The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 336

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER X. passage above quoted, speaks of nve St''lh allliliary cohorts coming from Cmsarea to Ver. 1.-NO'I.O ther-e IDtu (two last words in join Vespasian's army, and he tells us in italics) for there IDIUI (in roman), A. V. nnd another place (' Bell. Jud.,' ii. 18, 7) tho.t T .R. ; Corneliiu by name for called Oorneliu.1, the principal portion of the Roman army at A.V. A glance at the map will show that Cmsarea were Syrians. It is pretty certain, Ciesarea ( see note to eh. iL 30) was but a therefore, that the Italian cohort here spoken short distance, some thirty miles, from J oppe.. of were awtlliaries, so ea.lied as being made It was doubtless with e. view to Peter's up in whole or in part of Italians, probably momentous errand to Cmsaree. that Luke volunteers or t1elone, (Farrar, vol. i. 278, recorded his previous visit to Lydda and note). Another reason for this conclusion Lis residence at Joppa, consequent upon the is that it does not seem likely that one of restoring of Dorcas to life: the originea of the divi,ions of a legion should have e. name Gen tile Christianity being the prime object of (though it we.a very common for the legions the Act.s (see Introduction to the Acts). The themselves to be distinguished, in addition Italian band; or, colwrt (,11rdp11). The uw,lpa., to their number, prima, secunda, decima, etc., or cohort, was used in two senses. When by such names a.s Italica, Parthica, Augusta, spoken of strictly Roman troops, it meant the etc.), but that separate regiments would tenth pa.rt of e. legion, and consisted of naturally have appropriate names for the from four hundred and twenty-five to nve same reason that the legions had. Thna, hundred or six hundred men, according to besides the Italian cohort here named, we the strength of the legion. Its commander have the Augustan cohort in eh. x:xvii 1. was called a chiliarch. and it was divided It might be important for the security of into centuries, each commanded by a cen- the procurator, in so turbulent a province as turion. Ilut when spoken of auxiliary J udaia, to ho.ve at least one cohort of Italian provincial troops, it meant e. regiment of soldiers at the seat of government. Benan abc.ut a t,housand men (J osephna, 'Bell. J ud.,' (' Apotres,' p. 202) thinks the full name of iii. 42). It is in this Jaat sense probably the cohort may have been " Cohors r,rima that ii is used here. J011ephna, in the Augusta Ita.lioa eivium Bomanorwn; ' and  OR, L 1-48.] THE ACTS OF THE A.POSTLES.