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An Effective of the Praetorian Cohorts in I–II Centuries A.D.
 
PIIS032103910028432-8-1
DOI10.31857/S032103910028432-8
Publication type Article
Status Approved
Authors
Evgeniy Guskov 
Occupation: Associate Professor, Department of History
Affiliation: Moscow City University
Address: Moscow, 129226, Russian Federation, Moscow, Vtoroy Selskohoziajstvenny proezd, 4
Abstract

The paper is devoted to the problem of determining an effective of Praetorian cohorts in the I–II centuries AD. Contrary to the ancient narrative tradition, which reports that the staff of each cohort of the Imperial Guard included 1000 people, the French historian M. Durry gave a number of arguments in favor of the fact that their size was half as large. His hypothesis has become widespread in the scientific community. However, Durry has many opponents, who defend the reliability of the information of ancient authors and note the ambiguity of the conclusions that are obtained from the analysis of archaeological data and statistical calculations based on the material of the praetorian laterculi.

Despite the possibility of ambiguous interpretations, the easiest way to reconcile the testimony of available sources is to recognize the miliary status of the praetorian cohorts. The only existing obstacle to this is that the structure of the praetorian cohort was characteristic of quingenary units, but this feature is the result of the creation of the corps of imperial bodyguards from legion soldiers in the time of the II Triumvirate.

Keywordscohors praetoria, laterculus praetorianorum, dilectus, missio honesta, cohors quingenaria, cohors milliaria.
Received09.11.2023
Number of characters73011
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