Cohors Quartae Lingonum

This unit was another part-mounted regiment auxiliary force of governor Petilius Cerialis. They were listed as the late-fourth century occupants of the Wallsend (Segedunum) fort in the Notitia Dignitatum, also evidenced by a couple of altarstones.

The Lingones were originally a Gallic tribe, who lent their name to the Roman area around what is now modern Langres in France (the “Civitas Lingonum”, attested as being part of the province of Lugdunensis I in the “Notitia Galliarum”, a work that is included, together with several other works, in the codices bound together with the manuscripts of our “Notitia Dignitatum”); the unit was presumably originally recruited there. See also the cohors II Lingonum, also stationed along the wall and commanded by a tribune, and the numerus Longovicanorum, commanded by a prefect under the Dux, but not stationed along the wall.

Evidence for the presence of Cohors Quartae Lingonum in Britain

  1. Military Diplomata – 103AD (RIB 1401.1)
  2. Military Diplomata 122AD
  3. Military Diplomata c AD126
  4. Military Diplomata (AD 158)
  5. Wallsend (RIB 1299 altar; 1300 altar; Notitia Dignitatum).

RIB 1299 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, the Fourth Cohort of Lingonians, part-mounted, under the command of Julius Honoratus, centurion of the Second Legion Augusta, willingly and deservedly fulfilled its vow.

I O M
COH IIII LIN
GONVM EQ
CVI ATTENDIT
IVL HONOR
ATVS 𐆛 LEG II
AVG V S L M

No commentary.


RIB 1300 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, Aelius Rufus, prefect of the Fourth Cohort of Lingonians (set this up).

I O M
AEL RVFVS
PRAEF COH
IIII LINGO
NVM

It probably came from Wallsend fort. (See Haverfield, Arch. Ael. 2nd Ser. 16 (1894) 78.)


RIB 1301 - Altar dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus

To Jupiter, Best and Greatest, Cornelius Celer, prefect of the Fourth Cohort of Lingonians, [set this up].

[...] M
[...]NEL
CELER PR
AEF COH
IIII L[...]
[...]

No commentary.