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Cavalry Cohorts
#31
http://tyche-journal.at/tyche/index.php/...ew/532/649

Ariel Lewin The Egyptian Cunei Tyche 18, 2003:

L.  Varady argued that the  cunei  had a strength  of  1.250 men.  He  based his theory on a passage by Zosimos who recalls that in the year 409 five tagmata from  Dalmatia  totaling 5.000 men were annihilated by Alaric.

Can cunei be equated with tagmata? Do we know if the 5 tagmata are infantry or cavalry?

Ariel Lewin also says: the numerus  of  the Mauri scutarii stationed at Lycopolis.
 
http://www.papyri.info/ddbdp/p.oxy;63;43...p-choice03

The papyrus P.OXY 4381 of AD 375   actually says arithmou Mauron Skutarion. I do not see the term embolon (cuneus) anywhere in the text. So why is this unit called a cunei?
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#32
(03-22-2017, 11:01 PM)Julian de Vries Wrote: L.  Varady argued that the  cunei  had a strength  of  1.250 men.  He  based his theory on a passage by Zosimos who recalls that in the year 409 five tagmata from  Dalmatia  totaling 5.000 men were annihilated by Alaric.

And in the following line: "His identification of the five tagmata with the cunei has already been disproved by detailed study".


(03-22-2017, 11:01 PM)Julian de Vries Wrote: Can cunei be equated with tagmata? Do we know if the 5 tagmata are infantry or cavalry?

We don't, but they were probably infantry, or a mixture of both (they were being sent to defend the city of Rome, so infantry would be the obvious choice!).

The word tagmata itself has no importance here, I think - it was used by much later writers to describe earlier formations of various types and sizes.

If Lewin's final point about the possible reduced size of the cuneus equitum at Drobeta (210 to 300 men, based on barrack size) is accurate, then just possibly the cuneus might be the ancestor of the 200-400 man tagma described by Maurikios. But there is no certain link there either.


(03-22-2017, 11:01 PM)Julian de Vries Wrote: I do not see the term embolon (cuneus) anywhere in the text. So why is this unit called a cunei?

The Notitia Dignitatum lists two units in Egypt, the Cuneus Equitum Maurorum Scutariorum at Lico and the Cuneus Equitum Scutariorum at Hermopolis. The suggestion is that these two units were formed by a division of the older Numerus Equitum Maurorum Scutariorum mentioned in the papyri.

But, as Lewin says, we don't really know what the relation between these differently named unit types might be, or whether they had a different complement.
Nathan Ross
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#33
I have discovered something that could perhaps might be in the general interest of some Roman Historians:

Michaelis Pselli Historia Syntomos ; W.J.Aerts ; Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae; Walter de Gruyter ; 1990

(47.) Gallienus was the first to transform infantry-troops, the common form for fighting troops, into squadrons of cavalry.


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#34
(10-10-2017, 08:09 PM)Julian de Vries Wrote: (47.) Gallienus was the first to transform infantry-troops, the common form for fighting troops, into squadrons of cavalry.

Once again my ignorance of Greek lets me down! - what word is translated as 'squadrons'? Tagmata, perhaps?

It's a strange notion though. Michael could be drawing on the same source as Cedrenus (or even on Cedrenus himself), and perhaps misunderstanding C's reference to infantry being previously the strongest part of the army.

Alternatively, it could refer to the formation of the Equites Promoti, who were probably ex-legion cavalry.
Nathan Ross
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#35
Nathan Ross:Once again my ignorance of Greek lets me down! - what word is translated as 'squadrons'? Tagmata, perhaps?

Yes Tagmata.

Nathan Ross:It's a strange notion though. Michael could be drawing on the same source as Cedrenus (or even on Cedrenus himself), and perhaps misunderstanding C's reference to infantry being previously the strongest part of the army.

My guess is Michael Psellos read Pseudo-Symeon who read Dexippus.
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#36
Here are two possible new references to cavalry cohorts:
*
“I have given the command of two cavalry cohorts. (duas cohortes alares)”


(page 310-311 Miscellaneous letters of Marcus Aurelius)


https://archive.org/stream/correspondenc...ch/cohorts
*
The problem though is that this statement can have a different interpretation:

A Compendious Dictionary of the Latin Tongue, Alexander ADAM (LL.D.):

cohortes alares, auxiliary cohorts of infantry, placed on the wings, Liv. 10,40 & 43. distinguished from the legionary cohorts; thus, crebras stationes disponunt equitum, et cohortium alariarum ; legionariasque interjiciunt cohortes, Caes. B. C. 1,73. cf. 21,18.


https://books.google.nl/books?id=8xNgAAA...es&f=false
*
Pliny the Younger Letters

“Accius Aquila, Sir, a centurion in the sixth cohort in the auxiliary cavalry, has asked me to send you”


Translated by Betty Radice. LCL 59, Pages 298-299,
*
“Having been requested, sir, by P. Accius Aquila, a centurion of the Sixth Cavalry Cohort,”


The letters of the younger Pliny; literally translated by John Delaware Lewis
*
106
C. PLINIUS TRAIANO IMPERATORI
Rogatus, domine, a P. Accio Aquila, centurione cohortis sextae equestris, ut mitterem tibi libellum per quem indulgentiam pro statu filiae suae implorat, durum putavi negare, cum scirem quantam soleres militum precibus patientiam humanitatemque praestare.

107
TRAIANUS PLINIO
Libellum P. Accii Aquilae, centurionis sextae equestris, quem mihi misisti, legi; cuius precibus motus dedi filiae eius civitatem Romanam. Libellum rescriptum, quem illi redderes, misi tibi.

http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/pliny.ep10.html
https://archive.org/stream/lettersofyoun...lry+cohort
*
Again, this statement too could have different interpretations. Is it a cavalry cohort or as John Delaware Lewis writes: “i.e., a mixed cohort of cavalry and infantry?”
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#37
(02-22-2018, 04:17 PM)Julian de Vries Wrote: “I have given the command of two cavalry cohorts. (duas cohortes alares)”

This is from a letter quoted in the Historia Augusta, 'Life of Clodius Albinus', which should perhaps make us a bit wary - the HA includes quite a few imperial letters, several of which feature peculiar military details!

In this case, the same account mentions earlier that Albinus was tribunus equites Dalmatas - tribune of the Equites Dalmatae, which seems more in keeping with the probable late 4th century composition date than the supposed later 2nd century setting.

But it would seem unusual for one man to be given control of two units at the same time, whatever they were. Albinus was presumably an equestrian officer though, so would have started commanding an auxiliary cohort; he seems to have later commanded troops from two legions - perhaps in a combined vexillation with added cavalry? - which might be the source of this reference.


(02-22-2018, 04:17 PM)Julian de Vries Wrote: “Accius Aquila, Sir, a centurion in the sixth cohort in the auxiliary cavalry, has asked me to send you”

Another odd reference! It was discussed a little here and following.

The best guess seems to be that it refers to a cohors equitata (maybe Cohors VI (something) Equitata?). But that's not a completely satisfactory answer!
Nathan Ross
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#38
Nathan Ross:
“The best guess seems to be that it refers to a cohors equitata (maybe Cohors VI (something) Equitata?). But that's not a completely satisfactory answer!”

*

According to this paper (page 88), it seems to be a regular cohort and not a “cavalry cohort”. Unfortunately for some unexplainable reason the Epigraphik-Datenbank  does not have the inscriptions.


https://www.academia.edu/15342148/Das_r%...Kaiserzeit
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#39
(02-23-2018, 03:30 PM)Julian de Vries Wrote: Unfortunately for some unexplainable reason the Epigraphik-Datenbank  does not have the inscriptions.

I can't find it either, although I did come across this one, presumably the same unit:

AE 2007, 00355
(Priverno): Q(uinto) Lucilio Q(uinti) f(ilio) Pub(lilia) Valenti ... trib(uno) coh(ortis) VI equestris civium / Romanorum trib(uno) leg(ionis) XXX Ulpiae / Victricis praefecto coh(ortis) primae / Flaviae...

Which seems to clear up that point quite well! The cohort is presumably commanded by a tribune due to its citizen status?
Nathan Ross
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#40
Excellent work. A “regular “ cohort it is.

Nathan Ross:
“The cohort is presumably commanded by a tribune due to its citizen status?”

*

In all probability, it seems like it.
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