11-23-2009, 10:41 AM
Quote:Fourth: why auxiliaries? The John Gospel speaks about an italic cohort at least for the Jesus famous execution.The Italian Cohort (Cohors Prima Italica Civium Romanorum) was an auxiliary unit; cf. M.P. Speidel, 'The Roman Army in Judaea under the Procurators', in M.P. Speidel, Roman Army Studies II (1992 Stuttgart), pages 224-232.
That anything other than auxiliaries were involved, is also clear from Tacitus' famous words sub Tiberio quies. Nothing happened that mattered to a senator - like the sending of legions. Only the usual garrison was involved. It was not business as usual, probably, but it was something that the local troops were up to.
