08-31-2018, 02:27 PM
Michael wrote:
What I am asking is, how does your suggestion of a tribune commanding ten centuries fit in with our understanding of the structure of the legion of the Principate and, if you intend to counter that by saying that our understanding is flawed, what is your suggestion as to how we should understand it?
Following Hyginus a century had 80 men, and six tribune cohorts to a legion and each tribune commanded ten centuries, a legion had 4,800 men, and each tribune commanded 800 men. Therefore, the legion can be organised into six tribune cohorts each of 800 men and ten cohorts each of 480 men.
What modern scholars have failed to determine is that the tribunes have their own organisation within a legion. Tribunes were not glorified messengers on the battlefield as many modern scholars believe. Many references to cohorts are actually referring to those men under the command of a tribune.
Arrian has been converting tribune cohorts into the Hellenistic organisation.
What I am asking is, how does your suggestion of a tribune commanding ten centuries fit in with our understanding of the structure of the legion of the Principate and, if you intend to counter that by saying that our understanding is flawed, what is your suggestion as to how we should understand it?
Following Hyginus a century had 80 men, and six tribune cohorts to a legion and each tribune commanded ten centuries, a legion had 4,800 men, and each tribune commanded 800 men. Therefore, the legion can be organised into six tribune cohorts each of 800 men and ten cohorts each of 480 men.
What modern scholars have failed to determine is that the tribunes have their own organisation within a legion. Tribunes were not glorified messengers on the battlefield as many modern scholars believe. Many references to cohorts are actually referring to those men under the command of a tribune.
Arrian has been converting tribune cohorts into the Hellenistic organisation.
