Cohort commander?

[D B Campbell]

Well the commander of a camp, if a multi-legion-camp, which seems to be the case here, is either the Legatus Augusti pro praetore/consulare and province governor, or the emperor himself or a special legate / family member leading the campaign. If the camp is just about 1 legion plus auxilia the commander is the Legatus legionis which is now the one and only legate in camp and it makes no sense that legates (plural!) and tribunes are going to the commander. But perhaps Stauner did translate something wrong.

Let's forget Stauner. Josephus mentions only centurions reporting to tribunes, and tribunes reporting to the commander (legate). (Note also that this section of Josephus is a general description of the Roman camp, so we cannot say whether he means a multi-legion camp -- as you would prefer -- or any other kind of camp.)

When we started this discussion I was willing to believe, that the Centurio Pilus Prior leaded the cohort. In the meantime i prefer this other model: The 5 tribunes leaded 2 brigaded cohors in daily business. On the battlefield perhaps the same or even more flexible. If we consider, that the Tribunus Militum of imperial times, latest from the mid 1st century on, was no rookie anymore, like he often was in late republic, that makes much sense.

Unfortunately, neither scenario has any evidence to support it.