03-28-2002, 12:36 PM
Hi Robert,<br>
If you don't mind me replying<br>
Classica probably refers to the origin, nothing else. After the Battle of Actium, Augustus transferred the usable part of Anthony's fleet to Forum Iulii on the southern coast of France. It's unsure exactly when, but most likely before 1 AD, the squadron was disbanded. At that time sailors/soldiers who still had time to serve were transferred into an army unit and served as any other. The fact that they were located near a harbour is not very surprising, in all probability nearly all units were stationed near harbours for logistical reasons.<br>
I'd love to state this was a unit of marines, but I'm afraid it isn't so. 'Classica' simply means 'fleet-' or 'naval' and if the Cohors Nauticorum was indeed the predecessor of this unit, that would just strengthen the argument against it, because this title implies that simply all leftover sailors, marines and rowers were collected in that unit. <p>Greets<BR>
<BR>
Jasper</p><i></i>
If you don't mind me replying<br>
Classica probably refers to the origin, nothing else. After the Battle of Actium, Augustus transferred the usable part of Anthony's fleet to Forum Iulii on the southern coast of France. It's unsure exactly when, but most likely before 1 AD, the squadron was disbanded. At that time sailors/soldiers who still had time to serve were transferred into an army unit and served as any other. The fact that they were located near a harbour is not very surprising, in all probability nearly all units were stationed near harbours for logistical reasons.<br>
I'd love to state this was a unit of marines, but I'm afraid it isn't so. 'Classica' simply means 'fleet-' or 'naval' and if the Cohors Nauticorum was indeed the predecessor of this unit, that would just strengthen the argument against it, because this title implies that simply all leftover sailors, marines and rowers were collected in that unit. <p>Greets<BR>
<BR>
Jasper</p><i></i>
