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Cohort

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(company). [ARMY.]

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Matthew 27:27²⁷Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. (Matthew 27:27). Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

See also Mark 15:16¹⁶And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. (Mark 15:16).

This “band” (σπεῖρα) was the Roman cohort, which was the tenth part of a legion, and consisted of three maniples, each having two centuries. Ordinarily the cohort comprised six hundred men, but the number varied from three hundred to a thousand or more. Cornelius commanded a century in the Italian cohort. Acts 10:1¹There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, (Acts 10:1). The cohort is also referred to in Acts 21:31; 27:1³¹And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. (Acts 21:31)
¹And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band. (Acts 27:1).

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