Cohors VI Nerviorum explained

The Cohors VI Nerviorum (English: Sixth Cohort of [[Nervii]]) was an auxiliary unit of Roman Army Cohors quinquagenaria peditata type attested in the Roman province of Britannia from the second century to the early fifth century AD.^[1]

Service in Britannia

The cohort was based at Greatchesters fort on Hadrian's Wall intermittently from the second to the fourth century AD.^[2] Inscriptions found at Rough Castle Fort on the Antonine Wall in Scotland state that 480 men of the Cohors VI Nerviorum served there between 156–162 AD.^[3] One of its commanders was a centurion named Flavius Betto.^[4]

The cohort also rebuilt part of the Virosidum fort in present North Yorkshire around 205-208AD.^[5] In AD 205, whilst stationed at Virosium, the Prefect of the Cohort was Lucius Vinicius Pius.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Book: Anthony Richard Birley. The People of Roman Britain. 1980. University of California Press. 978-0-520-04119-6. 61–.
2. Book: Hadrian's Wall AD 122-410. 2003. Osprey Publishing. 978-1-84176-430-6. 42–.
3. Web site: 2530 ‒ Cohors VI Nerviorum. The Roman Inscriptions of Britain. 12 April 2015.
4. Web site: 4092 ‒ Flavius Betto. The Roman Inscriptions of Britain. 12 April 2015.
5. Web site: RIB 722. Inscription. For the Emperor Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax Augustus and for the Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Felix Augustus and for Publius Septimius Geta, most noble Caesar, the Sixth Cohort of Nervians built this [rampart] of uncoursed masonry with annexe-wall under the charge of Lucius Alfenus Senecio, senator of consular rank; Lucius Vinicius Pius, prefect of the same cohort …, had direction of the work. . The Roman Inscriptions of Britain. 12 April 2015.
6. Web site: RIB 3215. Imperial dedication to Septimius Severus, Caracalla, and Geta . Roman Inscriptions of Britain online . 18 October 2022.