- The Cohortes Urbanae meaning ‘Urban Cohorts’, were Rome’s Police Force created by Augustus in 7-6 BCE.
- They were created at the same time as Rome’s Fire Brigade, the Vigiles Urbani.
Organisation
- 3 Cohorts
- Approximately 1,500 men.
- Each Cohort consisted of around 500 men.
- They were soldiers who received more pay than Legionaries, but less than the Praetorian Legionaries.
Officers
- Praefectus Urbanus
- The Cohortes Urbanae were under the authority of the Prefect of Rome.
- Tribune
- Each Cohort was commanded by a Tribune
- Centurions
- There were 6 Centurions under each Tribune.
Accommodation
- Castra Praetoria
- They shared the same barracks as the Praetorian Guard in the Castra Praetoria.
Duties
- Police Force
- They acted as the Police Force of Rome, preventing Riots, suppressing the Gangs that used to be a feature of the Roman Republic, and generally maintaining order.
- Guarding Buildings
- They monitored all the important government buildings of Rome.
- Gates of Rome
- They probably supervised the night closure and day entry of people through the Gates of the Servian Wall, and the later Aurelian Walls.
Other Roman cities with Cohortes Urbanae
- Carthage, in Africa Proconsularis
- One Cohort.
- Lyon, in Gallia Lugdunensis
- One Cohort.
- It guarded the Mint of Ancient Rome which was moved to Lyon by Caesar in 44 BCE until 38 CE.
- The Lyon Mint marks were: LG, LVGD. (44BCE until 423 CE)
Castra Praetoria