bibulus Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 In the thread on the crucifixion I noticed references to the cohors I Italica civium Romanorum as a unit serving in Judea at the time of Christ. Does anybody know anything about the origins of this unit and what is presumably its sister unit the cohors II Italica civium Romanorum serving in Palestine at the same time? Why would Italians who are Roman citizens, and thus eligible for legionary service, choose auxiliary service with lower pay and worse terms of service? Could these have been some of the units of slaves and freedmen raised by Augustus in Italy for service in the Illyrian war and rewarded with citizenship or is that way off base? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvadius Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 In the thread on the crucifixion I noticed references to the cohors I Italica civium Romanorum as a unit serving in Judea at the time of Christ. Does anybody know anything about the origins of this unit and what is presumably its sister unit the cohors II Italica civium Romanorum serving in Palestine at the same time? Why would Italians who are Roman citizens, and thus eligible for legionary service, choose auxiliary service with lower pay and worse terms of service? Could these have been some of the units of slaves and freedmen raised by Augustus in Italy for service in the Illyrian war and rewarded with citizenship or is that way off base? I don't know how much information there is on this particular unit apart from a passing mention in 'Acts' however if I remember correctly the 'Civium Romanorum' designation was something which in the Early Empire could in exceptional circumstances have been granted to an entire unit of 'non-citizen' auxilliaries for an outstanding act of bravery by them. The citizen status award was apparently granted to the entire unit irrespective of how long they had been serving with the name of the unit being amended at this point to show their 'special' status. In the later period the difference between citizen and non-citizen units became increasingly blurred especially after every free resident of the empire was granted 'citizen' status by Caracalla around AD 212. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pompieus Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 (edited) As Melvadius says many units of auxilia received citizenship and the title Civum Romanorum (CR) for meritorious service, but there were also a number of units whose title indicates that they were originally raised in Italy from Roman citizens. viz cohors: I Ingenuorum CR IV Voluntariorum CR - Pannonia VI Ingenuorum CR - Germnia VIII Voluntariorum CR - Dalmtia XIII Voluntariorum CR XV Voluntariorum CR - Germania XVIII Voluntariorum CR -Pannonia XIX Voluntariorum CR XXIII Voluntariorum CR - Pannonia XXIV Voluntariorum CR - Germania XXVI Voluntariorum CR - Germania XXX Voluntariorum CR - Germnia XXXII Voluntariorum CR - Germania As you supposed these units probably represent the levies made by Augustus in Italy during the Pannonian rising and after the defeat of Varus, and apparently included both citizens and freedmen. They were special units in some sense since in his will Augustus gave them a donative equal to the legionaries. These units probably have a similar origin but nothing is known of their creation. viz cohors: I Italica Voluntariorum CR II Italica CR Milliaria - Cappodocia, Syria I Campanorum Voluntariorum CR - Dalmatia, Pannonia III Campestris - Dacia VII Campestris - Syria The province where the instcription(s) identifying the unit was/were found is included where known. See G L Cheeseman Auxilia of the Imperial Roman Army and and P A Holder Auxilia of the Roman Army for discussion of these units. Edited March 14, 2012 by Pompieus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibulus Posted March 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 (edited) Thanks guys, good stuff. But just to clarify - do we think these units were recruited from citizens or that they were rewarded with citizenship?? Edited March 14, 2012 by bibulus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pompieus Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 The fact that Augustus gave them a donative on his death equal to that given the legionaries (Tacitus Ann, i.8) makes Cheeseman and Holder believe the units mentioned (Ingenuorum, Voluntariorum et al) were citizens when recruited. Other units (and there were many) such as I Montanorum CR or III Aquitanorum Equitate CR etc probably had citizenship conferred on all their members after some heroic service. Subsequent enlistees probably were treated as other auxiliaries (receiving citizenship upon retirement) while the unit retained the title as an honorarium - like British regiments called "Kings Own" or "Royal". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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