(03-11-2016, 06:59 PM)LonginusXXI Wrote: [ -> ]FIVE cohorts? Yeah. There would have to be more troops. I wouldn't be suprised if vexillations came in every now and then.
If they did, then neither of our sources mention them, and nor do they mention any occasions between AD6 and 44 when they might have been necessary.
There may have been more than five cohorts - those are just the ones we know about - but not many more. Quite possibly they were backed up by some kind of provincial militia, maybe the
dexiolaboi (spearmen? slingers?) mentioned in Acts 23.23.
However, all we have to go on with regard to the Judea garrison are a few notes in Josephus
Antiquities of the Jews and
Jewish War, and a couple more in the New Testament. That's it.
For the sake of interest, here are the references from Josephus:
AJ XIX.9.2: (AD44 - Claudius ordered procurator Cuspius Fadus to)
remove that body of soldiers that were at Caesarea and Sebaste, with the five regiments (i.e. cohorts), into Pontus, that they might do their military duty there; and that he should choose an equal number of soldiers out of the Roman legions that were in Syria, to supply their place. Yet were not those that had such orders actually removed; for by sending ambassadors to Claudius, they mollified him, and got leave to abide in Judea still; and these were the very men that became the source of very great calamities to the Jews in after-times (i.e. the Samarian auxiliaries)
(I realise now that I was wrong about the Samarian auxiliaries being replaced at this point - that happened later! But the suggestion that they should be replaced with 'soldiers out of the legions' suggests that there were no other legionaries present in Judea at that point).
JW II.12.1: (cAD48): ...
when the multitude were come together to Jerusalem, to the feast of unleavened bread, and a Roman cohort stood over the cloisters of the temple, (for they always were armed, and kept guard at the festivals...) one of the soldiers pulled back his garment, and cowering down after an indecent manner, turned his breech to the Jews, and spake such words as you might expect upon such a posture.
(since this 'Roman cohort' were accompanying the procuraror, Cumanus, it seems likely that they were one of the Samarian units from Caesarea or Sebaste mentioned above who 'became the source of very great calamities to the Jews'.
JW II.12.5: (AD52)
Cumanus took one troop of horsemen, called the troop of Sebaste, out of Caesarea, and came to the assistance of those that were spoiled; he also seized upon a great number of those that followed Eleazar, and slew more of them.
(The 'troop of Sebaste' was probably the
Ala Sebastenorum, perhaps later combined with another unit to form the
Ala I Gemina Sebastena listed in the Syria garrison under Domitian and later moved to Mauretania).
AJ XX.6.1: (AD52)
When Cumanus heard of this action of theirs, he took the band of Sebaste, with four regiments of footmen, and armed the Samaritans, and marched out against the Jews
(The 'band of Sebaste' would be same ala mentioned above, plus four infantry cohorts. Cumanus arming the Samarians (as militia, maybe 'dexiolaboi'?) suggests he had no other troops available at that point - the fifth cohort was presumably in Jerusalem, or left back at Caesarea.)
The Jews then protested to Claudius, who found in their favour and ordered that Cumanus and his men be punished:
AJ XX.6.3: (AD52) (Caesar Claudius)
also gave order that Celer the tribune should be carried back to Jerusalem, and should be drawn through the city in the sight of all the people, and then should be slain.
(This is interesting - it suggests that the tribune commanding the troops, who had a Roman name, was not a Roman citizen, still less an equestrian - a Roman citizen officer would never have been treated like that! Celer was presumably a Samarian, like his men.)
JW II.3.4: (4(?)BC)
There were also a great many of the king's party who deserted the Romans, and assisted the Jews; yet did the most warlike body of them all, who were three thousand of the men of Sebaste, go over to the Romans. Rufus also, and Gratus, their captains, did the same, (Gratus having the foot of the king's party under him, and Rufus the horse).
(Here we have the 3000 ex-Herodians, commanded by officers with Roman names (who may not have been either Romans or citizens - but we should remember the Roman officer who told Paul that he had bought his citizenship; perhaps a good idea, if non-citizen tribunes could be executed in public!).)
JW III.4.2: (AD67)
Titus...came suddenly to Ptolemais (and met there) five cohorts from Cesarea, with one troop of horsemen.
(These six units may well have been descended from the '3000 men of Sebaste' mentioned in the previous quote, having in the meantime been taken into the Roman army as auxiliaries)
Aside from the
dexiolaboi in Acts 23, the 'Italian band' (Cohors Italica?) in Acts 10, and the 'Augustan band' (Cohors Augusta?) in Acts 27, that's all we have to go on for the Judean garrison.
It certainly looks like the five Samarian cohorts and one ala were the mainstay of the early prefects' military force, perhaps even the totality of it. There may have been militia in support of them, and other more regular auxiliary cohorts were apparently brought into the province later. This seems a small garrison, but perhaps the Roman authorities did not want to introduce too heavy a military presence to a volatile new province - if so, it was a mistake, but we can all be wise after the fact!