Cohort of British Auxiliaries on Hadrian\'s Wall

[Marcus Germanicus Ferox]

Morning Chaps

Am busy tweaking my Auxiliary impression for this year. I was at the "Wall" last weekend and I read that there was a cohort of the above stationed at the wall. They were from a tribe originally from the midlands area and unfortunately I cannot find any reference to them. Can anyone help. Also whilst on the subject can anyone say imperatively that Auxiliaries only used the Hasta? - It seems logical that if the pilum was such a successful piece of kit its' use would have been widespread throughout the army and not saved solely for the use of the Legionary.

Regards to all

Mark

[Martin Wallgren]

I´m shure Adrian W will answer this as soon as he loggs on !

[Marcus Germanicus Ferox]

Hi Martin

That's what I was hoping for!!? Have found below!! But was hoping for something a little earlier. Over to you guys!

http://www.roman-britain.org/military/coh1cor.htm

Regards

Mark

[Peroni]

Hi Mark,

Unfortunately you won’t find any other British units based on the Wall. (Other than a mention of a detachment of the British fleet at Birdoswald).

From the Panonnian uprising in 9AD the provincially levied auxilia were starting to be transferred away from their homelands to prevent this type of action. It didn’t work, because we have the Batavian uprising of 69!

From the Flavian period onwards nearly all levied troops were transferred well away from the native homelands.

The cohorts levied from Britain ended up in places like Dacia, Panonnia, Maurentania Caesariensis and Raetia.

I Britannica M cR – Panonnia – Dacia
I Brittonum M Eq – Panonnia – Dacia
II Britonnum M cR pf – Dacia
II Brittonum – Maurentania Caesariensis
III Britannorum – Raetia
III Brittonum – Dacia
I Flavia Brittonum – Dalmatia – Noricum
I Ulpia Brittonum M – Dacia
I Aelia Brittonum M – Noricum
I Augusta Nervia Pacensis Brittonum M – ?
I Aureleia Brittonum M – Dacia
II Flavia Brittonum – Moesia Inf.
II Augusta Nervia Pacensis Brittonum M – Panonnian Inf.

[Marcus Germanicus Ferox]

Hi Adrian Thanks for that.

Right - to put it in to context I am a man like yourself with numerous Tats, all Celtic, so I wanted my impression to be able to embrace this and would therefore need to link myself with a siutable cohort 1st/2nd AD. Any suggestions? Batavians? Gauls?

Regards

Mark

[Peroni]

How about a long-sleeved Gallic/Germanic tunic? That's what I do! :wink:

For 'Wall-based' units, there are numerous Germanic and Gallic units as well as Thracian, Belgic etc etc you could choose to portray. The world's your oyster in this respect!

As for Batavians based actually on the Wall (Brocolitia/Carrawburgh), the only unit were the first cohort of Batavians. This unit is not to be confused with cohors I Batavorvm Miliaria civivm Romanorvm pia fidelis, (the Panonnian unit).

this British-based unit was not raised until the first quarter of the second century either by Trajan, or Hadrian.

The earliest record of its presence in Britain is a diploma dating to AD122. (CIL 16, 00069). There is evidence that the first cohort of Batavians were involved in building part of the Vallum of Hadrian’s Wall near Carvoran and Castlesteads. (RIB 2015, RIB 1823/24). Hardly an activity for a battle-hardened unit, but suitable however, for a newly raised one. Both stones record the construction of the Vallum. The career of the unit in the second century is unknown, but it may have formed part of the expeditionary force for the Antonine occupation under Lollius Urbicus, although no evidence for this has been found.

The cohort appears to have been stationed at Brocolitia (Carrawburgh) from before AD222 until the time of the Notitia Dignitatum, early in the fifth century. It may have arrived in AD213 since the name ‘Antoniniana’ which features on the altar to Mithras dedicated by prefect L. Antonius Proculus (RIB 1544) attests the unit’s loyalty to either Caracalla or Elagabalus.

The other Batavian cohorts from the Stanegate forts such as Vindolanda were the Ninth and possibly a detachment from the third (mentioned in Vindolanda Tablet II 263).

[Marcus Germanicus Ferox]

Thanks Adrian that's really useful stuff.

Whilst on the subject, my buddy is busy putting together a Hamian archer impression. I've read your article on your group's site, do you have any useful pictorial references we could use?

Also what do you think about the Hasta/Pilum issue? Do you think they may also have used something Scramasax like as well as/instead of the pugio?

Regards

Mark.

[Peroni]

Hamian archer impression. I've read your article on your group's site, do you have any useful pictorial references we could use?

The best pictorial references are in the article. The Trajan's Column depiction and the Housesteads archer.

there's also the gravestone of Tib. Iulius Abdes Pantera IIRC from Bingerbruck.

Also what do you think about the Hasta/Pilum issue?

Well, There appears to be evidence relating to one of the cohors voluntariorum cR using a parallel-sided, curved scutum. (Carol van Driel-Murray A shield cover from Roomberg - Cohors XV Voluntariorum cR)
Nearby, in the Corbulo ditch, the remains of a pilum were also found, suggesting that this Cohort, raised by Augustus, from Roman Citizens, had the same type of equipment as the legions. Possibly due to the status of a Citizen cohort. They certainly got the same pay as the legions thanks to the will of Augustus, so maybe it was also reflected in their equipment too.

There's a depiction on Trajan's Column of an auxiliary soldier carrying a curved scutum which could be either an artists honest mistake, or that it represents a soldier from a cohors scutata or Vol. cR unit.

I don't really see a problem with using a more Germanic sidearm in place of the pugio, but generally speaking, as we see in abundance from the Rhineland tombstones, that the auxilia were equipped with 'Roman' kit. Certainly in undress order, they look no different from the legionary soldiers in their appearance, which includes the pugio.

The alternative would be to go for an earlier 'Claudian invasion period' look, with slightly more irregular troop appearance with more native clothing and equipment.

[Marcus Germanicus Ferox]

Cool, Thanks Adrian - you've been very helpful.

So - the ol' auxiliary look is pretty versatile. We wanted to steer away from the ESG look where they all look the same :wink: Sure this would not be the case - Feminalia or braccae? or doesn't it matter? - just want to look very rough round the edges. Tunic colours? here we go again! Roman influence or country of origin influenced - last question promise :lol: You can have your lunch then!

Regards

Mark

[Peroni]

Feminalia or braccae? or doesn't it matter? - just want to look very rough round the edges.

Most, if not all of our reconstructions come from archaeological and sculptural evidence. Scant though the finds are, there have been long trousers preserved in peat bogs. The Angeln trousers that most of our braccae are modelled on for example. The rest is sculptural evidence.

Trajan’s Column depicts auxiliary soldiers, both infantry and cavalry wearing femenalia, but one Germanic auxiliary has most definitely got on a pair of long braccae. This depiction is used in ‘Roman Military Clothing 1’ by Graham Sumner. As for long sleeved tunicae, the tombstones of Titus Flavius Bassus, and Longinus Sdapeze, both auxiliaries, though cavalrymen, definitely dated to the first century AD both show the soldiers wearing the same type of long sleeves with turned-back cuffs.

generally speaking we don't really know for certain. The Mainz pedestal shows no leg coverings, neither do the Rhineland tombstones. Trajan's Column shows femenalia.

For parade order, certainly a more Romanised look would apply, particularly post 70AD. Braccae could well have been worn in the field or on campaign.

In 99AD, the new emperor Trajan brought the equites singulari Augusti to Rome. He saw to it that they looked as ‘Roman’ as possible. Like frontier troops of the line, they wore sleeveless or short-sleeved tunics and knee-length breeches. (Femenalia). This suggests that when the troops were on campaign or in the field that they wore un-Roman clothing, namely long sleeves and long trousers.

In the writings of Tacitus (Histories book 2.20) we find…

“Caecina, who seemed to have left his cruelty and profligacy on the other side of the Alps, advanced through Italy with his army under excellent discipline. The towns and colonies, however, found indications of a haughty spirit in the general's dress, when they saw the cloak of various colours, and the trousers, a garment of foreign fashion, clothed in which he was wont to speak to their toga-clad citizensâ€

[Graham Sumner]

Hello Mark

I was wondering if the British unit on Hadrian's Wall that you meant was actually Cohors I Cornoviorum raised from the Cornovii in the midlands. The Notitia Dignitatum places them at Newcastle. So undoubtedly by then they wore very short sleeved black and white striped tunics! ( A joke for British readers only).

They appear to have been the only unit raised from a single British tribe. As to their clothing that would depend on period but if you ever see the Auxiliary figure at Housesteads museum that is probably near enough for what you want. I would go with a red brown colour for tunic long sleeved or short and yellow brown for the Sagum type cloak. You could wear Vindolanda type enclosed fell boots and probably brown wool bracae.

There are no representations of archers in long flowing robes other than on Trajan,s Column. Again in a British context you have the Hamian archer sculpture from Housesteads which shows him dressed as a regular auxiliary with short tunic and cloak. The only thing you would have to decide upon is to what his helmet looks like. It looks conical but the details are very worn on the original sculpture.

Graham.

[Peroni]

This is the Housesteads soldier that Graham mentioned..

Auxiliary

[Marcus Germanicus Ferox]

Thanks Adrian and Hi Graham

It was your piccies I saw at Vindolanda then!!

Looks like you painted Chris Haines and Derek Forest in those!!

Yes it was Cohors I Cornoviorum. I posted a link earlier in this thread - but unfortunately it places them 4th/5th century AD. Too late for the impression I am doing.

Thanks for the info on colour - excellent - and the Hamian info. Paul my friend is a bit of a tart :lol: and liked the idea of flowing robes - but I said no - impractical - so thanks for the back up! - Do you have any good sources for his hemlet apart from Deepeeka?

I am going with the helmet I already have the Auxiliary infantry B - Ok you think?

Regards

Mark.

[Graham Sumner]

Thanks for the picture. Adrian. I am sure that you will agree with me that the quality of the textiles on that figure are probably better than the military equipment!

Overall I think it gives a good impression. For winter wear you could certainly add more tunics and the Vindolanda tablets mention overcloaks and undercloaks. So layers of clothing was definately the thing in Roman times.

Adrian have your green tunics been dyed naturally? I was told that green was one of the more expensive colours. In Roman paintings showing military figures you rarely find it which would seem to bare this out. The most common colours are white for tunics, yellow brown for cloaks and then red for tunics and cloaks with blue being another colour for cloaks.

Some of the red colours are very pale which it has been suggested meant the textiles had a very quick dip in the madder dye not because of fading. So the deeper the colour the longer the material has been in the dye but equally that would then reflect in the price.

Some of the Vindolanda textiles had traces of madder dye. However the Batavian commander at Vindolanda had ordered some green curtains! A very scarlet colour would have been more expensive. An undyed off white colour might be used for off duty wear with a bleeched white colour for parades and special occasions. Vindolanda had a tannery so it might be possible that one day they find evidence for dyeing too.

Mark. Yes they were some of my paintings at Vindolanda. I must have just missed you as I was up there too recently.

Graham.

[Peroni]

Graham wrote:

Adrian have your green tunics been dyed naturally?

Some of them have Graham. We overdyed Weld (yellow) with Woad (blue) to obtain the green. They faded to quite a pale green after a couple of years. Why the RMRS chose green I don't know. (Before my time with them!)

Personally I prefer more natural undyed wools like browns/beiges.

The process of double-dying may have made green more expensive, but woad and weld are quite common dye-plants. Maybe it just wasn't a popular colour?

Mark wrote:

I am going with the helmet I already have the Auxiliary infantry B - Ok you think?

No problem. (Deepeeka will be launching their updated version of this one soon! :wink:

As for the conical helmets of the archers, there's the two which are described in the Hamians pages..

One (in the museum at Sofia) is particularly heavily decorated with depictions of Roman Gods and Goddesses, the other from the Dakovo region of Bosnia, (Robinsons auxiliary infantry 'D') quite plain except for its applied beaded wire decoration. Both helmets have holes in the nape of the neck for the attachment of a neck guard, possibly of mail or scale.