Centurion-Macro Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 I would like to learn more about there Cohorts that were made especially for Urban work in cities. I do not know a lot. I only really know that they were payed less than the legionary's, they were not as well trained and that they acted as a police force throughout the Empire. Any information on them would be welcome. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Started by Augustus. Commanded by the Prefect of the City (a high ranking Senator and effectively the Princeps' deputy within Roman city limits). The first prefect resigned because he didn't understand the nature of his duties (I guess he didn't understand or appreciate they were to be used as riot police in case the citizens acted up). Originally 3 cohorts, increased to 4 under Vespasian. There were single cohors each in Puteoli, Ostia, Carthage and Lyons to protect grain shipments and a mint. Each cohort had 500 men, commanded by a tribune and six centurions. They were recruited among Italians and paid half the rate of Praetorians. Survived until abolished by Constantine. No mention of them ever being used in anger. [summarizing article found in Oxford Classical Dictionary, 3rd edition.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 I'm also curious about the urban cohorts as I don't see much utility to them. The praetorians had clearly the job of keeping the emperor safe while the 14 cohorts of the vigiles were doing the police/firefighting work and even acted as a balance to the pretorians once when under the orders of Tiberius and the leadership of Macro they dealt with Sejanus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 (edited) Urbanae Cohortes. Edited August 10, 2009 by Gaius Paulinus Maximus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 I'm also curious about the urban cohorts as I don't see much utility to them. The praetorians had clearly the job of keeping the emperor safe while the 14 cohorts of the vigiles were doing the police/firefighting work and even acted as a balance to the pretorians once when under the orders of Tiberius and the leadership of Macro they dealt with Sejanus. I'm guessing that whereas the Praetorians were designed (at least initially) specifically to protect the palace and the imperial family, the Urban Cohors were designed as riot police to protect other urban assets. The aforementioned grain shipments and mint, for instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion-Macro Posted August 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 Thanks guys! you have all been great helps. So they were used to protect grain shipments and that sort of thing then...Why were they abolished in the end by Constantine do you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 So they were used to protect grain shipments and that sort of thing then Well, feeding Rome was the emperor's first duty, because if the Roman citizenry starved they would surely revolt. Having a cohort of urban riot police in the major grain exporting areas to deter possible trouble seems highly logical. ...Why were they abolished in the end by Constantine do you know? I would assume for the same reason he disbanded the Praetorians - to remove any force that could overthrow him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 Constantine disbanded the praetorians and the urban cohorts because they were the supporters of Maxentius and I believe of a movement that wanted to restore Rome as the political capital of the Empire. After Constantine the emperors lived in other cities and used other units as guards so the role of this units stationed in Rome was lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion-Macro Posted August 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Constantine disbanded the praetorians and the urban cohorts because they were the supporters of Maxentius and I believe of a movement that wanted to restore Rome as the political capital of the Empire. After Constantine the emperors lived in other cities and used other units as guards so the role of this units stationed in Rome was lost. Ah I see. So they sort of just became obsolete and had to be disbanded then? or were they taken out by force? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) I'm guessing that whereas the Praetorians were designed (at least initially) specifically to protect the palace and the imperial family, the Urban Cohors were designed as riot police to protect other urban assets. The aforementioned grain shipments and mint, for instance. The praetorians were the amalgamated bodyguards of senior generals from the civil wars, tasked to guard the Princeps (Augustus) as the senior citizen of Rome once the wars were over. Guarding the palace wasn't their primary duty but obviously since that was where the boss spent his time, they guarded it. They weren't rusted though. Even Augustus had them in seperated barracks (though they were brought together later). Some emperors distrusted the praetorians to the extent of employing other units as personal guards, such as Caligulas Germans, or Nero's guards composed of tall men. Bear in mind that the Pratorian Prefect was an important figure in Rome and during the Principate, politically active. Edited August 12, 2009 by caldrail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion-Macro Posted August 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 I'm guessing that whereas the Praetorians were designed (at least initially) specifically to protect the palace and the imperial family, the Urban Cohors were designed as riot police to protect other urban assets. The aforementioned grain shipments and mint, for instance. The praetorians were the amalgamated bodyguards of senior generals from the civil wars, tasked to guard the Princeps (Augustus) as the senior citizen of Rome once the wars were over. Guarding the palace wasn't their primary duty but obviously since that was where the boss spent his time, they guarded it. They weren't rusted though. Even Augustus had them in seperated barracks (though they were brought together later). Some emperors distrusted the praetorians to the extent of employing other units as personal guards, such as Caligulas Germans, or Nero's guards composed of tall men. Bear in mind that the Pratorian Prefect was an important figure in Rome and during the Principate, politically active. Nero's guards were tall men? I never knew that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 My mistake, they weren't his personal guards.... He also prepared for an expedition to the Caspian Gates, after enrolling a new legion of raw recruits of Italian birth, each six feet tall, which he called the "phalanx of Alexander the Great." Life of Nero (Suetonius) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion-Macro Posted August 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 My mistake, they weren't his personal guards.... He also prepared for an expedition to the Caspian Gates, after enrolling a new legion of raw recruits of Italian birth, each six feet tall, which he called the "phalanx of Alexander the Great." Life of Nero (Suetonius) What were they then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 Soldiers, all of whom were six feet tall (which I assume is Roman measurement - that would make them at least five feet nine inches in ours - Romans had an average height of a modern five feet four inches). Given they were raw recruits, intemnded more for display than fighting prowess, one shouldn't be suprised that they faded from history rather quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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