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A cohort (from the Latin ''cohors'', plural ''cohortes'', see wikt:cohors for full inflection table) was a standard tactical military unit of a
Roman legion The Roman legion ( la, legiō, ) was the largest military unit of the Roman army, composed of 5,200 infantry and 300 equites (cavalry) in the period of the Roman Republic (509 BC–27 BC) and of 5,600 infantry and 200 auxilia in the period o ...
. Although the standard size changed with time and situation, it was generally composed of 480 soldiers. A cohort is considered to be the equivalent of a modern military
battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...
. The cohort replaced the '' maniple'' following the reforms attributed to
Gaius Marius Gaius Marius (; – 13 January 86 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. Victor of the Cimbric and Jugurthine wars, he held the office of consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his important refor ...
in 107 BC. Shortly after the military reforms of Marius, and until the middle of the third century AD, ten cohorts (about 5,000 men total) made up a legion. Cohorts were named "first cohort,” "second cohort," etc. The first cohort consisted of experienced legionaries, while the legionaries in the tenth cohort were less experienced.


Legionary cohort

A legionary cohort of the early empire consisted of six '' centuriae'', or centuries, each consisting of 80 legionaries, for a total of 480 legionaries. Prior to the
Marian reforms The Marian reforms were reforms of the ancient Roman army implemented in 107 BC by the statesman Gaius Marius, for whom they were later named. The reforms originated as a reaction to the military and logistical stagnation of the Roman Republic ...
, each ''centuria'' consisted of 100 men, hence their name. Each ''centuria'' was commanded by a centurion, who increased in seniority from the sixth to the first centuries; thus, the centurion of the sixth century was the most junior in the cohort, while the centurion of the first century was the most senior. In order of increasing seniority, the six centurions were titled ''hastatus posterior'', ''hastatus prior'', ''princeps posterior'', ''princeps prior'', ''pilus posterior'', and ''pilus prior''. The ''pilus prior'' would command the cohort overall. The nomenclature of the ranks was derived from the Republican ''manipular'' legions, where troops were grouped into three rankings; ''
hastati ''Hastati'' (singular: ''hastatus'') were a class of infantry employed in the armies of the early Roman Republic, who originally fought as spearmen and later as swordsmen. These soldiers were the staple unit after Rome threw off Etruscan rule ...
'' for the most inexperienced, followed by ''
principes ''Principes'' (Singular: ''princeps'') were spearmen, and later swordsmen, in the armies of the early Roman Republic. They were men in the prime of their lives who were fairly wealthy, and could afford decent equipment. They were the heavier in ...
'', and finally ''
triarii ''Triarii'' (singular: ''Triarius'') were one of the elements of the early Roman military manipular legions of the early Roman Republic (509 BC – 107 BC). They were the oldest and among the wealthiest men in the army and could afford high qu ...
'' for the most experienced. ''Pilus'' was a rare alternative name for ''triarius'', reflecting their use as spearmen, ''pilus'' being the Latin word for spear. The
Marian reforms The Marian reforms were reforms of the ancient Roman army implemented in 107 BC by the statesman Gaius Marius, for whom they were later named. The reforms originated as a reaction to the military and logistical stagnation of the Roman Republic ...
established by
Gaius Marius Gaius Marius (; – 13 January 86 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. Victor of the Cimbric and Jugurthine wars, he held the office of consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his important refor ...
in the 1st century BC formalised the command structure and composition of the legions. A century of 80 men was divided into ten '' contubernia'', each of eight men, who shared a single A-frame tent together. A contubernium was led by a decanus, appointed from within the contubernium, and was most likely the longest-serving legionary of the eight. The decanus organised the erection of the unit's marching tent, and ensured his tent-mates kept things tidy. A contubernium was assigned one to two pack mules, which would carry heavier equipment and the contubernium's mill, for grinding their daily grain ration into flour. These duties would be carried out by camp slaves, of which one to two would be assigned to each contubernium. They tended to the pack mule, ensured legionaries had water on the march, and camp duties such as cooking, washing, and other specialised skills such as smithing or carpentry. While encamped, younger legionaries may be sent out to fetch fodder, firewood, and water for the contubernium. A century of 80 men would be commanded by a centurion, assisted by four junior officers. The pay of a centurion fluctuated depending on their seniority; the most junior centurion in a legion received around ten times the standard rate of pay, while the most senior legionary centurion could receive some forty times the standard rate of pay. The centurion was assisted by an optio, who served as his second-in-command, and typically received double the legionary rate of pay. Third in seniority was a tesserarius, who exercised command over the nightly guard duties, and were responsible for distributing the watchwords for the camp. A tesserarius was typically paid one-and-a-half times the standard rate of pay. A century also had a signifer, who carried the century's standard into battle, and also served as the unit's treasurer, keeping track of the pay and expenses of the men. Signifers typically received double pay. Lastly, a cornicen, equipped with a cornu, served as a signaller, and received double pay. These officers would have their own support staff, tents, and mules. Thus, a cohort would consist of, on paper, 480 legionaries, 6 centurions, and 24 junior officers, with logistical support provided by 60-120 slaves, and 60-120 mules. Ten cohorts of 480 legionaries would comprise a legion. Like the ranks of the centurions, cohorts would also follow a pattern of seniority; a legion's tenth cohort was its most junior, while the first cohort was the most prestigious, with its ranks filled with either veteran troops, or the best recruits. The commander of the first cohort's first century was known as the ''primus pilus'' or "first spear", a legion's most senior centurion. The ''primus pilus'' was eligible for promotion to '' praefectus castrorum'' or camp prefect, the third most senior officer in a legion, responsible for the day-to-day administration of a legion. The first cohort was an aberration in that it consisted of five double-strength ''centuriae'', each of 160 men, for a total of 800 men, as opposed to six centuries of 80 men. It was the unique honour of the first cohort's aquilifer to carry the legion's '' aquila'', or eagle, standard into battle, which possessed a quasi-religious importance to the legionaries. Loss of an eagle was considered a mark of extreme shame and disgrace for a legion. A legion's first cohort also had an imaginifer, who carried an ''imago'' of the reigning
Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( ...
, typically a three-dimensional relief of their likeness made of beaten metal. Each cohort also had a small artillery corps. According to Vegetius, each century was equipped with a '' scorpio'', a small torsion-powered ballista, for a total of six per cohort. A contubernium would be deputed to operate the weapon, when required. Like most ancient artillery, these weapons were likely used in fixed positions for infantry defence, or in sieges. Each cohort also had one '' onager'', a stone-throwing torsion-powered catapult. Vegetius stipulates that they were transported fully-assembled on ox-drawn carts, to ensure the onager was ready for immediate use. Additional equipment, such as rams, towers, or larger ballistae were added as needed. Thus, by extrapolation, a legion had an artillery train of some sixty ''scorpios'' and ten ''onagers''.


Types of cohort

*''Cohors alaria'': allied or auxiliary unit *''Cohors quinquagenaria'': auxiliary, nominally 500 strong *''Cohors milliaria'': auxiliary, nominally 1000 strong *''Cohors classica'': auxiliary unit originally formed of sailors and marines *''Cohors equitata'' (LA): unit of auxiliary infantry with attached mounted squadrons *''Cohors peditata'' (LA): infantry unit *''Cohors sagittaria'': infantry auxiliary unit of bowmen *''Cohors speculatorum'' (LA): guard unit of
Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the au ...
composed of scouts *''Cohors torquata'' (LA): auxiliary unit granted a ''torques'' (military decoration) *''Cohors tumultuaria'' (from ''tumultus'', "chaos"): irregular auxiliary unit


Other Roman cohorts

Although not part of a legion, some paramilitary corps in Rome consisted of one or more cohorts: *The nine ''cohortes praetoriae'', never grouped to a legion, the infamous Praetorians. The term was first used to refer to the bodyguard of a general during the
Republic A republic () is a " state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th ...
; later, a unit of imperial guards (temporarily restyled ''cohors palatina'' (imperial cohort),"Hence adj. Pălātīnus -a -um ''Palatine''; Apollo, ''whose temple was on the Palatine'', Hor.; also ''relating to the imperial palace, imperial'': Ov."— c. 300 AD, under
Diocletian Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...
's
tetrarchy The Tetrarchy was the system instituted by Roman emperor Diocletian in 293 AD to govern the ancient Roman Empire by dividing it between two emperors, the ''augusti'', and their juniors colleagues and designated successors, the '' caesares'' ...
). **''Cohors togata'' was a unit of the Praetorian Guard in civilian clothes tasked with duties within the '' pomerium'' (sacred center of the capital, where all armed forces were forbidden). *'' Cohortes urbanae'', "urban cohort": Law enforcement officers patrolling in the capital. *'' Cohortes vigilum'', "watchmen": Law enforcement officers forming the fire brigade in the capital. *''Cohors Germanorum'' (LA): the unit of '' Germani custodes corporis'' (imperial body guards recruited in
Germania Germania ( ; ), also called Magna Germania (English: ''Great Germania''), Germania Libera (English: ''Free Germania''), or Germanic Barbaricum to distinguish it from the Roman province of the same name, was a large historical region in north-c ...
). Furthermore, the Latin word ''cohors'' was used in a looser way to describe a rather large "company" of people (see, for instance, '' cohors amicorum'').


See also

*
Auxiliaries (Roman military) The (, lit. "auxiliaries") were introduced as non-citizen troops attached to the citizen legions by Augustus after his reorganisation of the Imperial Roman army from 30 BC. By the 2nd century, the Auxilia contained the same number of inf ...
* List of Roman auxiliary regiments


References

{{reflist Infantry units and formations of ancient Rome Military units and formations of the Roman Empire Roman tactical formations Military units and formations of the Roman Republic Roman legions