08-05-2013, 03:44 PM
Quote:..............
Because in a post you made you stated this..............
Ah, I apologize then......a misunderstanding.
I believe the Principate legions (possibly added to even more) up to 197AD and including I, II & III Pathica, were of the 10 cohort standard structure and many still existed on the borders, but now classified as limitanei along with the original auxilia of the same period. They could be of any size up to full strength, but probably not and depending on need (number of garrisons required).
The standard Legio Comitatenses, however, is a direct development of the often equally standard 2 cohort vexilation of previous years, but now permanently detached - and retains the 2 cohort/12 century structure and almost exactly 1,000 strength (83 x 12 = 996 + a few more?).
The tombstone of a man from a Xth cohort I suspect would most probably be from the former, but could possibly be one from the latter (if, say, the 'IXth' & Xth had been detached) if a permanent link back to parent was maintained. I do find the latter to be unlikely, but not impossible. Detail on that tombstone may help towards a suitable interpretation.
