ancient geographer Strabo describes these mountains as extremely rugged, and the Dalmatae as backward and warlike. He claims that they did not use money long after their neighbours adopted it and that they "made war on the Romans for a long time". He also criticises the Dalmatae, a nation of pastoralists, for turning fertile plains into sheep pasture. Indeed, the name of the tribe itself is believed to mean "shepherds", derived from the Illyrian word delme ("sheep"). The final time this people fought against Rome was in the Illyrian revolt of 6–9 AD. The revolt was started by Dalmatae auxiliary forces and soon spread all over Dalmatia and Pannonia. The resulting war was described by the Roman writer Suetonius as the most difficult faced by Rome since the Punic Wars two centuries earlier. But after the war, the Dalmatae became a loyal and important source of recruits for the Roman army.
Cohors tertia Delmatarum equitata civium Romanorum pia fidelis, was a Roman auxiliary cohort mixed infantry and cavalry unit.
Cohors quarta Delmatarum was a Roman auxiliary infantry regiment raised in the 1st century AD and continuing to serve into the 2nd century.
Cohors quinta Delmatarum was a Roman auxiliary infantry unit. It is named after the Dalmatae, an Illyrian-speaking tribe that inhabited the Adriatic coastal mountain range of the eponymous Dalmatia. The ancient geographer Strabo describes these mountains as extremely rugged, and the Dalmatae as backward and warlike. He claims that they did not use money long after their neighbours adopted it and that they "made war on the Romans for a long time". He also criticises the Dalmatae, a nation of pastoralists, for turning fertile plains into sheep pasture. Indeed, the name of the tribe itself is believed to mean "shepherds", derived from the Illyrian word delme ("sheep"). The final time this people fought against Rome was in the Illyrian revolt of 6–9 AD. The revolt was started by Dalmatae auxiliary forces and soon spread all over Dalmatia and Pannonia. The resulting war was described by the Roman writer Suetonius as the most difficult faced by Rome since the Punic Wars two centuries earlier. But after the war, the Dalmatae became a loyal and important source of recruits for the Roman army.
Cohors sexta Delmatarum equitata was a Roman auxiliary mixed infantry and cavalry regiment.
Cohors septima Delmatarum equitata was a Roman auxiliary mixed infantry and cavalry regiment. It is named after the Dalmatae, an Illyrian-speaking tribe that inhabited the Adriatic coastal mountain range of the eponymous Dalmatia. The ancient geographer Strabo describes these mountains as extremely rugged, and the Dalmatae as backward and warlike. He claims that they did not use money long after their neighbours adopted it and that they "made war on the Romans for a long time". He also criticises the Dalmatae, a nation of pastoralists, for turning fertile plains into sheep pasture. Indeed, the name of the tribe itself is believed to mean "shepherds", derived from the Illyrian word delme ("sheep"). The final time this people fought against Rome was in the Illyrian revolt of 6-9 AD. The revolt was started by Dalmatae auxiliary forces and soon spread all over Dalmatia and Pannonia. The resulting war was described by the Roman writer Suetonius as the most difficult faced by Rome since the Punic Wars two centuries earlier. But after the war, the Dalmatae became a loyal and important source of recruits for the Roman army.
Cohors prima Delmatarum milliaria equitata was a Roman auxiliary mixed infantry and cavalry regiment. It was named after, and originally recruited from, the Dalmatae, an Illyrian-speaking people that inhabited the Adriatic coastal mountain range of the eponymous Dalmatia.
The Alpine regiments of the Roman army were those auxiliary units of the army that were originally raised in the Alpine provinces of the Roman Empire: Tres Alpes, Raetia and Noricum. All these regions were inhabited by predominantly Rhaetian peoples and Celtic-speaking tribes. They were annexed, or at least occupied, by the emperor Augustus' forces during the period 25–14 BC. The term "Alpine" is used geographically in this context and does not necessarily imply that the regiments in question were specialised in mountain warfare. However, in the Julio-Claudian period, when the regiments were still largely composed of Alpine recruits, it is likely that they were especially adept at mountain operations.
This article concerns the Roman auxiliary regiments of the Principate period originally recruited in the western Alpine regions of the empire. The cohortes Alpinorum came from Tres Alpes, the three small Roman provinces of the western Alps, Alpes Maritimae, Alpes Cottiae and Alpes Graiae. The cohortes Ligurum were originally raised from the Ligures people of Alpes Maritimae and Liguria regio of NW Italia.
Cohors PrimÆ Ælia Dacorvm was an infantry regiment of the Auxilia corps of the Imperial Roman army. It was first raised by the Roman emperor Hadrian in the Roman province of Dacia not later than AD 125 and its last surviving record dates c. 400. It was deployed, for virtually its entire history, in forts on Hadrian's Wall on the northern frontier of Britannia province.
Cohors [prima] Batavorum milliaria civium Romanorum pia fidelis was a Roman auxiliary cohort of infantry.