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Tigris Boatmen
#1
Hi all,

First of all as always apologies if this question has been answered elsewhere.

As I understand it the legions were the heavy infantry and they used auxiliaries to fulfill certain requirements. I have heard of a unit of the Tigris boatman been stationed at the South Shields section of Hadrians Wall, I would imagine they would move between the banks of the Tyne. My question is does anyone know anything about these Tigris boatmen?
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#2
Not a lot. The name, 'Barcarii Tigrenses' (bargemen of the Tigris), sounds either like a nickname or does indeed point to a unit that was transported from Iraq all the way to Hadrian's Wall.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#3
(03-10-2019, 04:45 PM)Robert Vermaat Wrote: 'Barcarii Tigrenses' (bargemen of the Tigris), sounds either like a nickname or does indeed point to a unit that was transported from Iraq

As we know, there's one member of the forum who knows a lot about this unit, so hopefully he'll have something to add!

In the meantime - yes, the late Roman Notitia Dignitatum lists the Praefectus Numeri Barcariorum Tigrisiensium at Arbeia (presumably South Shields) - and there's a good page about the unit and some ideas about the name if you follow that link.

It seem very odd, though, now I come to think about it, that they should be named after the Tigris - only the upper reaches of the river were in Roman territory, and the lower and more navigable section only fell to the Romans a few times. Why would a military unit take its name from there? If was only a nickname, how could it have got all the way to Britain? Some connection with Julian's Persian war, maybe?

I was wondering a while ago about the names for late 'naval' units, and why several of them seem to refer to such small vessels - a barca is a boat or barge. There's also the Milites Muscularii at Marseilles, who seem to be named after a sort of rowing boat (musculus)... altogether not very effective as military vessels, one would think... Or might they have been doing something else?
Nathan Ross
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#4
(03-10-2019, 08:38 PM)Nathan Ross Wrote: .................There's also the Milites Muscularii at Marseilles, who seem to be named after a sort of rowing boat (musculus)... altogether not very effective as military vessels, one would think... Or might they have been doing something else?

'Ferrymen' at one of the largest Roman ports?

An important need as ships got larger - right up to the 20th Century.
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#5
(03-11-2019, 08:56 AM)Mark Hygate Wrote: 'Ferrymen' at one of the largest Roman ports?

Possibly - but why would they be soldiers, and commanded by a Praefectus?

An inscription from the Septimer Pass in Raetia (AE 2009, 00971) mentions Contubernia IIIII I legionis XII II Numeri Atti musculariorum tortorum, who appear to be legionaries - some sort of engineers or artillerymen maybe? But the boat option seems more likely, as Marseilles is on the sea!

There's a depiction of the musculus on the mosaic from Althiburus now in the Bardo, although it doesn't show a barca:

[Image: 20151219_cultura_historia_pto_real_01.jpg]
Nathan Ross
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#6
Quote:Possibly - but why would they be soldiers, and commanded by a Praefectus?

Perhaps because their prime duty is guarding the anchored ships; collecting taxes; etc - general patrolling around the sea approaches...

All complete guesses - but things that need to be done.
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#7
(03-11-2019, 01:29 PM)Nathan Ross Wrote: An inscription from the Septimer Pass in Raetia (AE 2009, 00971) mentions Contubernia IIIII I legionis XII II Numeri Atti musculariorum tortorum, who appear to be legionaries - some sort of engineers or artillerymen maybe? But the boat option seems more likely, as Marseilles is on the sea!

I don't mean to hijack the thread but ... a numbered contubernia. Shouldn't that be big news ?
Though after some googling, it's not all that clear that the number 5 identified the conturbernia. Cohort IIIII seems quite a more likely reading. nevermind I guess.
https://www.academia.edu/14080349/Tortor...13_285-311
Timothee.
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#8
(03-12-2019, 09:12 PM)Timus Wrote: it's not all that clear that the number 5 identified the conturbernia.

Yes, I'd assumed it was five contuberniae myself, but the stone itself is so incredibly obscure that frankly I'm surprised anybody knows what it says!

   

However, the 'musculari' bit seems widely accepted at least.

(03-12-2019, 05:30 PM)Mark Hygate Wrote: guarding the anchored ships; collecting taxes; etc - general patrolling around the sea approaches...

Yes, that sounds quite plausible.

Meanwhile, we should probably get back to the subject and hope that somebody has some theories as to how the 'Tigris Boatmen' ended up on Tyneside!
Nathan Ross
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#9
You might find this article interesting but it is speculatores - sorry, speculative, of course . . .

https://www.academia.edu/36622772/THE_BA..._Frontiers
Francis Hagan

The Barcarii
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#10
(03-08-2019, 07:44 PM)Damian Roe Wrote: Hi all,

First of all as always apologies if this question has been answered elsewhere.

As I understand it the legions were the heavy infantry and they used auxiliaries to fulfill certain requirements. I have heard of a unit of the Tigris boatman been stationed at the South Shields section of Hadrians Wall, I would imagine they would move between the banks of the Tyne. My question is does anyone know anything about these Tigris boatmen?



Name: Numeri Bacariorum Tigrisenisium
Raised: Arabia (Tigris).
This base: Arbeia, South Shields, 4th Century AD.
Characteristic: Cohort.
Type: Foot.
Unit size: 200-500
Notes: Name translates to “Tigris small boat men”, maybe it was a Classis, naval unit?
“Arbeia” probably name given to fort after this units origins.
This unit rebuilt the fort after fires in late 3rd and early 4th Century.
Ref: Auxillae, A compendium of Non-Legionary units of the Roman Army, Volume I: Cohortes peditatae and Equitata, Michael S. Dubois.
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#11
(01-06-2021, 03:34 AM)Ernie Wrote:
(03-08-2019, 07:44 PM)Damian Roe Wrote: Hi all,

First of all as always apologies if this question has been answered elsewhere.

As I understand it the legions were the heavy infantry and they used auxiliaries to fulfill certain requirements. I have heard of a unit of the Tigris boatman been stationed at the South Shields section of Hadrians Wall, I would imagine they would move between the banks of the Tyne. My question is does anyone know anything about these Tigris boatmen?



Name: Numeri Bacariorum Tigrisenisium
Raised: Arabia (Tigris).
This base: Arbeia, South Shields, 4th Century AD.
Characteristic: Cohort.
Type: Foot.
Unit size: 200-500
Notes: Name translates to “Tigris small boat men”, maybe it was a Classis, naval unit?
“Arbeia” probably name given to fort after this units origins.
This unit rebuilt the fort after fires in late 3rd and early 4th Century.
Ref: Auxillae, A compendium of Non-Legionary units of the Roman Army, Volume I: Cohortes peditatae and Equitata, Michael S. Dubois.

Self-published work by DuBois is extremely unreliable, I'm afraid. Why is this numerus (not numeri - it's the genitive case in the original, here it looks like it's plural) classified as an infantry cohort? I think no coast of Tigris ever was a part of Roman Arabia.

Deriving "Arbeia" from "Arab" seems possible, but this name is the subject of a multiyear heated discussion - https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/lib...pe=Journalhttp://onomastics.ru/en/content/2017-t-14-%E2%84%961-0 etc.
Sergey
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#12
(03-08-2019, 07:44 PM)Damian Roe Wrote: Hi all,

First of all as always apologies if this question has been answered elsewhere.

As I understand it the legions were the heavy infantry and they used auxiliaries to fulfill certain requirements. I have heard of a unit of the Tigris boatman been stationed at the South Shields section of Hadrians Wall, I would imagine they would move between the banks of the Tyne. My question is does anyone know anything about these Tigris boatmen?

An old thread but the reply wasn't made that this unit was earlier at Lancaster fort according to Richmond, Ian (1953). "Excavations on the site of the Roman Fort at Lancaster, 1950" (PDF). Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire. 105: 1–23.
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