bibulus

Thanks guys, good stuff. But just to clarify - do we think these units were recruited from citizens or that they were rewarded with citizenship??

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?