08-15-2012, 10:19 PM
Amongst the Legionary Coinage of Marcus Antonius (minted shortly before Actium) is one dedicated to the "Chortis (Sic) Speculatorum", (RRC 544.12) with its own set of standards. The only other special unit mentioned on the coinage series are the "Chortium Praetorianarum" (RRC 544.1 and RRC 544.8 ). The rest of the series is dedicated to the 23 legions of the triumvir.
There are perhaps a few useful details here. One would be the ration - 23 legions, to an uncertain number of Praetorian Cohorts (in the plural on the coins) to one single cohort of Speculatores (in the singular on the coins), but that might be reading too much into it. The Speculatores have their own standards, while the Praetorians are accompanied by an eagle, strangely enough; on these standards are wreaths and prows, suggesting some naval association. It also suggests that they were separate from the actual legions, though possibly taken from them directly as the Praetorians were.
Eckhel mentions a "M. Staberius, "(centurio) COH(ortis) VI SPECULAT(orum)CLAS(sis) MISEN(ensis)", "centurion of the VI Cohort of Speculatores of the Misenum Fleet" (Eckhel, Doctrina Nummorum Veterum, Volume VI, Vienna, 1796), but I could not trace that inscription and the book is rather old. The Heidelberg Epigraphic Databank records (searchable here), after a brief perusal, let me come up with some other indications of centurions of speculatores, namely L. Catius L. f. M. n. (AE 1895,124=AE 1995,259, Paliano in Italy's Regio I), and L. Magius Sex. f. Urgulanianus, centurion of the speculatores before he became Primus Pilus and Praefect of a Vexillatio, and finally tribune of the Urban Cohort (AE 1982,164 = AE 1984,183, Suessa Aruncia, also in Regio I). AE 1926,45 (Rome) also speaks of a Speculator in a centuria of one Domitius. This would indicate that the Cohortes Speculatorum persisted, and included centuries. As to who commanded the Cohort itself, logically it would be a tribune or a prefect, but that's speculation.
Unfortunately, I do not have access to Austin at the moment. Does he mention any of this evidence, and if so, what does he make of it?
There are perhaps a few useful details here. One would be the ration - 23 legions, to an uncertain number of Praetorian Cohorts (in the plural on the coins) to one single cohort of Speculatores (in the singular on the coins), but that might be reading too much into it. The Speculatores have their own standards, while the Praetorians are accompanied by an eagle, strangely enough; on these standards are wreaths and prows, suggesting some naval association. It also suggests that they were separate from the actual legions, though possibly taken from them directly as the Praetorians were.
Eckhel mentions a "M. Staberius, "(centurio) COH(ortis) VI SPECULAT(orum)CLAS(sis) MISEN(ensis)", "centurion of the VI Cohort of Speculatores of the Misenum Fleet" (Eckhel, Doctrina Nummorum Veterum, Volume VI, Vienna, 1796), but I could not trace that inscription and the book is rather old. The Heidelberg Epigraphic Databank records (searchable here), after a brief perusal, let me come up with some other indications of centurions of speculatores, namely L. Catius L. f. M. n. (AE 1895,124=AE 1995,259, Paliano in Italy's Regio I), and L. Magius Sex. f. Urgulanianus, centurion of the speculatores before he became Primus Pilus and Praefect of a Vexillatio, and finally tribune of the Urban Cohort (AE 1982,164 = AE 1984,183, Suessa Aruncia, also in Regio I). AE 1926,45 (Rome) also speaks of a Speculator in a centuria of one Domitius. This would indicate that the Cohortes Speculatorum persisted, and included centuries. As to who commanded the Cohort itself, logically it would be a tribune or a prefect, but that's speculation.
Unfortunately, I do not have access to Austin at the moment. Does he mention any of this evidence, and if so, what does he make of it?
M. Caecilius M.f. Maxentius - Max C.
Qui vincit non est victor nisi victus fatetur
- Q. Ennius, Annales, Frag. XXXI, 493
Secretary of the Ricciacus Frënn (http://www.ricciacus.lu/)
Qui vincit non est victor nisi victus fatetur
- Q. Ennius, Annales, Frag. XXXI, 493
Secretary of the Ricciacus Frënn (http://www.ricciacus.lu/)
