Equestrian cohors amicorum in the system of social ties in the early Roman Empire

The paper analyzes cohors amicorum («cohort of friends») as one of the institutions of social organization and political system of the early Roman Empire. Based on the study of mainly literary sources, the origin of this institution and its role in strengthening the social positions of the equites, that is, Roman horsemanship, are investigated. The ambiguity of the concept of cohors amicorum is argued, which is considered in connection with the analysis of such concepts as amici («friends») and comites («companions») of the princeps, as well as amicitia («friendship») in their specific Roman sense. The paper substantiates a largely informal nature of the cohors amicorum, which was determined by a specific system of social ties during the period of the Principate. This system did not imply the formalization of all forms of social life, as it was based on polis traditions. Based on the results of the study, it is concluded that in the early Roman Empire, clans and groups formed, only partially formalized, where complex relations intersected, not reducible to their official forms. The principle of personal and moral (in the Roman sense) responsibility determined the fulfillment by all parties of amicitia of traditional duties, in connection with which the members of the cohors amicorum had the opportunity to strengthen their social status, which during the period of the Principate was most relevant for the equites, who gradually became the main personnel resource of the princeps.