Cohorts sizes

[Mark Hygate]

Not if you believe Hyginus (above).

Well, properly disagreeing with 'Hyginus' (having read 'him' for myself recently) is something I may well do in the end, but that wasn't what I was after.

I do not disagree at all that the later Republican and Imperial 6 century cohort was referred to as 'Quingenary' or 'Quingenaria'. What, however, I am suggesting is that the root cohort that was first named this way is the 'original' cohort that was at first 5 x centuria strong, but was 6 x centuria strong in exceptional circumstances (re Polybius). And this is why the 'double-strength' first cohort and larger auxilliary cohorts were named 'milliary' or 'milliarae' because they were 10 x centuria strong.

I have come to believe strongly that the terms 500 and 1000 strong are misnomers from interpretation and interpolation and that Quingenary was originally for the smaller 5 century cohort, that became 6, whilst Milliary referred to 10 centuries and was more accurate when it was introduced formerly.

I would like to start a separate thread about Hyginus and his cavalry units, however.

What I would like to ask the community here, though, is where is the primary evidence for identifying units as Quingenary or Milliary is?

I have done a lot of reading and basic research recently, but much of that is itself either summaries or secondary or tertiary results.

Polybius and Josephus are the best primary sources for army organisation and there are glimpses elsewhere. I will own up and say that I do have concerns over Hyginus and Vegetius when it comes to the detail, however.

I did look at the Notia Dignitatum over 30 years ago, but am aware of it's dating too. Is most of the rest from inscriptions and documentary? And, if so, how are the names and 'sizes' presented?