Courtyard Historical Thread

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If you come to report a fire, you’ll find plenty of trained men here to put it out. This castrum is occupied by 560 milites and their commanders. Each cohort of the Vigiles is composed of seven centuries with 80 men in each century. The total force counts 3,920 men when fully staffed.* Our castrum is commanded by a tribune supported by centurions. The cohorts each report to the praefectus vigilum, an equestrian official. He, in turn, reports to Rome’s praefectus urbi, a senator who is responsible to the emperor himself. Looking for work? Join the Cohortes Vigilum! Pay is steady and the work exciting! You don’t have to be a citizen to join. Most of our soldiers are freedmen, and, best of all, the Lex Visellia grants each man citizenship after service! Just 6 years and you’ll be a fully-fledged Roman! See the duty centurion today! As you pass the sentries to enter the imposing gate, you’ll see a large courtyard where the soldiers exercise or report for roll call. The large space can also be used to guard property recovered from burning buildings. Around the courtyard are porticos for the men to work under when they clean and prepare equipment. The men’s barracks are the small rooms lining each side of the courtyard. Near the command center is the doctor's office - each cohort has four physicians assigned to it. First built in the reign of Nero, the castrum has been improved and reconstructed several times. Around the aedicula in the courtyard, you’ll find dedications to the emperors Hadrian, Trajan, Septimius Severus and his son Antoninus, as well as the augustae Julia Domna and Furia Sabina. The inscriptions record the close connection of the Vigiles to their imperial patrons. In addition to a shrine to the imperial cult, the officers and men have dedicated two shrines to the genius of the Fifth Cohort. The monuments to the genius are beautiful works, with one in the shape of a marble temple surrounded by porphyry columns. Sacrifices are regularly offered here for the protection of the men who face the hazards of combatting Rome’s fires.

Notes:
* The number of Vigiles was doubled in 205 A.D. by Septimius Severus.
Conceptualization of the barracks of Cohors V Vigiles is based on reports and images of the excavations of a number of vigiles posts, including that of the actual Cohort V. In addition to Rainbird’s article (see entrance), additional information can be found on the Ostia-Antica website and in Rudolfo Lanciani’s Ancient Rome in the Light of Recent Discoveries published in 1898 and available at Bill Thayer’s Lacus Curtius website.
Image Sources:
Drawing of a layout of the Vigiles barracks at Ostia from a 1912 plan of the excavations at Ostia-Antica.org.

Created by:

* Titus Sabinus Flavius, Jan 11, 2010 - 20:33