Cohortes urbanae
Encyclopedia
The cohortes urbanae of ancient Rome
were created by Augustus
to counterbalance the enormous power of the Praetorian Guard
in the city of Rome
and serve as a police force. They were led by the urban prefect.
Rome and to counteract the roaming mobs and gang
s that so often haunted its streets during the Republic
. The urban cohorts thus acted as a heavy duty police force
, capable of riot control
duties, while their contemporaries, the Vigiles
, had the day-to-day role of policing the streets and protecting against fires. As a trained paramilitary organization, the urban cohorts could, on rare occasions, take to the field of battle if necessary. This role, however, was only called upon in dire situations. Augustus established a city police force at Rome consisting of three cohorts (cohortes urbanae) under a newly appointed prefect of the city. By this time the gangs of Titus Milo, Publius Clodius, etc. which had been used by politicians during the Republic had been eliminated, mostly due to the efforts of Pompey Magnus and, with the founding of the Principste, had become moot since power no longer resided in the Senate and elected officials. Unlike the Vigiles, who mostly operated at night as firewatch and watchmen, members of the Urban Cohorts were considered legionnaires though with higher pay than the regular legions--if not quite as much as the Praetorian Guards, and tended to receive slightly higher donatives though, again, not as much as the Praetorians.
Urban cohorts, (known as city cohorts in non roman cities) were later created in both the Roman north African city of Carthage and the city of Lyon
, France, known to the Romans as Gaul
.
. They are inaccurately portrayed as the strongest of the Roman heavy infantry units. This gives the false impression that they were used frequently and effectively on the battlefield.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
were created by Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
to counterbalance the enormous power of the Praetorian Guard
Praetorian Guard
The Praetorian Guard was a force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors. The title was already used during the Roman Republic for the guards of Roman generals, at least since the rise to prominence of the Scipio family around 275 BC...
in the city of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and serve as a police force. They were led by the urban prefect.
Duties
Their primary role was to policePolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
Rome and to counteract the roaming mobs and gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
s that so often haunted its streets during the Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
. The urban cohorts thus acted as a heavy duty police force
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, capable of riot control
Riot control
Riot control refers to the measures used by police, military, or other security forces to control, disperse, and arrest civilians who are involved in a riot, demonstration, or protest. Law enforcement officers or soldiers have long used non-lethal weapons such as batons and whips to disperse crowds...
duties, while their contemporaries, the Vigiles
Vigiles
The Vigiles or more properly the Vigiles Urbani or Cohortes Vigilum were the firefighters and police of Ancient Rome.-History:...
, had the day-to-day role of policing the streets and protecting against fires. As a trained paramilitary organization, the urban cohorts could, on rare occasions, take to the field of battle if necessary. This role, however, was only called upon in dire situations. Augustus established a city police force at Rome consisting of three cohorts (cohortes urbanae) under a newly appointed prefect of the city. By this time the gangs of Titus Milo, Publius Clodius, etc. which had been used by politicians during the Republic had been eliminated, mostly due to the efforts of Pompey Magnus and, with the founding of the Principste, had become moot since power no longer resided in the Senate and elected officials. Unlike the Vigiles, who mostly operated at night as firewatch and watchmen, members of the Urban Cohorts were considered legionnaires though with higher pay than the regular legions--if not quite as much as the Praetorian Guards, and tended to receive slightly higher donatives though, again, not as much as the Praetorians.
Organization
Originally the cohortes urbanae were divided into three cohorts, each cohort being commanded by one tribune and six centurions. In the time of the Flavians this was increased to four cohorts. Each cohort contained around five hundred men. Only free citizens were eligible to serve in their ranks. As with the Praetorians, the men of the Urban cohorts were predominantly of Italian stock.Urban cohorts, (known as city cohorts in non roman cities) were later created in both the Roman north African city of Carthage and the city of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, France, known to the Romans as Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
.
In popular culture
The urban cohorts are included as a unit in the 2004 PC strategy game Rome: Total WarRome: Total War
Rome: Total War is a PC strategy game developed by The Creative Assembly and released on by Activision...
. They are inaccurately portrayed as the strongest of the Roman heavy infantry units. This gives the false impression that they were used frequently and effectively on the battlefield.