Cohors I Alpinorum equitata

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Cohors I Alpinorum equitata (1st part-mounted Cohort of Alpini) was a Roman auxiliary unit made up of both infantry and cavalry. It had about 600 men: 480 infantry and 120 cavalry.

Who the Alpini were
- The Alpini were Celtic-speaking mountain tribes living in the Alps between Italy and Gaul. The regiment was probably raised after Augustus expanded western Alpine lands in 15 BC, as one of roughly 4–6 Alpini regiments.

Where it served
- The unit began in Illyricum and is recorded there in 60 AD.
- By about 80 AD it was based in Pannonia, and later in Pannonia Inferior after the province was split around 107.
- It appears to have stayed in Pannonia Inferior until around 215, though there were brief interruptions:
- Aquitania (Excisum) in 60–70
- Britannia in 103 (likely only a short stay, probably not long)
- Dacia Superior in 144 (short stay)

Where the unit’s inscriptions were found
- Forts associated with the regiment include Carnuntum; Matrica (Százhalombatta); Excisum; Apulum (Dacia); Mursa (around 215); Lussonium (Dunakömlőd).

Commanders and personnel
- The names of seven praefects (regimental commanders) are known, though their origins aren’t certain.
- One praefect erected a votive altar at Thuburbo Maius (Tunisia), and another at Caesarea, hinting at possible home towns.
- Senior officers: four centuriones (infantry officers) and one decurio (cavalry officer) are documented; one optio (junior officer) is known.
- A cavalryman with the title bucc. is attested, likely a buccinator (bugler).
- Caligati (ordinary soldiers) include three infantrymen and one cavalryman.
- The only clearly identified origin among the personnel is a member of the Eravisci, a Pannonian tribe.