Cohort
Holman Bible Dictionary [1]
Acts 10:1 Cohors II Miliaria Italica Civium Romanorum Voluntariorum Acts 21:31 Acts 27:1
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [2]
COHORT . See Band, Legion.
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament [3]
See Army.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [4]
kō´hort : In the Revised Version, margin of Matthew 27:27; Mark 15:16; John 18:3 , John 18:12; Acts 10:1; Acts 21:31; Acts 27:1 , the translation of speı́ra (the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), "band"); the tenth part of a legion; ordinarily about 600 men. In Jn 18 the word seems to be used loosely of a smaller body of soldiers, a detachment, detail. See Army; Band .
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [5]
(cohors), a military term used by the Romans to denote a company generally composed of 600 foot soldiers; a legion consisted of ten cohorts, every cohort being composed of three maniples, and every maniple of 200 men; a legion, consequently, contained in all 6000 men. Others allow but 500 men to a cohort, which would make 5000 in a legion. It is probable that cohorts among the Romans, as companies among the moderns, often varied as to their number. (See Army). Besides the regular legionary cohorts, there were certain others separate and distinct from any legion, as the Cohortes Urbanoe and Praetorioe. Such appears to have been the "Italian band" mentioned in Acts 10:1, which was in attendance on the Roman governor, who at that time was residing at Caesarea. Of the same description also was the "Augustan band" or cohort ( Acts 27:1), which most probably derived its name from Sebaste, the capital of Samaria. The commanding officer of an ordinary cohort was called Tribunus Cohortis if it was composed of Roman citizens, or Prefectus Cohortis if composed of auxiliary troops. (See Band).
