1 6

Roxan, Margaret. Roman Military Diplomas 1985-1993. London: Institute of

Archaeology, 1994.
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PLATE 1 : 1 45
(a) tabella I inner face
(b) tabella I outer face
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
1.
The fragment was found in the museum at Pozarevac and
probably came there as part of a collection wh ich is kn own to
h ave been cen tred upon Vimin acium an d Margu m
2.
The restoration adopted owes a great deal to an analysis by B .
Lorincz (1991) together with personal communications. He
excluded a date between 25 March 101 and November 102
because of the onset of the first Dacian war . Since he wrote, the
discovery of a diploma of Moesia superior of April - June 10 1
(RMD
143) shows that diplomas were issued to Danubia n
provinces during this period so that this restriction need not
apply. It is even possible that it was issued at or about the same
time as the latter diploma (cf. the observation of Visy
(1984)232-3 concerning the sequence of arrival of lists of
neighbouring provinces) . As the list of units, as reconstructed i s
not identical with that in CIL XVI 47, although there seems to
be an overlap, 102 may appear to be ruled out . However, it i s
not impossible that in this period of the aftermath of war ,
contrary to usual practice, more than one diploma could have
been issued to the same provincial army within the same year;
cf. the diplomas of Dacia: RMD 148 of October 109, and CIL
X VI 57 and 163 of February and July 110 respectively. Thus
neither 101 nor 102 may be rejected entirely.
3.
On the outer face of this diploma the governor's name stands
roughly in the middle of its line, otherwise either the imperia l
titles or the formula following the governor's name would b e
shown on the inner face. Lorincz therefore proposed the
restoration of duabus for the number of alae listed, since the
placing of the name of the governor, at least three lines above
the central line of the binding holes on the outer face, suggests
that the list of units was short. In CIL X VI 47, with the same
governor and province, there are five lines of formula below the
name Q . Glitio Atilio Agricola, and eight units are named
altogether, the same total as Lorincz suggests. However, the
size of the complete diploma is unknown so that this must
remain an attractive proposition rather than a certainty .
4. Lorincz restores sex here, see note 3 above.
5. If Lorinczs arguments are accepted, alae with long titles like
1 Flavia Britannica milliaria c. R. or I Augusta Ituraeorum
sagittariorum must be excluded as there would be insufficient
space for the name of a second ala .
6. The original editors suggested that line 1 intus should be read as
A EORVM, and restored the first part of the cohort list similarl y
to that ofCIL X VI 47: I Augusta Itur]aeorum [et I Alpinorum
et / I Montanoru]m et II [AlpinorumJ. The opening of the first
line is difficult to interpret because a corner of the fragment has
broken off and has been repaired. Although, at first, I suggested
to Professor Mirkovic that the first letter could be an N, on
further inspection it seems more likely that it is V. This lends
support to the restoration by Lorincz of the name of the first
cohort preserved as [I Bata]vorum[( milliaria) p .1.] .
7. B . Lorincz suggests ( coltors) [II Asturumet Callaecoru]m.
8. The third cohort in the list was perh aps II [A lpinorum] .
Lorincz then rules out cohorts with the numeral III, either
because they were not in Pannonia at this time or on grounds of
space. He proposes to restore [et V CallaecorumLucensi]um
in the remaining lacuna.
9. Probably V [GalloruJm. B . Lorincz read the fast letter on th e
outer face as a V and th ough t th at the scribe h ad written
[GALLOR]V ( !), but this corner h as been repaired an d th e
supposed right hand stroke of the "V" lies on the fracture. The
line visible in the photograph is probably due to reflection on the
fixing material in the break . It is, in any case, rather too close to
the E of ET to be part of a letter. On the other hand the last
sloping stroke of an M is just visible in the photograph in the
original publication (Taf. X II b). The next cohort un doubtedl y
has a numeral that is V or higher. According to Lorincz, cohors
V Breucorum c. R. was not in Pannonia at the time of issue of
the diploma. Among the known cohorts of Pannonia, this leaves
only VIII RaetorumJ to fill the vacancy.
10. See W. Eck (1982) 334-38 on this governor.
11.The formula here identifies this as Alfoldy-Man n Type II.
Photographs Tafel X II a & b, ZPE 64, 1986.
Text A nn. ep. 1987, no. 853, giving the reading of the first editors.
1 45 IMP. INCERTVSINCERTO
ca. 91 - 105 Mai .
Published M. W. C. Hassall, R. S. O. Tomlin Britannia XXIII, (1992) No. 37, 320-21 . Two tiny joining fragments of tabella I from the right
hand edge of the outer face, found in Britain, in a field immediately outside and south of the south gate of Caistor St. Edmund ( yentalcen orum)
Norfolk, SMR Site No. 9836. It was found through the use of a metal detector by Mr . S. Dunthorne, in 1989, and will probably remain in hi s
care. Publication of the site is forthcoming. Height 2.4 cm, width 2 .1 cm. thickness ca. 1 mm. Weight 2 .32 g.
extrinsecus: tabella I
C ]
intus: tabella I
[Imp. Caesar, etcequitibus et peditibus qui militant inn
et runt] in Br[itannia sub2 c . 28?J qui qui[na et
vicena plurave3 etc
singuli singular. a.d. Ill idus?] Mai .4
This fragment shows part of the formula of an auxiliary
diploma and is likely to be Alfdldy-Mann I or II, i .e. issued
either to serving soldiers or to a mixture of serving soldiers
and veterans.
2 . The fragmentary letters remaining in line I are in the correc t
position to be those denoting the province in which the
unknown recipient served. The certain letters IN B are
followed by the foot of an upright stroke, which coul d
certainly be the first part of an R. This together with the find-
spot of the fragment strongly supports an attribution to
Britannia.
3. The tail of a letter Q runs from the left side of the fragment o n
the second line of the inner face towards the letters VI . These
letters are followed by Q V and the possible topof a letter I
(the upright of the I almost certainly lies in the fracture line of
the fragment) . The only part of a normal auxiliary diploma
formula which corresponds to this sequence, in the lin e
following the naming of the province and its governor, is tha t
denoting length of service: qui quina et vicena plurave etc.
This particular variation of the formula is most frequen tl y
found in the first century; the alternative quinis et vicenis
pluribusve is less common, and lacks qui preceding quinis.
The fragment, in any case, was probably issued before 129,
2 6 2
since we may be sure that the original edge of the first tablet
lies immediately below the second line of the inner face. After
he issue of RMD 34, of30 April 129, it is relatively rare for
the main formula of the diploma not to be completed on the
inner face of the frst tablet, down to singuli singulas (later just
singulis) ; cf. RMD 181 note 10. Another clue to the date of
the fragment is given by the reconstructed formula, since the
last known instance of the use of qui quin a el vicen a plurave
occurs in May 105 (CJL X VI 50 and 51) but RMD 9 of 24
September 105 already shows the change to quin is et vicen is
pluribusve, which becomes one of the standard usages for the
second century on present evidence.
4. Only three certain issues of diplomas to the auxilia of
Britannia before the end of 105, the period suggested for this
diploma, are known so far: CIL X VI 43 (AD 98, found
Flbmalle, Belgium), CIL XVI 48 (103 Ian. 19, found Malpas
in Cheshire), CIL X VI 51 and RMD 8 (both 105, 4 May - 1 3
July, the former from Sydenham, Kent, the latter from
Middlewich, Cheshire) . See RIB Vol. II, Fasc.i, 2401 . 2 and 3
concerning day dates) . The only letters visible on the oute r
face lie near the right hand edge of the tablet just before the
engraved framing lines. These letters denote the month of
issue (May) which would normally appear in this position. In
first century examples the name of this month is often given i n
full, e.g. as MA IA S in RMD 2 (75), CIL XVI 23 (78), 33 (86)
and RMD4 (91), but in CIL X VI 46 of 100 and CIL X VI 50
of 105 it is abbreviated to MAI. There are thus strong
indications that the date of the Caistor. fragment may lie
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
between the latter part of the first century (after 91) and 105
(excluding 103, since the Malpas diploma belongs to January
of that year and two issues of diplomas to the same provincial
army in the same calendar year are not usual - but see the
reservation expressed in RMD 144 note 2) . The two
fragmentary diplomas of Britain datable to 105, where the
month of issue is very probably May, almost certainly carr y
identical lists. It is true that there is a difference of about one
and a half lines of standard formula at the end of the fast
tablets of the Middlewich and Sydenham diplomas, but th e
recipient of the Middlewich diploma was serving in an ala
listed in the Sydenham diploma. The difference is probably to
be explained by the spacing of the letters by different scribes .
The Sydenham example has fewer letters per line in the area
in question than the Middlewich diploma. A reconstruction of
the formula of the Caistor fragment suggests that it differs b y
more than two lines from the Sydenham diploma and ca. four
lines from that of Middlewich. This suggests that if it was
issued at the same time as the other two it may have carried a
longer list of units. A possible explanation, if this is indeed a
diploma of May 105, is that this is a parallel issue to the
diplomas previously recorded with a different list of units (lik e
CIL X VI 44 and 45, of Moesia inferior - AD 99) since it is
clear that no British diploma of the Trajanic period carries a
complete tally of the auxilia of Britain. This observation may
only be confirmed or refuted by further finds .
Photographs Pl. 1 a & b.
146 TRAIANVSINCERTO
a. 108 (Jan: Mai. )
ed M. M. Roxan The Roman Inscriptions of Britain, Vol. II, Fasc. i, (1990) 10-11, no. 2401 .4. Fragment of tabella II, obtained froma
lealer who claimed that it had been found in York, although the exact circumstances of the find are unclear . Height 4 .1 cm, breadth 4 .0 cm.
'resent location the British Museum, Accession No. P 1988. 6 -1. 1.
intus:tabella I I
T SIQ VI {
TEA DVX I
AS
A D
5

NNIO T
extrinsecus: tabella I I
!mp Caesar, divi Nervaef. , Nerva Traianaus A ugustu s
Germanicus Dacicus, pontifex marinuus, tribunic(ia) potestat(e )
XI!,inrp(erator) VI, co(n)s(u!) V,p(ater) p(atriae) t
auitibus et peditibusZ etc.
uorunr nomina subscripts soot, ipsis liberis posterisque eorum
civitatent dedit et conubium cunt uxoribus, quas tune habuissent,
cum est civitas its data ajar, siqui c[aelibes esent, cum iis, quas
triostea duxi. r[sent dumtarat sntguli singal]as
d. [A p. ] A nnio Tr[ebonio Gallo, M. A tiJli[io Metilio
radua co(n)s(ulibus)3
C?]aeli [j, [. . . . Jli [J4
The date of the diploma is given through the fragmentary
names of the consuls and Trtjan's titles have been restore d
accordingly.
The findspot, if correct, suggests that this may be a diploma
relating to the auxilia of Britain, but this remains uncertain . If
the fragment had been imported into Britain in antiquity, or at a
later date, it could either refer to a grant made to the auxilia of
another province or to one of the fleets, since the formula of
fleet and auxiliary diplomas was identical down to ca . A.D. 14 0
in the section preserved.
3. In spite of the fragmentary nature of the evidence there is littl e
doubt that Appius Annius Trebonius Gallus and M. Atilius
Metilius Bradua are named. They were consules ordinarii for
108 and were succeeded probably on May I by the future
emperor Hadrian and M. Trebatius Priscus. Bradua was later
governor of Roman Britain (A. R. Birley (1981) 92-4) .
4. The letters on the outer face clearly belong to the nomina of th e
sixth and seventh witnesses . There are at least 12 nomina with
the ending -]aelius (Solin and Salomies, 1988, 237) of these
Caelius is the most common, although no witness of that name
has yet been attested. Aelius is probably unlikely at this date.
The other witness may be one of several lulu who appear in th e
lists in this period (Index 1, Witnesses period 2 ) .
Drawings RIB II, 1, p. 10 .
2 63
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
147 TRAIANVS(?) TALAIC . .(?)
c. a. 99 - 108?
Published P. Weill Zeitschrift fur Papyrologie and Epigraphik 80 (1990) 137-142 . Findspot uncertain; originally suggested as Camuntum but
most probably really Yugoslavia (letter P. Weill 22.1.1992). Now in private possession. Fragment of the left edge of the bottom portion of
tabella II: height 3.4 cm, width 3.6 cm, thickness c. 1-1 .5 mm. Height of letters: intus 5 mm, extrinsecus 4 mm.
intus: tabella II

extrinsecus: tabella II
5
The witness list appears to be engraved by a different hand.
[Imp. Caesar, divi Nervaef. , Nerva Traian us Augustus etc .t
equitibus et peditibus1
coh(ortis) aut alaecutpraest] I aut T aut P'[
. . [status of recipient] Talaic[. . fJ6 etlusti[eius]5 et [
f. eius]. 6
[Descriptum et recognitum etc]
Q . Pom[pei Homeri] ; P. Cauli [] ; C. V[ettieni] 7 .
1. The fragment has been tentatively assigned to the Trajanic
period on the evidence of the partial witness names . See note
7 below.
2. This is more likely to relate to the auxilia rather than a fleet .
If this was a fleet diploma line 1 intus would contain the name
of a consul but there is a space before the single letter
engraved there and consular names are usually carried back t o
the beginning of the line. This suggests that the line gave the
name of the commander of an auxiliary unit, which i s
frequently indented see note 4) .
3. P. WeiB suggests that this stroke is either the base of a T or an
I (in a letter 22 .1 .1992) . L-r the suggested period of issue of
the diploma the praenomina of equestrian commanders were
nearly always given (an exception may be found in RMD 6 of
AD 96) . In the present example this is supported by the the
apparent lack of any indication of a second letter (Weil)
considers that if this was the first letter of a nomen the second
letter could have been V) . If, however, this stroke represents
a praenomen it is likely to be the base of a T (Titus) or a P
(Publius) .
4. There is a blank line between the presumed name of the
commander and that of the recipient. This would have carried
the status of the latter. After careful examination P. WeisB
suggests that the fragmentary name of the recipient should b e
read as TALAIC[- and cites Holder (1904), M6csy et al
(1983) and Albertos Firmat (1966) for evidence of the stem
TALA- being commonly found in Spain. From this he deduces
that there is a possibility that the recipient could have been a
Spaniard recruited c. AD 80 and perh aps servin gin a Span ish
unit . The province in which he served is un kn own , alth ough
either of the possible find-spots suggest Pannonia.
5. This is either the name of the wife of the recipient, e.g.
lusti[nae . . . . fil. uxori] eius, or the name of a child
6 Certainly the name of a child of the recipient would have
followed ET, either the sole one or the third if two children,
rather than a wife, are named on line 4 intus.
7. P. Weill considers that the witness list contains the names o f
witnesses 2-4 rather than 1-3 as originally suggested in ZPE
(letter cited above) . He produces reasoned arguments, for
dating the fragment to the period 99 108 based on the
restoration of the witness names probably as Q . Pompeius
Homerus, P. Caulius Vitalis and C . Vettienus Modestus,
although there are other possiblities in the period, for example
P. Caulius Restitutus or Gemellus. It should be noted that
both Homerus and Vitalis acted as witnesses under Domitian,
although Modestus first appears under Trajan. A pre-Trajanic
date therefore cannot be ruled out entirely. (See Witness index
period 2 for dates) .
Photographs ZPE 80 (1990) Taf. IV a) & b).
A nn. ep . 1990, no. 798.
264
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
1 48 TRAIANVSM. HERENNIO POLYMITAE
a . 1 09 Oct . 1 4
Publish ed J . Garbsch Bayerische Vorgeschichtsbin tter, 54 (1989) 137-15 1 1 . Found Ranovac, c. 30 km south of Vimin acium, Yugoslavia, i n
February 1986, allegedly with three others. Now in the collection of Axel Guttmann. Berlin. Complete diploma but with slight losses on the
upper and right edges of tabella II, as seen from the outer face. Tabella 1 : height 15 .85 cm; width 12 .25 cm; tabella II : h eigh t 16 .15 cm, width
12 .35 cm; thickness of both tablets c. 1 mm. Weight of tabella II 73 .07 g.
=us: tabella I
IMP CAESAR DIVI NERVAE F NERVA TRAIAN V S
AVG GERM DACICVSPONTIF MAX TRIBVNIC PO
TESTAT X III IMP V I COSV P P
EQVITIBVSET PEDITIBVSQ VI MILITAVERVNT I N
5 ALISTRIBVSETCOHOR . TIBVSDECEMETSEX
Q VAE APPELLANTVR I C R ET I FLAV IA COMMA
GENOR SAGITTARIA ETU PANNONIOR VETERA
NA ET I BRITTONVM
oo
VLPIA TORQ VATA C R
ET I BRITANNICAoo C R ET T ITVRAEOR ET T THRA
10 CVMCRETIAVG ITVRAEOR ET TVINDELICO R
CRPFETIPANNONIOR VETERANA ETIMON
TANOR ETIIGALLOR PANNONICA ET Ti HISPA
NORETIIBRITANNORO0CR PF ETIIGALLO
RVM MACEDONICA ET III CAMPESTRISCRET
15 MI CYPRIA C R ET V GAL LOR V M ET Vlll RAE
TORVM ETSVNT IN DACIA SVB D TERENTI O
SCAVRIANO Q VINISET VICENISPLVRIBVS
VE STIPENDIISEMERITISDIMISSISHONES
TA MISSIONE A IVLIO SABINOQ VORVM
tabella I I
NOMINA SVBSCRIPTA SVNT IPSISLIB E
RISPOSTERISQ VE EORVM CIVITATEM DEDIT
ETCONVBIVM CVMVX ORIBVSQ VASTVNC HA
BV!SSENT CVM EST CIVITASIISDATA AVT SIQ V
CAELIBESESSENT CVM IISQ V ASPOSTEA DV
25 X ISSENTDVMTAX AT SINGVLI SINGVLAS
PR IDVSOCT
C

IVLIO

PROCVLO

COS
C

ABVRNIO

VALENT E
COHI MONTANOR

CVI PRAEST
30

CORNELIVS

FELICIO R
EX PEDIT E
M HERENNIO M F POLYMITAE BEREN
ETIANVARIO

ET MARCELLOFEl
ET LVCANAE FIL EIVS
35 DESCRIPTVM ET RECOGNITVM EX TAB V
AENEAQ VAE FIX A EST ROMA
fhe date. cons ular names , uni t commander and detai ls of the reci pi ent an d
i s fami ly (II. 24-33) are s li ghtly cramped and s eemto have been added late r
er face, although i n the s ame hand. Li nes 26-34 on the i nner face
ticeabty di fferenti ated.
extrin secus : tabella I
IMP CAESAR DIVI NERVAE F NERVA TRA I
ANVSAVG GERM DACICVSPONTIF MAX I M
TRIBVNIC POTESTAT

XIII IMP VI COSV P P

EQVITIBVSET PEDITIBVSQ VI MILITAVERVN T
IN ALISTRIBVSET COHORTIBVSDECEM ET SEX 5
Q VAE APPELLANTVR I C R ET II FLAVIA COMMA
GENOR SAGITTARIA ET II PANNONIORVETERA
NA ET 1 BRITTONVM 00 VLPIATORQ VATAC R ET
ETIBRITANNICAooCR Er! ITVRAEOR ETT THRA
CVMCRETIAVGITVRAEORETIVINDELICORCR 10
P F ET I PANNONIOR V ETER ANA ET I MONTANO R _
ET ll GALLOR PANNONICA ET II HISPANOR ET I I
BRITANNORco CRPF ETIIGALLOR MACEDONIC A
ETIIIICAMPESTRISCRET1I11CYPRIACRET V
GALLOR ET VHF RAETORVM ET SVNT IN DACIA 15
SVB D TERENTIO SCAVRIANO Q VINISET VICENIS
PLVRIBVSVE STIPENDIISEMERITIS

DIMISSI S
HONESTA MISSIONE A IVLI 0 SABINOQ VORVM
NOMINA SVBSCRIPTA SVN T IPSISLIBERISPOSTE
RISQ VE.EORVM CIVITATEM DEDIT ET CONVBIVM 20
CVM VX ORIBVSQ VASTVNC HABVISSENT CVM
EST CIVITASIISDATA AVT SI Q VI CAELIBESESSEN T
CVM IISQ VASPOSTEA DVX ISSENT DVMTAX AT
SINGVLI SINGVLAS

PR

IDVS

OCT
C

IVLIO

PROCVLO

COS 25
C

_ABVRNIO

VALENT E
COH

I MONTANOR

CVI

PRAEST
30
CORNELIVS

FELICIOR
EX PEDIT E
M HERENNIO MFPOLYMITAE BEREN S
Er IANVARIOFEIVSET MARCELLO F EIVS
35
ET LVCANAE FIL EIVS
//SCRIPTVM ET RECOGNITVM EX TAB VLA AEN E
A Q VAE FIX A EST R O MA E IN MVRO POST TEM
PLVM DIVI AVG AD MINERVAM
^-

tabella I I
TI IVLI
P CORNELI
LPVLLI
P ATINI
CIVLI
B
ALEX ANDR
VERECVNDI
AMERIMNI
PARATI 40
CTVTICAN I
MIVLI
SATVRNINI
CLEMENTIS
265
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
Imp . Caesar, divi Nervae f., Nerva Traianus Aug( ustus)
Germ( anicus) Dacicus, pontiftex) maxim( us), tribunic( ia )
potestat(e)
Xlll, intp( erator) VI, co( n)s( ul) V, p( ater) p( atriae )
equitibus et peditibus qui militaverunt in alis tribus et cohortibu s
decem
et sex, quae appellantur ( 1) I c( ivium) R( omanorum) et ( 2 )
U Flavia Commagenor(unr) sagittaria2 et ( 3 ) 11 Pannonior( um)
veterana et ( 1)J Brittonum( milliaria) Ulpia torquata c( ivium)
R(omanorum) t et <et> 4 ( 2 ) 1 Britannica ( milliaria) c( ivium)
R( omanorum) et ( 3 ) I Ituraeor( um) et ( 4) I Thracumcivium)
R( omanorum) et ( 5) 1 Aug( usta) Ituraeor( um) et ( 6) I
Vindelicor(um) c( ivium) R( omanorum) p( ia) f( idelis) et ( 7) 1
Pannonior(um) veterana et ( 8) 1 Montanor( um) et ( 9)1I
Gallor( um) Pannonica et ( 10) IlHispanor( um) et ( 11)1 1
Britannor(um) ( milliaria) c( ivium) R( omanorum) p( ia) f( idelis) et
( 12 ) 11 GallorumMacedonica et ( 13 ) 111 campestris c( ivium)
R( omanorum) et ( 14) III Cypria c( ivium) R( omanorum) et ( 15) V
Gallorumet ( 16) VIII Raetortms et suns in Dacia sub D . Terentio
Scauriano, quinis et vicenis pluribusve stipendiis emeriti s
dimissis honesta missione a Indio Sabino6 ,
quorum nomina subscripta suns, ipsis liberis posterisque eorum
civitatemdedit et conubiumcumuxoribus, quas tune habuissent ,
cumest civitas its data, aut, siqui 7 caelibes essent cumids, quas
postea duxissent dun:tarat singtdi singulas .
pr . ides Oct. C. luliio Proculo, C. Aburnio Valente cos.8
coh( ortis) I Monianor( tmt)9 , cui praest Cornelius Felicior t , ex
pedite M. Herennio M. f. Polynnitae, Berens( i) 11 , et lanuariof. ,
eius11 , et Marcellof. eius7, et Lucanaefil . eiusl3 .
Descriptumet recognitumex tabula7 aenea, quae fixa est Romae
in muro post templumdivi Aug( usti) ad Minervam.
Ti. luli Urban[i]; P. Cornell Alexandr( :] ; L . Pulli Verecundi ; P.
Atini Amerimni; C. lull Parati; C. Tuticani Saturnine; M. lul l
Clementis
t4 .
Tabella II of this diploma was shown in January 1987, to
Professor M. Mirkovic, who published it in ZPE 70 (1987)
189-194. Because of the findspot and unit of the recipient she
attributed it to Moesia superior. Together with the first tablet
the diploma went into a private collection via the art market .
The present owner, Herr Guttmann, allowed Dr. Garbsch to
publish the complete text. A brief commentary was also
delivered to the 1989 Limes Congress (See Maxfield &
Dobson edd. (1991) 281-284)
2. (ala) I Flavia Commagenor( um) sagittaria intus. There is no
record of either a first or second ala with the epithet Flavia.
The only known ala I Comntagenorum (not registered as
sagittaria) was in Egypt in the first century. It was transferred
to Noricum by the early second century, where it remaine d
(CIL X VI 52; RMD 93) . J. Garbsch suggests that the ala
could have been confused with the homonymous cohort,
which appears 14th in the cohort list of the Dacian diploma of
110 (CIL XVI 163) ; in which case we lack the name of the
second ala in this diploma. However, Vespasian had 1000
cavalry and 2000 foot archers in Judaea in 69, contributed by
Antiochus IV of Commagene (Josephus B . J. iii, 66) . There is
also the possible mention of a (cohors) Fl( avia) Comm.
(milliaria) sag. in a new reading of a diploma of Mauretani a
Tingitana of 154 (RMD 48, Notes on the Chronology
49*+48) . There may have been more Commagenian units in
the auxilia than are attested at present. Mounted archers
would have been an appropriate component of Trajan's army in
his Parthian expedition, either to be lost there or perhaps
remaining in an Eastern province.
3. The presence ofcohors I Brittonummilliaria Ulpia torquata
c. R. on this diploma before the issue ofCIL XVI 160 in 110
draws attention to the singularity of the issue of this "special"
diploma See Further Notes on the Chronology 15*160) .
4. ET is repeated through dittography on lines 8/9 extrinsecus .
5. J . Garbsch constructed a table showing that of the 19 units
recorded in this diploma 9 appear in one of the Dacian
diplomas of 110 (February 2, - CIL XVI 57) and 13 are listed
in the other (July 2, - CIL X VI 163), while there is an overlap
of 3 units with the similarly dated diploma of Pannonia inferior
(CIL X VI 164) ; cf. H. Nesselhauf CIL X VI, p. 223 and 224.
6. J . Garbsch suggests that lulius Sabin us was either the
successor of Pompeius Longinus (Dio 68. 12, 1-5; cf. . Strobel
(1984) 75) and predecessor of Scaurian us, and thus the first
governor of Dacia, or perhaps an officer of lower rank eg. an
equestrian commander, who had been given the task of
initiating the discharge of participants in the Dacian wars
(Tacitus A nnals I, 37; and P. Oxy. 1204 of AD 299) . C.
Petolescu (1990a) 91-2 ; (1990b) 267-8) identifies Iulius
Sabinus with the unknown subject of an aceph alous inscription
from Rome ( CIL VI 1444 =ILS 1022), and points out that the
scale of the decorations of this person were "deux fois plus
grand que celui d'un ancien consul . . ." He believes that, since
the command of an auxiliary unit lasted approximately three
years and the present tense (cui praest) is used for Cornelius
Felicior as commander of coh. I Montanorum, Sabinus sh ould .
still have been governor of Dacia in 107 . The formula
dimissis honesta missione ahas been noted hitherto only,
in CIL XVI 43 of 98; (but see RMD 140 note 4 and Further,
Notes on the Chronolgy 6*41) . The space between lull and o.
ext., and between Pannoniorand veterana int., indicates that
the tablet was already damaged before the engraving-took ; ,
place.
7.

The last letters ofsiqu[iJ, eiu[s] and tabula) are missing int.
.
8. C . Iulius Proculus PIR2 IV, 3, I 497; C . Abumius Valens PIR2
II p. IX no.2lb. These two consuls, as in CIL XVI 161 issued,
to the auxilia of Mauretania Tinigitana on the same day, are
given in the reverse order from that used on 1 September 10 9
in Fasti Ostienses2 (Vidman (1982) 47). This type of reversal
has been noted in other diplomas (cf. RMD 6, note 5 and 100,
note 6) . It does not appears to have any special significance.
9. Strobel (1984) p. 140 believes that cohors I Montanorum was '
first in Noricum, in Pannonia by AD 85 ( CIL XVI 31) an d
transferred to Moesia at the time of Dominates Dacian War :
There is now clear evidence for the existence of at least two,
cohortes I Montanorum (see RMD 160 (13617), CIL X VI 87.
(139) and RMD 173 (160) of Syria Palaestina, CIL XVI 1 1 1 :
(159/160) and RMD 55 (161) of Moesia superior and CIL :
X VI 175 (139), 179/180 (148), RMD 102/103 (157) and CIL :
X VI 123 (167) of Pannonia inferior). One of these acquired :
civiumRomanorum( CIL XVI 42 of AD 98, Pannonia; and.
CIL X VI 46 of AD 100, Moesia superior), but there is no
further record of this distinction. It does not appear here but_
see note 10. (The cohortes Montanorum will be discussed
fully elsewhere) .
10. It is unusual for the name of an equestrian commander to lack ..
a praenomen in a diploma of this period, but there are other
examples (cf. RMD 86, note 10). Cornelius Felicior i s -
otherwise unrecorded. M. Mirkovic lists known commanders ,
of cohors 1 Montanorum( ZPE, 70 p. 192, note 17) .
11. The form of the name of the recipient points to the possibility;
of Roman citizenship, as remarked both by M. Mirkovic andg'
J . Garbsch. It may be that M. Herennius Polymita, who was:;x
recruited at latest in AD 84, obtained citizenshipin the unit e
which qualified for civium Romanorum perhaps during' .;
Domitian's Dacian war (see note 9 above) . Alternatively, M -'
Mirkovic suggests that, in spite of the difference i l
praenomina, he may have obtained citizenshipthrough the
patronage of L. Herennius Saturninus who was governor of
Moesia superior (103/105), cf. CIL XVI 54, which also names
cohors I Montanorum. The cognomen Polymita/as is n ol
hitherto recorded in this form. His home could be Beroe, of
Beros - both in Thrace, as she believes, or Beroia
m
Macedonia, or even Beroea in Syria, as J . Garbsch remarks
.
4
266
In any case the veteran appears not to have settled near hi s
original home.
F. EIVS omitted in tus.
Two son s an d a daugh ter, with romanised names are added
but n o wife. Perh aps th e moth er of the children was dead.
14. The names of these witnesses are well attested in this period.
The first six appear in Dacian diplomas of AD 110 (CIL X VI
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
160 and 163), although not in the same order.
The witness M. lulius Clemens replaces M. Junius Eutychus,
who signed at seventh place in both lists of 110.
PhotographsBVb1. 54, Taf. 10 -11.
An n . ep . 1987 n o 854, tabella II.
A nn. 0.1990 no. 860, complete diploma.
1 49 IMP INCERTVSINCERTO
ca. 82-112
Published K:H. Dietz Bayerische Vorgeschictsbin tter 53 (1988) 137-139. Found, December 1986, in the vicus of the fort at Pforring, Ldkr.
Eichstatt, Upper Bavaria. Present location Prahistorischen Staatssammlung Munchen, Inv. Nr. 1988, 3066. Fragment of tabella II which h ad
partially fused in antiquity. Maximum height 7 cm, width 4.2 cm, thickness 1 .5-2 mm.
intus: tabella II
INA SVB
ISQ VE EO
CVMVX O
T CIVITAS
CVMIISQ VAS
VLI SINGV
5
[Imp
equitibus et peditibus qui
-' -It insub
sis hon esta mission e, quorum n o]min a sub[scripta sum,
liberis poste]risque eo[rum civitatem dedit et con ubiuJm
cum uxo[ribus quas tun e habuissen t cum e]st civitas [iis data,
aut, si qui caelibes essen t,J cum iis quas [postea duxissen t
dumtaxat sin lguli sin gu[las . a.d. ?
JER O
Jtonis; [L . Valeri Bast] ernae; L . Pulli? EpaJphroditi; [.
uli CleJmentis. 4
The find-spot in the vicus of a fort suggests that this is an
auxiliary rather than a fleet diploma, although at the presumed
date both types of diploma carried almost identical formulae.
Perhaps a diploma of Raetia, but possibly brought to Pforring
by a veteran, or his descendant, from another province .
K.-H. Dietz pointed out that the date of issue of the diploma
should lie before 138, since the names of the consuls are given
on separate lines on the inner face. This is not conclusive, see
for example CIL XVI 113 and 124, but there are other
pointers to an early date. Probably it should be placed before
129, as most (but not all) diplomas after that date end the rai n
formula on inner face of the first tablet, leaving only the dat e
and individual details of the recipient and his unit for tabella II
(see RMD 181 note 10) . Further, the lack of abbreviations on
the preserved section of the inner face suggest a date before
114, since after this abbreviations became common, cf. CIL
X VI 61. K: H. Dietz examined the names of several consular
candidates - either V)erus or Sev)erus of the period
suggested by the witness names, but con cluded th at it is not
yet possible to fix a fmi date th rough such fragmen tar y
indications (BVbI 53, 138-139). He therefore proposed a date
within the outer limits suggested by the witn esses an d some o f
the possible consular names, i .e. 82-112 .
4. The diploma clearly belongs to the period before witnesses
signed in a fixed order, which again supports a date befor e
134/138; cf. Morris & Roxan (1977) . K.-H. Dietz suggested
that the cognomen of the fourth witness (the first name that is
partially preserved) is either [CapiJtonis or [Fron Jton is.
[Chari]tonis would probably spread out further to the right,
and the only known example of this name, RMD 19 of 121,
appears appreciably later than the date range of the other
witnesses. [N]umerius Capito is kn own from a diploma of
AD 86, Ti. Julius Frontofrom AD 88 (CIL X VI 32 an d 159,
respectively) . As far as may be ascertained, the other
witnesses belong similarly to the late first or early second
centuries: L . Valerius Basterna - AD 98 (CIL X VI 42) as also
L . Pu//ins Epaphrodotus, although A . A mpius Epaphrodotus
may be in question since he signed in 100 and 109 (CIL XVI
46, RMD I Appendix). The name Julius Clemen s appear s
with two separate praenomina, M. and C. The former signed
between 105 and 109 (CIL X VI 50, 161, RMD 8, 9 and 148);
the latter appears from 82 to 90 (C/L X VI 28, 30, 36) . See
Witness index, period 2 .
Ph otograph s BVbI . 53, Taf. 1 4, 1 .
A nn. ep. 1988 no. 901.
2 6 7
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
1 50 TRAIANVSLAV O
c.a. 103-11 2
Published W. Eck Zeitschrift fur Papyrologie and Epigraphik 91 (1992) 233-235 . Seen in possession of a dealer in antiquities in KSIn, later i n
London; present whereabouts unknown. Bottom left-hand corner of tabella I . Height 3.2 cm, width 3.4 cm, thickness 0.5-0.7 mrn, weight 8 g.
AVO
DESCRIPT
AENEAQ
OSTTEM
extrinsecus: tabella I
[Imp. Caesar. divi Nervae f. , Nerva] Traianu<s>t [A ug(ustus) 4.
German(icus) Dacic(us), pontiflex) maxi]m(us), trib(unicia)
[potent( ate)imp(erator)cos]V, 2 plater) p(atriae) 5.
[auxiliari i [auxiliamaut classici3 qui militant out militaverunt in
quorum nomina subscripta runt etc]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . .
Lavo [f]5
Descriptu[m et recognitum ex tabula] aenea qu[ae fixa est Romae
in muro p]ost6 temjplum divi A ug(usti) ad Minervam]
1. In the published photograph (and through personal inspection)
there appears to be a curved stroke after the V of TRAIANV,
which is certainly not a true S, but nevertheless seems to be
more than a chance mark . The inner face is rather carelessly
engraved and this may be an attempt to fit in the final letter of
the emperor's name.
2. W. Eck points out that the numeral V can only be part of th e
iteration number of Trajan's consulship. It cannot be part of
the number of imperial acclamations since, when this preceded
plater) p(atriae) in the early Trajanic period, the consular
number came at the end of the line after p. p. He further
argues that the numeral is most unlikely to be [I]V as the
numeral four is always indicated by /I/I in this period. These
observations limit the time of issue of the diploma to the
period 103/112, but the general appearance of the fragment,
particularly the less careful script and the abbreviation s
[maxi]m. and Crib: (although not in themselves conclusive) ,
suggest that it may belong to the later rather than the earlier
part of this period.
3. W. Eck remarks that it is uncertain whether this fragment was
part of an auxiliary or a fleet diploma; see further note 5
below.
This may be an Alfdldy-Mann Type III diploma as it fall s
within the period when Type II was being ph ased out .
Lavo is undoubtedly the name (or part of the name) of the
recipient of the diploma. Although the spacing is fairly wide,
the gapbetween the 0 of Lavo and the broken edge is
perceptibly greater than that between the letters constituting
the name. Lavo is known as a Dalmatian feminine name
(Mocsy et al (1983) 160), but wives and children of veterans,
when included, are always preceded by ET and there is a
blank space above the name on the right, indicating that ther e
were no letters immediately above it. This suggests that the
rank of the recipient ex-pedite/equite/gregale lay on th e
preceding line. W. Eck notes that the masculine form Lavus is
also found in Dalmatia (M6csy et al (1983) 161; G. Alfoldy
(1969) 228 and 337) and Lavo would be appropriate as the
dative. This is the sole clue to the possible findspot of the
fragment . Like so many other recent unprovenanced diploma s
it may have come from Yugoslavia, since the majority of
diplomas are found either in the province of service and/or the
home of the recipient . As W. Eck suggests, it could therefore
have been part of an issue to the auxilia of one of the
Danubian provinces, perhaps Dalmatia, Pannonia or Moesia
superior. However, it is worth noting that Starr, (1960) 74-76,
found that 43% of sailors of the Ravenna fleet were drawn
from Dalmatia in the period 71-211 . This could also be a
diploma of a praetorian fleet .
6. It seems unlikely that the word POSTis divided between lines
3 and 4 although this is a carelessly written inner face. The
letter P may be hidden due to corrosion at the beginning of line
4; part of the A ofaenea on the line above is faint for this
reason.
Photographs ZPE, 91, Taf. 7, c) & d).
AV0
In ESC
Pao
Al NSA
Fig. 3(a) : Drawing of 150 tab. I int .

Fig. 3 (b) : Drawing of 150 tab. I ext .

2 6 8
PLATE 2 : 151 Courtesy of Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek
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(b) tabella I outer face

ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
1 51 IMP INCERTVSINCERTO
ante a.114
Fragment of tabella I found in October 1993, on arable ground near the village of Delwijnen, comm . Kerkwijk, in the province of Gelderland,
The Netherlands, together with finds dating to 1st - 3rd centuries . There is evidence of a native settlement here. A short notice concerning the
fragment will be publish ed in Archeologische Kron iek van Gelderlan d 1993, forth comin gDecember 19941 Height 2 .65 cm; width 2 .1 cm:
thickness 0.6 mm.*The find will be deposited in Museum Kam, Nijmegen .
intus: tabella I
5
extrinsecus: tabella I
[Imp. Caesar, divi Nervae f. , Nerva Traian us Augustus72 etc .
equitibus] et pedit[ibus qui militan t aut miltaverun t3 in alis . . . . !] et
coho[rtibusquae appellantu]r(I) H[ispanorunt Vettonum
c(iviunt) R(omanorum)6 etet A ug]usta7et I [ca 2 6 Jn ts
el 1 Fr[isiavon um et ca . 139 et I M]ettapio[rum ca. 20]ml
0
et /II Li[ngonum et ca . 8-1011et 1111 Lingo]num /
z
[et13 et sunt in Britannia subetc. t4
1. News of this fragment was sent to me by Drs. R. S. Hulst,
provincial archaeologist of Gelderland, to whom I am most
grateful. It arrived as I was closing the entries for this volume,
but because the units named show this to be a diploma of
Britain (see also note 14), and since Drs. Hulst has asked me
to publish it. I have included it as the last diploma brought to
my attention in 1993. The transcript and interpretation are
based upon the notes and reading supplied by Drs . Hulst,
supplemented by excellent photographs and drawings.
2. Drs. Hulst suggests, probably correctly, that the fragment is
Trajanic in date, partly because of the disposition of the lines
on the inner face. It certainly predates AD 114, when marked
abbreviations begin to appear on both faces of diplomas (see
note 8) . Nevertheless, the preserved names of units
demonstrate that it is not another example of one of the known
Trajanic issues of Britain. These issues of 98, 103 and 105
(CIL X VI 43, 48 and 51) were suggested as reflecting
legionary command areas by E. Birley (1952-3). He produced
arguments for placing the auxilia listed in 98 and 105 in the
area of the 20th legion at Chester and that of 103 in the area
of the 2nd legion at Caerleon. He further showed that the lists
of the two commands were almost certainly mutually
exclusive. However, the list of the new fragment appears to
overlapthese commands since cohors I Frisiavonunt is found
in the diploma of 105, and cohors III or 1111 Lingonunt and
ala Hispanorum Vettonum in that of 103. One possibility is
that the new diploma belongs to the period 106-114, whe n
some re-location of units had taken place. There is perhaps
another explanation, see notes 4 and 5 .
3. If this was issued before ca. 110 it is likely to be Alfoldy-
Mann Type I or II, as are all the other known Trajani c
diplomas of Britain, after this it should have been issued t o
veterans only.
4. Like all extant diplomas of Britain, with the exception of CIL
X VI 69, this example contained only a partial list of the
provincial auxilia. A calculation based upon the space
required for equitibus to the left of the fragment on the inner
face, shows that there would be room for 7 lines of lettering
above the first line of the outer face. In a diploma with few if
any abbreviations Trajan's titles normally occupy only 3 lines,
just over two lines more would be taken upby the formula
equitibusappellantur, this would leave approximately
2 lines for the names of alae before the first line preserved of
the outer face, which contains the letters AVG]VSTA. Four
more probably, five alae could have been named .
5. The cohort list appears to have been ordered numerically as in
all extant diplomas of Britain save one (RMD 184). If this list
began immediately after [A ug]usta (line I ext.) there would
be space for, at most, 10 cohorts down to, an d in cludin g, [1111
Lingo]num(see notes 8, 9, 10). Even if every cohort, attested
as part of the British garrison, with a numeral equal to or
higher than I/I1 was listed following this there would be a total
of fewer than twenty cohorts. However, it is unlikely that all
this category were included and there is no certainty that
[A ug]ustais the last of the alae. Assuming a length of ca. 36-
37 letters for lines 1-3 on the inner face (which agrees wit h
the space available if no abbreviations were used) and that the
partial letter at the beginning of line 3 is the final letter of
[appellantu]r(note 6) there is room for 10-11 letters between
coho[rtibus] and [quae]. The obvious possibilities here are
decem et rotaor decent et sex . With five alae and eleven, or
perhaps sixteen cohorts this may be a diploma covering two
commands as E . Birley suggested for CIL XVI 70 of 124 (6
alae and 21 cohorts). This would account for the selection of
units from both areas defined by Birley. The fact that the
estimated length of the new list is shorter than might b e
expected may be because not every unit in both command
areas had men eligible to receive the grants at the time of
issue.
6. The probable R appearing on the edge of the third line intus
should clearly belong to appellantuJr since a letter count
shows that there would be no mom to conclude the formula
and insert the name of an ala with C. ] R. in the space available
after COHO[- on line 2 . The following Hshould belong to
the name of an ala without a distinguishing numeral. Drs.
Hulst suggests that perhaps ala Hispanorum Vettonum c. R.
may be registered here.
7. Drs. Hulst observes that this may be the first listing of ala
A ugusta (ob virtutem appellata) in a diploma of Britannia.
There are three alae listed in diplomas which bear the title
A ugusta in their names. Two of these were also listed as
civiunt Rontanorum (A ugusta Vocon tiorum and (Augusta)
Gallo-um Petriana), which is clearly not the case here - this is
not necessarily conclusive, c. R. is not always recorded in
diplomas, although at the period in question it is more likely to
appear than not . However, there is also ala A ugusta
Gallorum Proculeiana and one possibility is that the single
title A ugusta, which appears in a number of inscriptions in
Britain, was habitually applied to the Gallic ala and was
transferred from common usage into an official document . On
the other hand some elements of its complete title appear in al l
five diplomas in which it is wholly or partially recorded and,
although the full names of units are not invariably given i n
diplomas, it would be strange on an outer face of this dat e
(without the pressure on space as in CIL X VI 69) if the ethnic
title that distinguished this from the other alae Augustae was
omitted altogether, or even stranger if it preceded rather than
followed the honorific A ugusta. It is true that ala Classiana
269
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
c. R. appears in the Sydenham and Mi ddlewi ch di plomas
wi thout the quali fyi ng Gallorunt et Thracum (CIL X VI 5 1 and
RMD 8) but, thi s was the only ala Classiana i n Bri tai n and
there s hould have been no ri s k of confus i on over whi ch al a
was meant. So far ob virtutem appellata has not bee n
recorded on any di ploma, even when i t i s known to have bee n
awarded (eg . cohors / Breucorum c.R. .of Raeti a) s o that i ts
omi s s i on here need occas i on no s urpri s e (there i s no certai nt y
that i t had been awarded at thi s date ; cf. Aus ten & Breez e
(1 979) on ala A ugusta) . The problems connected wi th thi s al a
wi ll be di s cus s ed further els ewhere .
8. The endi ngs of uni t names s een on the outer face (-]VSTA -
li ne l ; -]M - li ne 2; -]M li ne 4; -]NVM - li ne 5 ) i ndi cate that no
abbrevi ati on of thei r ti tles was us ed, whi ch agrees wi th norma l
practi ce pri or to AD 1 1 4 ( CIL XVI 61 ) . Cons i deri ng the
rather lengthy ti tles of many uni ts of Bri tai n wi th the numeral
I, i t i s unli kely that more than two uni ts were li s ted here .
9.

P robably one uni t fi lled thi s s pace (s ee note 8) .

1 0. P robably two uni ts perhaps wi th numerals II or III (s ee note
8) .
1 1 . O nly one uni t wi th the numeral III or 1 1 1 1 .
12 . 1111 Lingonumis the only cohort bas ed in Bri tai n that has the
endi ng -]NVM and a numeral hi gher than 111 and thi s uni t may
be res tored here, as R . S. H uls t s ugges ts .
1 3. See note 5 concerni ng the pos s i bi li ty of addi ti onal uni ts .
14. The names of the uni ts certai nly preserved: ala Augusta and
cohortes I Frisiavonunt, i Menapiorum, Ill and Ill
Lingonum, demons trate that this is a di ploma of Bri tai n. R . S
H uls t poi nts out that Delwi jnen li es near the pres umed bord e
between the terri tori es of the Fri s i avones and the Batavi .
may be s ugges ted that the reci pi ent returned to hi s home i l k
the owners of four other di plomas of auxi li ari es who h a
s erved i n Bri tanni a : CIL X VI 43 (Flemalle), and 69 (O -Szdny:
RMD 1 68 (Turiaso) and 1 84 (Bulgari a) . Unfortunately, t h
tri be of the reci pi ent cannot be i nferred from the di plome
Cohors I Frisiavonunt was certai nly named but there ma:
have been Batavi an cohorts i n the mi s s i ng s ecti ons of the fi s l
(I, or perhaps even III or Vi llI - although the latter two woul .
hardly fall wi thi n the command areas of the 2nd or 20 t
legi ons , bei ng attested at Vindolanda in the Trajani c peri od
It i s not i mpos s i ble that a man from the Fri s i avones or t h
Batavi s erved i n a uni t of another ethni c ti tle, cf . CIL XV
1 64. It thus cannot be determi ned i f the fi nd-s pot of t h
di ploma lay in the terr itoryof the Fri s i avones or the Batavi .
owe thi s obs ervati on to R . S. H uls t .
'Calculati ons , bas ed on the number of pres erved letters and t h
propos ed res torati ons of li nes , s ugges t that the di ploma whe
complete would have meas ured approxi mately 1 5 cm by 1 3 cm.
I mus t thank Mark llas s all and John Mann for di s cus s i ng th i
di ploma wi th me .
P hotographs P I . 2a & b.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
152 TRAIANVS [-]ESiON I
1 1 4 Sept 1
P ubli s hed B . Ldri ncz, S. P etenyi Zeitscluift fiir Papyrologie and Epigraplrik 101 (1 994) 1 97-200 . Found i n 1 992 i n Tamok O thazpus z t
(Komi tat Pest, Kr . Buda) Hungary, where a Roman s ettlement is known. Now in pri vate owners hi p . Fragments of tabella II : height 1 2 . 1 en
wi dth 1 5 . 2 cm, thi cknes s 1 mm; wei ght 85 gm.
i ntus : tabellaII

SIQ CA

SCVM i

/{'O ST rwxtSSDVM

NG SI N
/

K SE
L LO LLIAN O
5

MESSI O

ALAE FRO NTO N I

VI T
L ALP VRNIVS

F
O NO RATVS
NI MATICi

F ERAV
E TO VCO NIS FIL VX El ERA V
ES ET REC EX TABAE N t

IXA EST ROMAli

1 0
extri ns ecus : tabella I I
(CLAVDi *

IVST
M . MAEC1

EVP ATO
VER EC VN D
TI-IALL i
l'ARATI
VRBAN I
The s cri pt m Ives 4-5 i n, us i s s maller and wore clos ely s paced .
5
[Imp. Caes(ar), divi Nervaef, Nerva Trai(anus) Opt(inurs)
A ug(ustus) Gen(manicus) Dac(icus), pond ilex) max( innis) .
tr-i(bunicia) pot(estate) XViII, imp(erator) Vll, co(n)s(ul) VI ,
plater) p(atriae)
equit(ibus) et ped(itibus) qui m(ilitaverra) in a1(is) duab(us) et
coh(ortibus) sex, quae app(ellarnur) (1) I Fl(avia) Gaet(ulorum)
et (2) Front(oniana); et (1) / A Ip(inorum) et (2) / Mont(anorum)
et (3) 1 A lp(inorunt) et (4) 1 Lus(itanoruni) et (5) 11 A ug(usta)
Nerv(ia) Pac(ensis) (milliaria) Brit(tonum) et (6) Ill
Lus(itanorvmt), et cunt in Pan(nonia) infer(iore) sub P. A fr(anio)
Flaviano, item ala / Fl(avia) A ug(usta) Brit(annica) (ntilliaria)
c(ivianr) R(ommnorunt) ntiss(a) in exped(itionent), quin(is) et
vic(enis) plu(ribusve) sti(pendis) ente(ritis) dim(issis) hon(esta)
rniss(ione), t
quor(um) nom(ina) subsc(ripta) suns, ipsis liber(is) poster(isque )
eor(unt) civi(tatem) ded(it) et con(ubium) cunt ur(oribus), quay
nun : hab(uissent) cum est civ(itas) is data, auJt, siq(ui)
cae[lib(es) eJss(ent), cunr is [quasi post(w) dur[i]ss(ent)
dunu[a. c(at) s/ing(uli) . singula[s]. 2
k. Sep ['1
. L
. Lolliano /A riJto'. L . Messio [RuJstico4 cos.
aloe Fronton( ianae)5 tealprole fait L. [C]alpurnius Honoratus,6
iris gregale [M]esioni Marini f. , Erav(isco) 7 . [et . . . . ]iae
Touconis fil(iae) u. rtori) eius, Erar(iscae)5 .
Des(c ripnrn+) et rec(ognitrun) ex tab(ula) aen(ea) quae frxa est
Ronnie .
Ti. Claudi lust', M. Maeci Eupator/isJ, [L. P]ulli Verecundi, [Q. ]
A pidi Thalli. C. luli Parati, Ti . Irdi Urban', [P. ] Ca[uli Vitalis]. 9
I mus t thank both Dr . Li i ri ncz and Dr . P etenyi for s endi ng m
thei r manus cri pt pri or to publi cati on and allowi ng me to i nduc t
i t i n thi s volume . The des cri pti on of the di ploma and th,
determi nati on of the cons uls i s by S . P etenyi and the res torati on
2 7 0
and commentary by B . LSrincz. The titles of Trajan, the
province and governor have been restored through a comparison
with CIL XVI 61, since the names of the unit and its commander
are identical with those of that diploma. As B. Ldrincz
comments, this diploma should also have listed two alae and si x
cohorts. The units restored are based ent i rely upon his transcript,
which itself is reconstructed from the inner face of CIL X VI 61 .
There are three other diplomas of this issue two of which wer
e
found at Camuntum (CIL X VI 61 and RMD 87), the thi rd (RMD
153) is of unknown provenance. There is a degree of uncertaint y
about a fourth fragment, which was issued under the same
consuls, but where the name of the recipient and his unit is not
preserved. This may have been found either at Carnuntum or i n
Yugoslavia (RMD 154).
CIL
X V161 is usually cited as the first diploma to show marked
abbreviations in the formula and unit titles, particularly on the
inner face. This diploma confirms the change at the time of its
issue, with similar but not identical abbreviations in the preserve d
section. Close inspection of the photographs reveals that the two
examples were not written by the same hand.
3. L. (Hedius Rufus) Lollianus Avitus: PIR2 IV 2, H39.
4. PIR2 V 2, M521.
5. The history of this ala has been traced by Ldrincz (1990) . He
suggests that the ala lay first at Aquincum and then at
Carnuntum. This diploma confirms the evidence ofCIL XVI 61
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMA
S
that at the end of the 80's the unit lay at Campona, which lies i
n
Eraviscan territory (see further note 7 below) .
6. Ldrincz points out that L. Calpumius Hon oratus,
formerly
prefect ofala Frontoniana, is
also recorded as its commander in
July 110 (CIL X VI 164). Cf. the comment
by Nesselh auf CIL
X VI Suppl . p
. 224, note 6 concerning the use of praefuit. See
now Devijver (1976-0 Tomus 1 C 55
; Alfdldy (1986) 422 ,
suggesting a possible African origin.
7.
Ldrincz suggests that the name of the recipient should b e
restored as Mesio, since that name is attested in Pannonia
(RIU
899)
. He further argues that the ala had been transferred to
Intercisa by 105, where it still lay at the time of issue of the
diploma, and that on discharge Mesio had returned to his native
area, where he had been recruited. (See Roxan (1989) for th
e
significance of find-spots of auxiliary diplomas; M
. P. Speidel
(1986) on soldiers' homes) .
8.
The wife (whose father's name is not otherwise attested in
Pannonia) was also Eraviscan, suggesting that either th
e
"marriage" had been contracted before or during the early perio
d
of Mesio's service, or perhaps supporting the idea that ethnic
links were more important than close proximity in forming suc
h
ties.
9. The witness list is identical with that of
CIL XVI 61.
Photographs ZPE 101, Taf. X X a and b .
1 53 TRAIANVSINCERT O
a. 114 (Sept. 1)
Fragment of a diploma in the collection of Axel Gutmann, Berlin'
. Triangular topleft hand corner of tabella I . Maximum height
: 7.5 cm;
maximum width: 5 cm; thickness ca
. 1 mm. Two incised parallel framing lines run along the left and upper edges of the outer face
.
extrinsecus: tabella I
/IMP CAESAR D I
IMVSAVG-GE
TESTAT X V I I 1
EQ VITIBVSET
BVSET CO11C)
PANORC
A
PF ETIN
ALPIN O
FERIO
NISP
SIC
NE
5
10
Imp
. Caesar, divi Nerva[ef. Nerva Traianus Optjimus2 A ug(ustus)
Ger[nt(anicns)] Dac(icus), poru(ifex) [nue(imus) tribunic(ia)
pojtestat(e) XVI1I
j,[intp(erator)] VII,[co(n)s(ul) VI, p(ater)
p(atriae)J
equitibus et p[editibus qui militaverunt in alts dua]bus4 et
cohor[tibus sexy quae appellantur (1) I His)panor(um)
Cann[pagon(unt)6 et (2) ea 137 . et (I)
I
Thrac(unn) c(iviunt )
R(omanorum)J p(ia) f(idelis)8 et (2) I No[ricor(um)9 et (3) ea. . . .
et (4) ca. 9et (5) I/] A lpiuor(um)10 fet (6) ca. 11= = = = = = = e t
suns in Pannonia in]feriore1l [sub P. A franio Flaviano12 , quints
et vice]n is pl[uribusve stipen dis emeritis, item clas]sici f is t3senis
et vicenist4
dintissis honesta missio]ne'5,
quorum nontina subscripta stunt, !psis) li[beris posterisque etc
.
1 . I should like to thank Herr Gutmann for his generosity i
n
allowing me access to his collection, for pennission to publish
this fragment and another complete diploma and for letting m
e
examine several other previously published diplomas
.
2. Trojan
was voted th e title Optimus by th e sen ate in July o r
August 114 which, taken together with his 18th assumption o
f
rihunician power, suggests that this diploma was issued at th
e
same time as CIL X VI 61 .
RMD 87, 152 and perhaps 154. All
except the last may be definitely assigned to Pannonia inferior
,
but see note 7 below.
3. This is certainly X VIII
. The capping line of the numeral ends
above the third uptight stroke and there is no trace of a fourth
.
4. If(cohors) I Thracum c
. R. p. fhas been restored correctly as
first in the cohort list there is room for the names of only tw
o
alae (see note 7 below) .
5.
Probably six cohorts may be inferred from the spacing of the
lines, which have an average length of ca
. 38 letters.
6.
Hitherto the main evidence for this ala came from Dacia
. It
appears in CIL
X VI 90 of February 144 in Dacia superior, and
2
7
1
PLATE 3 : 1 53
(a) tabella I outer face
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
in inscriptions at Veczel through to the mid 3rd C . (A nn. ep.
1983, no. 847; cf. ILS 2208) . This is the first evidence for a n
earlier posting in Pannonia inferior. Its existence in the Flavian
period now seems certain. Lack of the title Flavia indicates
that it may have been raised even earlier, but it has not so fa r
appeared m any provin cial list.
7. The un it list differs from that ofCIL XVI 61, especially in the
inclusion ofclassici, which argues for two parallel issues of the
same date; cf. CIL XVI 44 and 45 of Moesia inferior. The
second ala could be / A ug(usta) /turaeor(um), which is found
in later diplomas of Pannonia inferior but not in CIL X VI 61.
8. There is slight corrosion here but the restoration of p. fis sure.
(cohors) I Thracum c. R. p. f. appears third in the cohort list of
CIL X VI 164 of July 110 (Pannonia inferior), before /
A lpinorumand I Noricorum. However, both of the coltortes /
A lpinorum are present in CIL XVI 61 and neither is p. f The
only other certain possessor ofpia fidelis in the list of Pannoni a
inferior of this date is <III> Lusitanorum (CIL XVI 164),
which is also present in CIL X VI 61 and should not in any cas e
head this (apparently) numerically ordered list.
9. Cohors I Noricorum is in the list of Pannonia inferior of 110
(CIL X VI 164) and in later diplomas of this province (CIL X VI
175, 179, 180; RMD 102, 103) .
10. Cohors II A lpinorum is 7th in the cohort list of CIL X VI 164,
of 110. It is not seen in early diplomas of Pannonia superior
(AD 112 - unpublished, or 113 - RMD 86) but is in the lists of
that province by 125 (unpublished) and appears there in later
diplomas. Presumably it was transferred to Pan n on ia superior
between 114 and 125 . It is restored here because the presence
of both first cohorts of the series in CIL X VI 61 makes them
unlikely candidates (see notes 7 and 8 above) . Its position in
the list also implies a numeral higher th an I. Cohors 1/I
A lpinorum was almost certainly in Dalmatia in this period (G.
Alfoldy (1962) = 1987, 246) .
11. The fragmentary unit names indicate Pannonia inferior rather
than Germania inferior or Moesia inferior, alth ough all three are
now attested with provincial fleets in diplomas.
12. Cf. CIL X VI 61. For the career of this governor see Syme
(1965) 347 ff. = 1971, 230-33; cf. Eck (1982) 351 note 285 .
13. Classici are attested in diplomas of Pannonia inferior from 139
(CIL X VI 175) and the letters preserved suggest th at th ey
should be restored here. No doubt the Pannonian fleet had been
employed during the Dacian wars.
14. The tentative restoration of the formula suggests that the term
of service for sailors of the provincial fleet was included (cf.
Appendix III). It has been given without pluribusve as this
would produce too great a line length. There is a parallel for
this omission in an earlier Trajanic (un publish ed) diploma of
Germania inferior, (cf. CIL X VI 26) . The use ofsex et viginti
would be surprising at this date.
15. Unless some extra formula is involved the word [missiojne
should be restored here. The remainder of the formula has
been reconstructed on the basis of the best option.
Photographs Pl. 3a & b .
1 54 TRAIANVSINCERTO
a. 114 (Sept. 1/Dec. 1?)
Published P. WeiB Zeitschrift fur Papyrologie and Epigraphik, 74 (1988) 153-158. Findspot uncertain; originally thought to have been foun d i n
Carnuntum, but now believed possibly to have come from Yugoslavia with other antiquities (letter P . Weill 22 .1 .1992) . At present in private
hands. Bottom left hand corner of tabella II with the fastening hole partly preserved. Height 4.0 cm, width 2 .8 cm, thickness 1-1.1 mm. Height
of letters: intus 2-4 mm, extrinsecus 4-6 mm.
intus: tabella II extrinsecus: tabella I I
The names of the cons uls are engraved i n a s maller, cramped hand.
[Imp. Caesar, divi Nervae f. , Nerva Traianus Optimus A ug(usnts )
Germ(anicus Dacic(us), pontiflex) ntar(imus), tribunic(ia)
potestat(e) XVIII, imp(erator) V//, co(n)s(u)l VI, pater) p(atriae )
equit(ibus) et pedit(ibas) qui ntilitaverunz in etc. ' . . . .
quorum nominaetc
cant its quas posters]
duxi[ss(ent) dum carat singuli singulas] .
k (?) . [J L . Loll[iano A vitoJ 2 L Mes[sio Rustico3 cos. ]
coh(ortis)II(?) []
Ti /u/[i UrbaniJ; P. Cau[li Vitalisf5
1. Trajan's titles have been restored as in C/L XVI 61, where the
same two consuls are named. The fragmentary naming of a
cohort in line 5 intus demonstrates that this is a diploma of the
auxilia.
2. L (Iledius Rufus) Lollianus Avitus, consul with L. Messius
Rusticus in the last nundinum of 114; cf. PIR2 IV 2, H39.
3 . PMR2 V 2, M521 .
4. There is certainly a capping stroke above two possible hasta
perhaps denoting the numeral II but it could be III or higher .
5. The names of these two witnesses may be restored with n ear
certainty. They appear in the same order in three other
diplomas of 114: in the first and second places in RMD 14, is
the sixth and seventh places in CIL XVI 61 an d RMD 1 52.
Here once more they are in the last two positions. There are
two further candidates, who appear in association with each
other , in three Trajanic diplomas of 105 : Ti. lulius Euph emus
and P. Caulius Restitutus. However, they do not appear as a
linked pair and are therefore less likely to be represented here .
The close similarities between this fragment and CIL XVI 61
and RMD 152, and its probable find-spot make it tempting t o
assign it to Pannonia inferior and date its issue to September 1
but, in the absence of any part of the unit list, this can only be
speculation. It could he a diploma of another Dan ubian
province issued on the first day of one of the succeeding.
months (cf. Zs.Visy (1984, 232-3, and note 60) .
Photographs ZPE 80 (1990) Taf. IV, c) & d) .
A nn. ep. 1988 no. 932
272
PLATE 4(i) : 1 84
(a) tabella I outer face
PLATE 4(ii) : 1 84
(b) tabella I inner face
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
1 84 M. ANTONINVSET COMMODVSTHIODO
a. 178 Mart 2 3
Complete diploma with binding wires in the collection of Axel Guttman, Berlin . Herr Guttmann has kindly allowed this diploma to
be
publish ed and I must thank him for his generosity. Because of the binding wires, only the outer faces and a very limited corner of the inner fact
;
of tabella I have been examined so far' . Found in Bulgaria. Height 14.5 cm; width 11.3 cm; thickness and weight of each tablet not yet kn own ,
The letters on the outer face of tabella I are uniformly ca. 3 mm high apart from lines 27-32 which are 4 - 5 mm high. The initial letters of
lin es
1, 6 and 11 are also slightly larger. A patch of surface damage in the middle portion of the left side of tabella I . has wholly or partiallyobscured
some letters.
There are several random scratch marks beneath the lettering of the upper third of tabella I .
extrinsecus: tabella I
IMP CAESA DIVI ANTONINI F DIVI VERI PARTHICI MA
(!) X AMI FRATER DIVI HADRIANI NEPO DIVI TRAIAN PA
(!) THICI PRONEPO DIVI NERVAE ABNEPOSMAVRELIVS
ANTONINVSAVG GERMANICVSSARMATICVSPON
TIFEX MAX IMVSTR BVNIC POTEST )OX X II IMP VIII COSIII P

5
IMP CAESAR LAELIVSAVRELIVSCOMMODVSAVG ANTO N
(!) NI AVG FIL DIVI PII NEPOSDIVI HADRIAN PRONEP
DIVI TRAIANI PARTHICI ABNEPO DIVI NERVAE/DRI
POSGERMANICVSSARMATICVSTRIB POTESTIII IMP
-
H.

COS

P
EQ VITIBVSET PEDITIBVSQ VI MILITAVERVNTIN
ALISV.
Q VAE APPELLANTVR GALLOR ET THRAC .
CLASSIANET AVG VOCONTIOR ET IPANNONIOR SA
BINIANET SEBOSIAN GALLOR ET VETTON HISPANOET
COHORTIB

VI. IAVG NERV Ef IFRISIAVONET IAELIA

1 5
HISPANO

FIDA VARDVLLOR ET . ICELTIBER ET II I

LINGON E

ISPANOR ET ITHRAC ET I. BATAVOR ET

II GALLO' ' ERET IITHRACVETER ET IILINGON ET

(!) 1111 GALL r I VANGLO ETVIITHRAC ET I .MORINO ET
SVNT IN B

A SVB VLPIO MARCELLO LEG Q VINIS

20
ET VICEN

+VE STIPENDISEMERITISDIMI S
SISHONE'

IONE Q VORVMNOMINA SVBSCRIPT

SVNT CIVI

I MANAMQ VI EORVMNON HABERET D(! )

(!) RVN ET Co

MVX ORIB Q VASTVNC HABVISSEN T

CVMEST C

SDAT AVT CVMISQ VASPOSTEA DVX IS

25
SENT DVM

SINGVLIS. A D X KALAPRILL

(! )
SERSC PIONE

ORFITO
D .

V E L I O

R V F O
.COS
COH VII THRAC CVI PRAEEST
VLPIVS MARCIANVS

30
EX EQ VIT E
THIODO ROLAE FIL

DAC O
DESCRIPT ET RECOGNIT EX TABVA AERE

(!)
Q VE FIX A EST ROM IN MV POST DIV AVG AD
intus: tabella I I
Not available
extrinsecus: tabella I I
C BELI.I V R B A N 1

35
CSENTI

TI! V LI
L PVLLI

VIB I
C PVBLIC I
M IVNI
CHRYSOGON I
CRESCENTI S
MARCIONI S
ROMAN I
LVPERCI

4 0
P I I
intus: tabella I
Li nes 27 - 32 are in larger script and more carelessly engraved.
(!)
10
Imp. Caesa(r), divi A ntoninif. , divi Veri Parthici mar<i>mi2
fiater, divi Hadriani nepo(s), divi Traiani Pa[r]thici2
pronepo(s), divi Nervae abnepos, M. A urelius A ntoninus
A ugustus Germanicus Sarmaticus, pontifex marimus,
tr[iJbunic(ia) 2 potest(ate) XXXIP, intp(erator) VII/4. co(n)s(ul )
p(ater) <p(atriae) et>s
Imp. Caesar L . A elius A urelius Contmodus A ug(ustus) A mon[i]ni 2
A ug(usti) fiI . , divi Pii nepos, divi Hadrian(i) pronep(os) div i
Traiani Parthici abnepo(s) divi Nervae <adne>pos 6,
Germanicus Sarntaticus, trib(unicia) potest(ate) III, imp(erator)
II, co(n)s(ul), p(ater) p(atriae)
equitibus et peditibuc qw militaverunt in a/is V, quae appellan tur
(I) Gallor(um) et Tbrac(um) Classian(a) et (2) A ug(usta )
Vocoutior(um) el (3) 1 Pannonior(um) Sabinian(a) et
308
(4 ) Sebosian (a) Gallor(um) et (5) Vetton (um) Hispan o(rum) 7 et
cohortibus XVJ8 (1)1 Aug(usta) Nerv(iorum)9 et (2 ) 1
avon(um) et (3) 1 A elia Hispanor(um) 10 [et (4) 1] fida
ullor(um) et (5) I Celtiber(orum) et (6 ) 111 Lin gon (um)2 el l
(7) !J Hispan or(um)tt et (8)1 Thrac(um) et (9) 1 Batavor(um) et
(10) 11 Gallorum [v]eter(ana) 12 et (11) 11 Thrac(um)
veter(ana)tj et (12 ) 11 Lin gon (um) et (13) 1111 Gall[or(um) ef t
(14) 1 Vang<i>o(num)2 et (15) VII Thrac(um) et (16 ) 1
Morin o(rum)t4 et suet in Br[ita]n n ia sub Ulpio Marcello
leg(ato)' 5 , quin is et vicen [is pluribu]sve stipen dis emeritis
dimissis hon es[ta mis]sion e,
luorum n omin a subscript(a) suet . civit[atem RJoman am, qu i
eorum n on habere[n ]t 2 d[ede]run (02 et co[n ubium c]um
uxorib(us) quas tun e habuisseht, cum est ci[vitas] is dat(a), ou t
cum is quas postea duxissem dum[taxatJ sin gulis.
r. d. X kal. A pril<l>. Ser. Scipione Orfito, D. Velio Rufo cos.
coh(ortis) VII Thrac(um) cui prae est Ulpius Marcianus t6 ' ex
equite Thiodo Rolae fil. Dacot7
)escript(um) et recognit(um) ex tabu[l]a aere(a) que fixa est
tom(ae) in mu[ro post tempi am] div(i) A ug(usti) ad"
Belli Urbani ; L . Senti Chrysogoni; Ti. lull Crescentis; L . Pulli
4arcionis; S . Vibi Romani; C. Publici Luperci; M. luni Pii. t9
As the binding wires are still in place it was not possible t o
check the reading on the inner face . In spite of this the diploma
has been accepted as genuine mainly because a forger woul d
have had to be both skillful and extraordinarily knowledgeabl e
about diplomas in general, and the history of Roman Britain i n
particular, in order to produce the document . It also shows a
marked similarity to three other auxiliary diplomas, which were
issued within the years 178 and 179: CIL X VI 128 (23 Mart.
178, Lycia Pamphylia); RMD 185 (23 Mart. 179, Egypt);
RMD 123 (1 April 179, Dacia superior) . The dates of issue
suggest that there may have been a policy of publishing the
levant constitutiones in the early part of the year in thi s
; rind, although only CIL XVI 128 and this diploma were
Gated through the consules ordinarii (cf. Eck (1991) 19) .
Another common factor is the general appearance of the
lettering, which is not very elegant, although perfectly legible.
The closest similarity is between CIL X VI 128 and the Britis h
diploma, where the names of the consuls are closely matched in
script and postion, and the witness names on the outer faces o f
the second tablets must have been engraved by the same hand.
This is not surprising since these two diplomas were issued on
the same day (see Appendix V) . The next comparison concerns
the size of this groupof diplomas . CIL X VI 128 is 13.1 by 11 .5
cm; RMD 123 is 14.3 by 11.5 cm; the Egyptian example 143
by 11 . 2 cm; and the present diploma 14.5 by 11.3 cm. This
agrees with a general reduction in size during the late Antonine
period, although complete examples are relatively short within
the relevant decade; (cf. H. Nesselhauf CIL X VI p. 151) . The
framing lines on the outer faces of all four examples are
sketchy or altogether absent.
There are a number of errors on the outer face. The first I of
maximi (1. 2) resembles an A; the R ofParthici (II. 2-3), the
first I of tribunic (I . 5) and of A ntonini (11. 6-7) have been
omitted; the L ofLingon(um) (I . 17) resembles an I; the I of
Vangio(num) (1. 19) is written as L; the N. of haberent has
been omitted (1. 23); the letters EDE have been omitted from
dederun(t) (11.23-24) .
This provides confirmation for H. Nesselhaufs observation that
tribunic. potest. XXXIII for Marcus' regnal years was inscribed
in error in CIL X VI 128: (p. 115 note 1) .
This should be imp. VIII! in spite of the evidence of imp VIII
on the inner face of CIL X VI 128 (see Appendix IV) .
The second P of p(ater) p(atriae) is omitted for Marcus
although it is present for Commodus and et between the titles
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
of the two emperors is absent, both due to lack of space (see
Appendix IV concerning the acclamation s of Commodus) .
6. It seems that the scribe had in ten ded to write [HA JDR[IA NI]
but realised his mistake and erased the final uprigh t of H
possibly to produce the E of NERVAE. <ADNE>PO S is
completed on the next line .
7. All five of these alae appear in CIL XVI 69 of 122 . Th ey are
shown with identical titles to those listed there apart from the
omission of c. R. for the first two and the reversal of
Gallor(um) Sebosian a On ly th e th ird ala may perh aps be
restored in a diploma later than AD 122 (CIL X VI 93 of 145/6)
but, apart from ala Gallorum et Thracum Classian a, all h ave
produced evidence of a later presence in Britain in in scription s .
This diploma shows that G. Alfdldy, (1968) p.18, was correct
in assigning the transfer of ala Gallorum et Thracum Classiana
to Lower Germany after AD 158 but it n ow appears to h ave
remained in Britain at least until the latter part of the reign of
Marcus. Its transfer may have occurred in the early third
century when Caracalla was campaign in gin Germany.
8. The Sof cohortibus and the X of XVI may be-seen ben eath
surface damage. The total number of units (21) can n ot be a
tally of the auxilia of Britain. This is a partial list like those of
CIL X VI 43, 48, 51, 70, 82, 93 an d RMD 151 an d 168. One
unusual feature is that the list of coh orts is n ot n umericall y
ordered as in other British examples . Our knowledge of the
garrisons of the forts of Britain in this period is not sufficiendy
detailed to make it possible to see a topograph ical arran gemen t
in the listing, as in some Dan ubian diplomas.
9. Colors 1 A ug(usta) Nerv(iorum) is one of the two cohorts in
this diploma that are not in the list of CIL XVI 69, unless it i s
an abbreviated title for 1 Nerv(ia) (Germanorum milliaria)
shown first in the cohort list of that diploma. There is,
however, a cohors 1 Nerviorum, which is apparen tl y
quingenary, in the British diploma of 105 (CIL XVI 51) ;
otherwise attested in RIB 418 (Caer Gai). This un it could h av e
acquired the title Augusta, but there is no further evidence for
its continued stay in Britain. (I must th an k J . C. Mann for this
suggestion) . A more detailed survey of the units named in this
diploma will be published elsewhere.
10. This is the first appearance of cohors I A elia Hispanorum on a
diploma of Britain. In third century inscriptions from Netherby
it is attested as milliary. The space between Hispanor. an d fida
does not seem large en ough toaccomodate too et I] but the lac k
of a milliary sign need not be sign ifican t. I fida Vardullorum ,
which is also known to be milliary, is similarly sh own with out
any indication of strength. The milliary sign was also omitted
for the latter in CIL X VI 93 of 145/6 th ough not in CIL XV I
130 of 159(?) .
11. There is now confirmation in a diploma of the long-held belief
that there were two colrortes 1 Hispanorum in Britain: see E.
Birley (1952-53) 19 and note 10 above.
12. There is slight damage after 11 Collor. I h ad supplied c(ivium)
R(omanorunt) here but Professor Werner Eck, who has also
seen the tablets, suggested [vetJer(an a) and further
examination of the photographs confirms his readin g. I am
grateful to him for helpin this matter (see also note 17) . The
unit is first attested in Britain in 122 (CIL X VI 69) an d may
have acquired its title before arriving in the province; however
it has not appeared in other British inscriptions of the cohort .
3. Coors II Thracum (equitata) was in Britain by 103 (CIL X VI
48) but this is the first use of the title veterana. No other
second Thracian unit has been attested in Britain and the titl e
may have been adopted elsewhere (see note 12 above). A
scribal error in both cases seems unlikely.
4 Coltors 1 Morinorum is otherwise attested in Britain in (CIL
X VI 48 and 69) and in Not. Dig . Oc. X L, 52. at Raven glass .
5 . In the epitome of Dio (LX X III 8, 2) Commodus is said t o
have sent (ettewe) Ulpius Marcellus against the tribes, who
309
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
crossed the wall that separated them from the Roman legions
and cut down a "cyrperttly6v" . Commodus claimed victory and
tookthe title Britannicus in 184 and this has led to the view that
Marcellus was governor of Britain solely in his reign. Ulpius
Marcellus almost certainly came to Britain before 178. If he
had just arrived in spring 178 soldiers of the auxilia should have
received honesta ntissio under the preceding governor, who
would also have been named (cf. CIL X VI 43 and 69) . Since
this is not so it must be assumed that he had been in the
province at least since 177. There are several ways of
reconciling Dio with this new evidence. The first is that
Marcellus had an exceptionally long period as governor,
equalling, if not exceeding, that of Agricola. Dio would then be
implying that Commodus ordered the resident governor to act
swiftly against the northern threat . This would have been in
keeping with what is known of the relationshipof emperor and
governor. It may also have been politic for Dio to underline
that the initiative came from the emperor (cf. J . C . Mann (1988)
especially 135 concerning the date of Marcellus' arrival) .
Alternatively, Marcellus may have been governor of Britai n
from 177 until some time before the death of Marcus and then
have been replaced by an ignotus. Possibly this ignotus was the
general whom Dio describes as being cut down, which woul d
make the situation very grave and warrant the action of
Commodus in sending Marcellus back to Britain ca . 182/3,
although it is otherwise unknown for a governor to serve a
second term in this way. (For a discussion of this possible
ignotus and Dio's use of o'rparnlyo, and I'ne tie see A. R.
Birley (1981) 135-136). Even if crtperrrlyoc is interpreted as
legionary legate such a loss would be alarming enough for
Commodus to replace the ignotus with a good soldier who was
already familiar with the province. A problem that is now
solved is that of Tineius Longus, who made a dedication under
two Augusti, when Ulpius Marcellus was consular governor
( RIB 1329, Benwell). The joint emperors must be Marcus and
Commodus. Tineius Longus was praefectus equitunt when
adlected to the senatorial order. He does not name his unit but
it may well have been ala I Hispanoruni Asturian, which i s
known as the third century garrison of Benwell ( RIB 1337 and
1334). A further implication of the redating of the
governorshipof Ulpius Marcellus is that both Chesters
(certainly) and Benwell (probably) had the known third centur y
cavalry garrisons already installed in the latter part of the
second century ( RIB 1463 and 1464 record the building of an
aqueduct and an unknown project for ala II A sturunt at
Chesters under Ulpius Marcellus) . The first of the Chesters
inscriptions was set upunder a single Augustus and here agai n
there are several possibilities . One is that Marcellus arrived in
Britain in spring 176 before Commodus had been elevated as
co-emperor In this case a possible reason for the arrival of
these aloe at stations on Hadrian's Wall was the rearrangement s
made necessary as a consequence of the arrival of the
Sarmatian cavalry in Britain in 175 . The provision of extra
water for a new unit at the fort in 176 fits in well with the
probable timing of such a move. A la II A sturum may have been
previously at Ribchester (RIB 586) where some of the
Sarmatian cavalry is thought to have been placed . The second
option is that Marcellus was govemor 177 - ca.180, replaced by
an ignotusat the beginning of the sole reign of Commodus, sent
back ca. 182/3 and strengthened Chesters with cavalry after the
defeat of the "barbarians" . In either case it would make good
sense if Virius Lupus, Britain's first governor under Septuniu s
Severus, returned units to their former stations (albeit some onl y
temporarily) when Severus reclaimed Britain in 197 . The two
Asturian alas. (neither of which are named on this diploma)
remained at Benwell and Chesters to be recorded in the Notitia
Dignitatunt (Oc. X L, 35 and 38) . (Dr. David Breeze discussed
these possibilities with me and helped to elucidate the various
options. lie is not responsible for any mistaken ideas) .
16. Ulpius Marcianus is not otherwise recorded in Britain
an t
Devijver (1976-0 had not previously listed this equestrian (se,
now Tomus 5, 2435 (12 bis) . Presumably the command o
cohors VI/ Thracum was his first militia. Perhaps he obtains
this post through the patronage of Ulpius Marcellus (I owe th i
suggestion to Professor A. R. Birley) .
17. This is the fifth diploma relating to the auxilia of Britain foun
t
outside the province (cf. CIL X VI 43; 69; RMD 151 and 168)
Thiodus was Dacian, which should mean that he came from on
of the Dacian provinces. However, if the diploma was found i
Bulgaria there is no bar to the suggestion that the veteran
returned home after his discharge. Dio (LI 22, 6-7) tells us tha
Dacians lived on both sides of the Danube and that those livity
south of the river "are called Moesians except by the
i
neighbours" . He continues that they are either a branch of th
t
Getae or Thracians belonging to the Dacian race that ono
inhabited Rhodope; cf. the recipient of CIL X VI 13 (Nesselhau
note 2) . Even at this date perhaps a man from Moesia inferio
might call himself Dacus . The name Thiodus is unattested
although Mocsy et al (1983) 287-8 has a number of names wit]
the root Theod- . I originally saw the patronym as Dolae bu
now prefer Professor Eck's reading ofRolae. This name is no
listed by Mfcsy but Roles is recorded as king of the Getae b
Dio (LI, 24, 7) . Thiodus was recruited from a Danubian
province (Dacia or Moesia inferior) in the early 150's to serve i
cohors VI/ Thracum in Britain, this may seem surprisin g. Tf i
principle of local recruitment was well established in the secont
century (cf. the recipient of CIL X VI 130) and although non
Britons are found in the auxilia of Britain they are often
explicable through the former history of the unit concerns
(eg. the Raetians serving in cohors II Tungrorum(RIB 2100) E
Birley (1980) 82) and known movements of the unit of the
recipient of CIL XVI 69) or through their recruitment fron
neighbouring Gaul or Germany: cfCIL X VI 43 andRMD 15 1
A possible reason for this recipient to have been in a uni
stationed in Britain is the postulated disturbances of 154/5; he
could have been among a groupof transfers brought in n
strengthen units or replace losses. Men from the Danubian are
(Thracians in particular) were increasingly enrolled in ever
branch of the Roman army from the second half of the secon t
century onwards.
18. The carelessness shown in the last section of the standar
formula is rare on an outer face. Line 33 is reasonably clear bu
the letters on the last line are cramped and the scribe clearly hat
difficulty in fonning them so close to the bottom edge of thi
tablet . The .bottom line is strongly abbreviated between Q VI
FIX A EST and AVG AD, with muro reduced to MV, pos
temp/urn shown as POST, and MINERVAM (which wouh
have to be placed on a further line) omitted completely . Then
is nothing to suggest that the bottom of tabella I had bee t
broken or shaved off. The omission of MINERVAM is, a
present, unparalleled. There is evidence which shows that i
many diplomas the formulaic part of the document, including
the descriptunt et recognituni section, was engraved firs
leaving a blank space for the later insertion of the date, tht
consular names and details of the recipient . This resulte(
sometimes either in a different hand being used or in sligh
skewing or cramping of the inserted section. (see Appendix II)
This is not the case here. After the standard formula thi
specific details concerning date, unit and identity of the recipien
were written in a larger clumsy script and the description e
recognition formula appears to have been tagged on in t
smaller version of the same hand with no apparent forethough
for spatial difficulties . See Nesselhauf CIL X VI p. 212 an(
Suppl. 248 on the use ofque for quae (cf. RMD 185 note 2).
19. Marcio, Lupereus and Pius appear as witnesses of auxiliary an(
fleet diplomas from 178 at least upto AD 212 (Sec Index o
Witness names, Period 3 and Appendix VI) .
Photographs Pl. 4 a and b.
310
PLATE 5(i) : 1 91
(a) tabella I inner face
PLATE 5(ii) : 1 91
(b) tabella I outer face
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMA
S
1 91 SEVERVSET ANTONINVSET GETA L. DOMITIO FIRM
O
a. 210
Ian
.
7
Tabella I of a diploma drawn to my attention by Dr
. Jochen Garbsch, to whom I am indebted for the first transcript of this diploma. Find-spo
t
unknown
. Now part of the Alice Corinne McDaniel Collection in the Department of Classics at Harvard Unversity
. Height 14.8 cm; width 11
. 4
cm
; thickness 0.5 mm
. The outer face is well preserved and legible, although there are crease lines suggesting that an attempt had been made to
fold it in antiquity
. There are two small areas along the second crease from the topedge where corrosion has produced holes . The inner face i
s
very heavily corroded and only the raised metal nodules created by the engraving tool in the scooping out of individual letters remain over a
large part of the surface
. Probably this face was subjected to fire in antiquity
. As a result it is legible only in certain areas. Possibly more coul
d
be read with radiography but the outer face supplies an almost complete text
. Letters in line 1 on the outer face are ca. 4.5 mm high, thereafter
the script gradually decreases in size from 4 mm to ca
. 3 mm in the last line of the standard formula. Lines 29-30 contain larger letters (4-4.
5
mm) and line 31, with the name of the recipient, has letters of 5-5
.5 mm. I.must thank Jasper Gaunt for supplying improvements to the fina
l
reading
.
intus: tabella I

extrinsecus: tabella I
IMP CAESDIVI M ANTONINI PII GERM SARM F DIVICOM IMP CAESDIVI M-ANIONINI PHGERM SARM F (! )
MODI FRATER DIVI ANTONINI PIT NEP DIVI HADRIANI

DIVI COMMODI FRATER DIVI ANTONINI PII NEP.

PRONEP DIVI TRAIANI PARTHICI ABNEP DIVI NERVAE AD

DIVI HADRIANI PRONEPDIVI TRAIANI PARTHIC .

NEP L SEPTIMIVSSEVERVSPIVSP////NAX AVG ///B ADIA/

ABNEP.DIVI NERVAE ADN EPOS

5 PARTHIC MAX PONT MAX TR POT X VIII IMP X II COSIII P P LSEPTIMIVSSEVERVSPIVSPERTINAX AVGARABIC

5
ADIABPARTHICMAX IMPONTIFMAX IMTRIB
POTESTX VIII. IMP. X II . COSIII P PPROCOSET.
IMP CAESL SEPTIMI S//ERI P11 PERTINACISAV G.
ARABADIABPARTHIC MAX IMFDIVI MANTON I
NI PII GERMSARMNEP DIVI ANTONINI PII PRONEP

10
DIVI HADRIANI ABNEP DI LTI
A
ANI PARTHICI ET'.
DIVI NERVAE ADNEP DI
1. :m
AN

VS
PIVSFELIX AVG TRIB

P IICOSIII OCET
IMP CAESIMP LSEPTIMI SEVERI PII PERTINACISAVG

ARABADIABPARTHICI MAX IMI FET IMPMAVRELLI 1 5

ANTONINI PII AVG FRATER DIVI N4-ANTONINI PI E
GRINI IV

NASIN M NIO SVO IVNX

GERMSARMNEPDIVI ANTONINI PII PRONEPDIVI

PROINDE LIBERO

HADRIANI ABNEP. DIVI TRAIANI PARTHICI ET DIVI

20

NERVAE ADNEPOS PSEPTIMIVSGETA PIVS

FELIX AVG TRIBPOTIICOSIIPROCOS
NOMINA MILITVMQ VI MILITAVERVNT IN COHOR
TIBVSPRAETORISDECEMIIIll1. 1 1 1 1 VVIVIIVIII
VIIII. X . PI1SVINDICIBVSQ VI PIE ET FORTITER MILIT T
(!) AFVNCTI SVNT IVSTRIBVIMVIMVSCONVBII DVMTA
X AT CVMSINGVLISET PRIMISVX ORIBVSVT ETIAMSI 25
PEREGRINI IVRISFEMINASIN MATRIMONIO SVO IVN
X ERINT PROINDE LIBEROSTOLLANTAC SI EX DVOBVS
(!) IVIBVSROMANISNATOSA D VII IDVSINNVAR
M' . ACILIO FAVSTINO ET ATRIARIO RVFINO COS
COH VIII PR P V
LDOMITIO L FFIRMO
CAESMAZACA
DESCRIPTV ET RECOGNITV. EX TABVLA AEREA Q VAE FIX A
EST ROMAE IN MVRO POSTEMPLDIVI AVG AD MINERVA
M
10
15
20
(! )
30
Li nes 1 , and 29-31 are i n larger s cri p .
Imp. Caes(ar), divi M. A ntonini' Pii Germ(anici) Sarm(atici)
f. ,
divi Commodi
. frater, divi A ntonini Pii nep(os), divi Hadrian i
pronep(os), divi Traiani Parthic(i) abnep(os), divi Nervae
adnepos,
L . Septimius Severus Pius Pertimzc A tig(ustus) A rabic(us)
A diab(enicus) Parthic(us) rnaeim(us), pontif(ex) marim(us)
,
trib(unicia) potest(ate) XVIII, imp(erator) X/R, co(n)s(td) III
,
p(ater) p(atriae), proco(n)s(ul) et
Imp. Caes(ar), L . Septimi S[ev]eri Pii Pertinacis A ug(usti)
A rab(ici) A diab(enici) Parthic(i) marim(i) f. , divi M. A ntonini
Pii Germ(anici) Sarm(atici) nep(os), divi A ntonini Pi i
pronep(os), divi Hadriani abnep(os), divi Traiani Parthici et div
i
Nervae adnep(os), M
. [A urell]ius A nt[oni]nus Pius Felix
A ug(ustus), trib(unicia) p1ot(estate)J XIII, imp(erator) Ilj ,
co(n)s(ul) III, proc(onsul) e t
32 2
Imp . Caes( ar) lmp . 4 L. Septimi Severi Pii Perilnacis Aug(usti)
Arab(ici) Adiab(enici) Parthici maximi f., et Imp. 4
M. Aurelli
Antonini Pii Aug( usti) frater, divi M. Antonini Pii Germ( anici )
Sarm( atici) nep(os), divi Antonini
Pii pronep( os), divi Hadrian i
abnep(os), divi Traiani Parthici et divi Nervae adnepos . P.
Septimius Geta Pius Felix Aug(ustus), trib(unicia) p(otestate) IP
,
co(n)s(ul) II, proco(n)s(ul) nomina militum, qui militaverunt in
cohortibus praetoris decem I. II. I/1. 1111. V. VI. VII
. VIII. V/111. X
piis vindicibus,
qui pie et fortiter militia functi suns, iu s
tribuim<uim>us6 conubii dumtaxat cum singulis et primi
s
uxoribus, ut, etiamsi peregrini iuris feminas in matrimonio su o
iunxerint, proinde liberos tollant ac si ex duobus [cJivibus 6
Romanis natos.
a. d. VII idus lanuar .6 M' . Acilio Faustino7 et A. Triario Rufino8
cos.
coh( ors) VIII pr( aetoria) p( ia) v( index) .
L . Domitio L . f. Firmo, Caesarea) Mazaca
. v
Descriptu( m) et recognitu( m) ex tabula aerea, quaefixa est
Romaet 0
in muro pos(t) templ(um) divi Aug(usti) ad Minervam .
1 .

A nionini ext. (see note 6) .

2 For a discussion of the uncertainties concerning the number of
acclamations as imperator received by Septimius Severus se
e
RMD73 note 1, RMD
189 note 2 . If Severus had not added
to the number of officially recorded acclamations since that at
Ctesiphon, it may be suggested that IMP X II in this diplom
a
represents some new event alth ough
there can be no certainty
about this since IMP X II has been found in a number o
f
inscriptions
; but see note 3 below and Appendix IV.
3. In spite of the campaigns which are suggested as having take
n
place in Britain during 209 Caracalla had not added to th
e
number of his imperial acclamations according to diploma
evidence. The emperors had not yet taken the titl
e
Britannicus. This agrees with the coinage, where all three ar
e
shown with BRIT
. on coins of the second issue of 210 (cf.
Mattingley (1950) pp. clxxvi-clxxx and 360-365) . Caracalla
claimed only one acclamation after the death of Severus bu
t
had added BRIT
. MAX . to his titles (RMD 74 of 212) . His
rust indication of a third acclamation in a diploma appears i
n
RMD
131 of 214, when he also claimed GERM. MAX .
(These titles appeared in the Acts of the Arval Brethren in 21 3
-ILS451)
4. Imp. is missing from the title of Septimius Severus in th
e
filiation of Caracalla,
but in Geta's case his relationshipto an
imperial father and brother is emphasised by its inclusion in
their titles in lines 14 aad 15 . Presumably this reflects an
emphasis on his new status.
5. Geta is named directly as Augustus for the first time on
a
diploma. His title includes trib. pot which suggests that h
e
was elevated after July 209 (cf. RMD
73 where he is not
named) and entered his second regnal
year on 10 Dec. 209.
This evidence agrees with that of the coins (Mattingly (1950 )
clxxxii-clxxxiv; and cf. Ute Schillinger-Hafele (1986) 70, not
e
3) and contrasts with the suggestion of G. Di Vita-Evrard tha
t
Geta became emperor a year later than this (cited in A
.
R.Birley (1988) p.218 no
. 22) I am indebted to A. R. Birley
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
for drawing my attention to this
. Acon sequen ce of this new
evidence of Geta's elevation is a reinforcement of th
e
possibility that Severus only
ackn owledged eleven
acclamations officially as some scholars have
main tain e d
(RMD 73 note 2)
. Mattingly, (1950) cxxx, poin ted out th a
t
Caracalla's "
proclamation as Augustus is represented by IM
P
as a praenomen" and "is close in time to the IMP X I of hi
s
father and probably corresponds exactly to it"
. It could be that
Severus took the opportun ity of an
acclamation for campaign s
in Britain in 209 to proclaim Geta as
Augustus
in a similar way
to that of his brother eleven years earlier
. This raises the
question of why Caracalla did not increase the number of hi
s
acclamations at the same time Two possible explanations ma
y
be suggested
: a) Severus had decided to mark out thi
s
occasion specifically to honour Geta
an d so ensure his join
t
succession with Caracalla (perhaps it was a mark of Severus
'
disapproval of the conduct of his elder son, as recorded b
y
Dio (76,14), that he did not share in this honour); b) th
e
records concerning Caracalla in diplomas
an d other
inscriptions are as faulty as those of Severus
an d in reality 209
marks his receipt of a second acclamation
. The latter i
s
probably more correct
. The problems inherent in the record o
f
acclamations of Severus and his sons are perhaps
in capable of
a completely satisfactory solution, but see
Appen d i x IV for
further analysis
. Much of the epigraphic evidence is set out in
A. A. Boyce (1949) .
6.
There are four scribal errors on the outer face
: the T of
Antoninus (line 1 ext) lacks the capping cross-stroke
; VIM is
repeated through dittography in
tribuimus ( I . 24)
; the C of
civibus
has been omitted (1.28)
; and an extra stroke makes the
first A oflanuar.
resemble an N (1. 28) . This is now the firs
t
extant diploma to show January 7 as the date of issue o
f
praetorian diplomas, which became the norm thereafter, se
e
RMD 188, note 9 and H
. Lieb (1986) 329
.
7.

PIR2 1,A57.
8. PIR' 1 1 1 , T
253. See J . C . Mann (1977) 15, with (1989) 4, an
d
A. R
. Birley, (1981) 173-176 suggesting that this consu
l
ordinarius is
un likely to have been governor of
Britan n ia
superior in the first quarter of the third century (cf
. I. A
.
Richmond, JRS51 (1961) 191-2) .
9.
The recipient originated in Caesarea Cappadociac, given her
e
its older name of Maraca
. L. Domitius Firmus may have bee
n
discharged while accompanying the emperors in Britain, unde
r
the command of Aemilius Papin ian us,
but it is equally possible
that he ended his service in Rome being left with part of th
e
guard under the other praetorian prefect, Q
. Maecius Laetus (
I
owe this suggestion to A
. R. Birley) . Alth ough
the find-spot
is unknown it is probable that he returned to Cappadocia
,
going home like other third century praetorian veterans (cf
.
Roxan, 1981, 272-3) .
10.
The practice of replacing quae with
que and Romae wit h
Rome is
more prevalent on inner rather than outer faces in th
e
late second and early third centuries
. This diploma shows
neither form on the outer face, although
post has lost the
terminal T .
Photographs 5a and b.
32 3
PLATE 6 : 1 93
Photographs Stuart Laidlaw
(a) tabella I inner face
(b) tabella I outer face
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
Key to sites:
AUSTRIA GERMANY 196. Chiunsano TURKEY
174. Bad Deutsch- 138. Trier MOROCCO 160. Kalin Oren
Altenburg 149; 164 Pfarring 161. CebelLes
180. Carnuntum 1 55;1 66 Kanzing 157; 186 Volubilis
USSR - UKRAINE 156. Rottenberg am
NETHERLANDS BRITAIN Neckar
200. Chersonesus 159. Bad Wimpfen
151. Delwijnen 145 . Caistor St 162. Aalen
Edmund 170; 178/122 Eining YUGOSLAVIA
146 . York? 175 . Weissenbtrg ROMANIA
183. Walheim am 143. Ranovac?
BULGARIA Neckar 177. Gilau 144. Viminacium or
136. Mineralni bani HUNGARY SPAIN 148 .
Man gum
Ranovac
140. Pet mogili 181. "Near Sirmiun"
158. Site uncertain 152. Timok 137. Utrera 187 . Kostolac
165 . Malak Preslavetz 167. Dunakbmlod 168. Ttuiaso 197. Pontes
172 . Site uncertain 176. Tarjin 179. Gibalbin
PROVENANCE 184. ,Site uncertain 188. Acs-Jegespuszta 194. Cerro Franco
193? Site uncertain 201. Baetica - UNKNOWN/UNCERTAIN
195a/b? Site uncertain ITALY unknown site
139; 141 ; 147; 150; 153; 154;
EGYPT 142 . Voghenza 169; 171; 173; 189; 190; 191;
163. Pegognaga 192 ; 198; 199
185. Coplos? 182. Milan
Fig. 10: Mapshowing find-spots of diplomas listed in RMD III. ,
32 7
PLATE 7 : 1 95a
Photographs Stuart Laidlaw
(a) tabella I inner face
(b) tabella I outer face
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
1 95a SEVERVSALEXANDER VALENTI
c. a
. 222-231/2 or 226?[Ian. 7]
Fragment of tabella I of a diploma seen by John Casey, who very kindly obtained permission for it to be published from Simon Bendall, (t o
whom I am also grateful)
. Bottom right hand corner of tabella I (as seen from the outer face)
. Maximum height 4.2 cm; maximum width 5 .
5
cm; thickness 0.5 mm
. Weight 19.30 gm
. Find-spot Bulgaria. Present whereabouts unknown
. The outer face is well prepared an d the scrip
t
clear
. Height of letters of the closing formula on the outer face ca
. 3.5 mm; those of the details of the recipient (lines 2-4) vary from
4
.5-6. 5
mm
. There are two framing lines on the right and bottom edges 5 mm apart
. These are on a flattened surface and ruled into the bronze in the
style common in the third century
. The inner face shows parallel striations running through the script from topto bottom, left through careles s
preparation of the inner face
. This is another characteristic feature of diplomas of this period
. The letters on this face are ca. 3 mm high
an d
are irregular but legible.
J
5
intus:tabella I

extrinsecus: tabella I
S
P V.
LENTI
IANOPOLI
OGNITVMEX TABVLA A
E
AE IN MVRO POSTEMPLVM
ADMINERVAM
IMP CAE
L DIVI
MAVR
AVG
5 NOM
PR
TI
The letters of lines 1-4 e,trinsecus are larger than those
of the clos i ng formula.
Imp. Caes(ar), [divi
A ntonini Magni Piifi]l. , divi Steveri Pi
i
neposJ, M
. A ur[ellius Severus A lexander Pius Felix] A ug(ustus) ,
p[ont(ifex) max(imus), trib(unicia) pot(estate) V?, co(n)s(ul) II? ,
e(ater) p(atriae)J'
nomi[na militum qui miltaver(unt) in cohort(ibus)] pr(aetoris)
S[everianis2 decem 1. 11. 11/ . llll. V
. VI VII. ] Vlll [VIII!. X piis
vindicibus, qui pie et forJtit[er militia functi suns etc]
[a. d
. Vll id. latt] cos.
[coh(ors) . .
. pr(aetoria) Severian]a p(ia) v(index)
3
. [M. A urelio ?
M. f? Ulp(ia)?j Valenti4 , [Jianopoli
s
[Descriptum et rec]ognitum ex tabula ae[rea, que fixa est Ro]nta
e
in mum pos templum [divi A u]g(usti) ad Minerva
m
A letter count of the missing sections of the first four lines
intus reveals marked variations . This may be paralleled i
n
other diplomas of the reign of Severus Alexander, eg. CIL
X VI 144 and 145 . It is also possible that the titles of th
e
emperor were abbreviated as in RMD 133. The years of
tribunician power and the number of imperial consulships hav
e
been provisionally restored to correspond with RMD 195b .
2
. There can be no doubt that the emperor concerned is Severus
Alexander. The imperial nomenclature was brief enough to fi
t
into 4 lines on the inner face, which indicates a sole emperor
.
P(ia) v(index) appears in praetorian diplomas during the reign
of Septimius Severus as early as 206 but no imperial titulatur e
from that period upto the reign of Alexander would fit into so
brief a space and Severus is not known to have used th
e
epithet
S[everianisJ which is clearly indicated in line 6 intus.
Severus Alexander changed the epithet attached to praetorian
cohorts and the equites singulares A ugusti to A lexandrianis,
at least on diplomas, between 7 Ian. 230 and 7 Ian
. 233
(CIL
X VI 144 and 145), and for this reason 231/2 has been adopted
as the upper limit for the date of issue (cf. J . Fitz (1983) 126) .
However, see RMD 195h for a probable date of 226 .
3.

The letters p. v
. on the outer face confirm a date in the third
century (see note 2 above) .
4 Only the cognomen Valens, is preserved of the name of the
recipient
. It is possible that, like many praetoriani of this
period, his praenomen nornen and filiation reflect the effects
of the Constitutio Antoniniana, but this is speculative as the
question marks indicate
. The restoration of Ulp( ia) is based
on two marks before Valenti in line 3 ext. The first is
a
horizontal stroke at the level of the foot of the line, appearing
just below the break
. This could be the foot of an L. It
preceded a letter of which again only the foot remains but thi
s
appears to have a single upright stroke and could therefore b e
an I, F, T, or P.
5 . There are a number of cities with the ending -IANOPOLIS
,
but some are ruled out on grounds of date. In view of the third
century Danubian bias of praetorian recruitment,
particularly
the apparent reliance upon Thrace for all types of military
personnel, it is tempting to complete the origo of the recipien
t
as [Tra]ianopolis or [MarcJianopolis to accord with th
e
tentative suggestion of Ulpia as a pseudo-tribus
. Praetoriani
are recorded from both of these Thracian cities (Passerin
i
(1939) 177) . The-find-spot is not known with any accuracy
,
but the fact that it comes from Bulgaria argues that th
e
recipient may well have returned home to Thrace
.
See the next entry t 195b.
Photographs Pl. 7a and h.
32 8
PLATE 8: 1 95b
Photographs Stuart Laidlaw
(a) tabella II inner face
(b) tabella [I outer face
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
1 95b SEVERVSALEXANDER M. AVRELIO VALENTI
a. 226 Ian 7
After the entry above (f 195a) had been completed I was shown another (almost complete) tablet, which is fairly certainly tabella II of tha t
diploma. Both pieces are said to have come from Bulgaria and the fact that they appeared in the antiquities market at the same time leads t o
the supposition that they were originally part of the same diploma (see note I below) . Tabella II : h eigh t 10.8 cm; width 1 4.3 cm; th ickn ess ca. I
mm; weight 116.09 g. Height of letters ext: 4-5 mm; int . 3 mm. Framing lines, on a flattened surface similar to those of 1 95a, are visible on the
preserved original edges of the outer face. Present wh ereabouts unknown but last seen coupled with 1 95a.
DESCRIPT ET RECOGNIT EX TAB VLA AEREA Q VE
FIX A EST ROME IN MVRO POSTEMPLVMDIVI
AD MINERVAM
[Imp. Caes(ar), divi A ntonini Magni Pii fil. , divi Severi Pii
nepos, M. A urellius Severus A lexander Pius Felix A ug(ustus),
ponl(ifex) max(imus), trib(unicia) pot(estate) V, co(n)s(ul)1I .
p(acer) p(atriae) t
nomina militum qui miltaver(unt) in cohort(ibus) pr(aetoris)
Severianis decem I. 11. III. 1111. V. VI VII. VIII VMII. X piis
vin dicibus, qui pie et fortiter militia functi sun: etcJ
a. d. VII idus lanuarii, [Imp. Sev]ero A lexandro 11, Marcello II
[cos. ]
[c]oh(ors) II pr(aetoria) Severiana p(ia) v(index)2 .
[M. A Jurelio M. f Vlp(ia) Valenti, Marcianopoli4 .
Descript(um) et recogn it(um) ex tabula aerea, que fixa est Romaes
in muro pos templum divi <Aug(usti)> 6 ad Min ervam.
rG1 ? J Aureli Ma[rco? J; [ .] luli Iulia[ni?J; M. Tulli Valen[tis]; M.
Ulpi Batavi7; C. Valeri Muciani ; P. A eli Saturnini; T. Flavi
Heraclides8 .
1. The titles of Severus Alexander have been restored as in CIL
X VI 143, of the same issue. In the reading given here it is
assumed that the two fragmentary tablets labelled RMD I95 a
and b are part of the same diploma. It is perh aps possible that
two men with the cognomen Valens were recruited from
Marcianopolis at the same time, but the coincidence of both
fragments surfacing in 1993 and both reputedly coming fro m
Bulgaria suggests that they had been found together but ha d
been separated for unknown reasons . The script on the inner
faces of the two tablets differs markedly but the difference
need be no bar to this suggestion since this is observable i n
other diplomas where there is certainty about identity. The
same is true for the outer faces. CIL X VI 143, a praetorian
diploma of the same issue, shows the same distinc t
differences. (See Appendix II). When witness lists are
preserved they may sometimes be seen to be inscribed in a
different hand from that of the main text, as in the present
example. Nevertheless, for want of positive proof the two
pieces have been entered separately.
2. The recipient of CIL X VI 143, who also had a Danubian
origin (Nicopolis), had served in the 10th praetorian cohort,
Valens had been in the 2nd.
3. The conjectured restoration of the full name of the recipien t
and the pseudo-tribus Ulpia in RMD 195a, are confirmed in
the new tablet if it is truly part of the same diploma.
4. Marcianopolis was founded by Trajan and named for his
extrinsecus: tabella I I

VRELI

MA

IVLI

IVL

TVLLI

VALE

M.VLP I.

BATAVI .

CVALERI

MV C I AN I

CA E L I .

SATVRNINI.

TFLAV I .

HERACLIDES.
sister. The pseudo-tribus Ulpia is otherwise attested there; cf.
Fomi (1985) . The reputed find-spot of the diploma suggests
that the recipient had returned home on discharge.
5.

Rome intus tab. II.

6.

A ug(usti) omitted tab. II intus.

7. The cognomen of the fourth witness h as been ch an ged.
Beneath the second A of BATAVI there is an E, followed bya
lightly engraved N and a T beneath the V. Perhaps Baten ti or
Patenti had been begun before the correct cognomen was
finally incised.
8. The names of witnesses to CIL XVI 143 are completel y
different from those in this list, although the diplomas wer e
part of the same issue. This emphasises the diversity of the
system employed for witnessing the auth en ticity of diplomas
of the City cohorts, from that of the fleets an d the auxilia; cf.
Morris & Roxan (1977) . However, one possible pointer
towards verification of John Morris' suggestion that the
witnesses for diplomas of City troops may have been
comrades of the recipients comes through these two diplomas .
The first witness on tabella II ofRMD 195b is [. J A ureli Ma[-
--J; the recipient ofCIL XVI 143 is M. Aurelio Marco. The
fifth witness of CIL XVI 143 bears the same n ame as the
recipient ofRMD 1956 - M. A urelius Valens. To be sure,
neither name is very uncommon but the fact that both were
Thracians, one from Nicopolis the other from Marcianopolis,
suggests another link . The find-spots of many third century
praetorian diplomas in Bulgaria point to the deepand lasting
ties Thracians had with their homeland and thus probably also
with their comrades. It is already clear from CIL VI 2799
(AD 227) that Thracians (in this case men from Philippopoli s
coming from different praetorian cohorts) jointly revered the
gods of their homeland in conjunction with other more Roman
deities while still in Rome. Only the chance of h avin gtwo
diplomas of the same issue, both with tabella II'reasonably
intact, has allowed this theory to be tested. In parenthesis it
may be remarked that the fact that M. Aurelius Mucianus
from Pautalia, the recipient of RMD 76, is not among the
witnesses of CIL X VI 189 of the same issue, is not necessaril y
disproof of this tentative proposition . At any one time there
would probably be a large pool of potential witnesses, many of
them Thracian, in this period. It is noticeable that M. Aurelius
Mucapor, the first witness of the latter diploma is clearly
Thracian like the recipient, who came from from
Philippopolis.
Photographs PI.8 a and b.
intus: tabella II
A D . VII. IDVSIANVARI
0 ALEX ANDRO II MARCELLO II
H. 11 . PR SEVERIANAPV
RELIO M F VLP VALENT I
MARCIANOPOLI
329
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
1 96 SEVERVSALEXANDER INCERTO
a. 226 (Jan.1-Dec. 9)
Published E. Zerbinati Epigraphica50 (1988) 235-43. Found in alluvial deposits with other material of the Roman period not far from the rive
Po, at Chiunsano, Gaiba (Rovigo), Italy (TIR L32 X III) . A brief notice concerning this diploma appeared in R. Perreto, E. Zerbinati, 11 territor
polesano, "II Veneto nell'eta romance" II, Verona (1987) p. 287 with photograph. Present location Museo Civico delle Civilta in Polesir
(Rovigo) . Fragment of the topright hand corner of tabella II with two parallel framing lines preserved on the topand right edges[ ; height 6
cm; width 7.7 cm; thickness 1.2 mm; weight 49.5 g. Height of letters 4-5 mm in line 1 ext. 3-4 mm in the following lines.
extrinsecus: tabella I I
NINI MAGNI' PII FI L
I NE P
EX ANDERPIVSFELIX AVG
BPOTVCOSII . PP
CLASSE PRAETORIA SE
Q VE EST SVB MEVIO HO
ONISET VICENISSTIPEN
SHONESTA MISSION E
RIPTA SV*

ISFILLS
intus: tabella I I
DESCRIPT ET R
FIX A EST RO
DIVI AVG
[Imp(erator) Caes(ar), divi A nt]onini Magni Pii fil(ius), [div i
Severi Pill nep(os), [M. A urellius Severus] A lexander Pius Felix
A ug(ustus), [pont(ifex) max(imus), tr]ib(unicia) pot(estate) V ,
co(n)s(ul) II, p(ater) p(atriae) 2 ,
[iis qui militaverunt i]n classe praetoria Se[veriana p(ia)
v(indice).3Je, que est sub Mevio Ho[n oratian o praeftecto)5.
oc]tonis et vicenis stipen[dis enteritis dimiss]is honesta nussione ,
[quorum nomina subs]cripta suns, ipsis filis[que eorum, quos
susceperint ex mulieribus etc.]
Descript(um) et r[ecognit(um) ex tabula aerea que] fixa est
Ro[mae in muro pos templum] divi A ug(usti) [ad Minervam] .
1. Like RMD 187 and 192 this diploma reverses the usual
assignment of the complete main formula to the outer face of
tabella I . Here tabella II ext. carries this text and the complete
inner face would have held the date, consular names an d
details of the recipient, as well as the Descriptum et
recognitumformula, which here is partially preserved.
Cf. RMD 108, note 1. The inner face is heavily abraded with
roughly parallel scratch marks, a feature of a number of
carelessly prepared inner faces of diplomas of the third
century (cf. C1L X VI Suppl. Tab. X IX ) .
2. The titles of Severus Alexander, especially Crib. pot. V,
together with cos. 11 (the latter ran from 1 Jan. 226), confirm
that the date of issue lay in 226 . K. Wachtel cautiously
observed that there may have been a fixed day date for isst
of fleet diplomas between 214 and 229, which would perhal
suggest that this too would belong to 27 November 226 (st
RMD 192, note 3) . However, the later discovery of RMD 1S
casts some doubt on this.
3. E. Zerbinati restores p(ia) v(indice) . It is still unclear wht
this title was given to the Italian fleets (see RMD 192 note 4)
4. The presence of an E at the end of the name of the fleet is r
bar to the restoration [Misenens]e (for parallels see CIL X\
12, 16 152) but [Ravennat]e is probably more likely. 1
Zerbinati points out that the diploma was found in t t
hinterland of Ravenna and it is reasonable to suppose that t t
veteran recipient retired to an area not far from the port whet
the fleet had its base. However, he sounds a note of cautic
since CIL X VI 74, issued to a veteran of the Misene fleet wt
found at Cremona in the Po valley, and the tombstone of
wife of a trierarch of the same fleet was found at Voghem
(Stipp,. it. 496) .
5. This diploma provides evidence for an earlier stage in t t
career of Mevius Honoratianus, who was prefect of Egyl
between January 232 and July 237 - PIR2 V, 2, M. 576. Si
years before this promotion to one of the two highest ranki r
equestrian posts he commanded one of the two Italian fleets .
Photographs Epigraphica50 (1988) pp. 238-239, Fig. 1 & 2 .
A nn. ep. 1988, no. 598.
330
PLATE 9(i) : 1 98
(a) tabella I inner face
(b) tabella I outer face
PLATE 9 (ii) : 1 98
(c) tabella II inner face
(d) tabella II outer face
PLATE 1 0 : 1 9 9
Courtesy of Charles Ede.
(a) tabella I outer face
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
1 98 MAXIMINVSET MAXIMVSM. AVRELIO VALENTI
a . 237 Ian. 7
Complete diploma: Tabellae I and II, with part of bin din gwire preserved. Height 18.2 cm; width 14.4 cm; thickness 1-1 .5 mm. In th e
collection of Axel Guttman, Berlin.' Height of letters tabella I ext : lines 1, 17-20 7 mm; other lines ca. 4 mm, but the same h an d is used
th rough out this face; tabella II ext: ca. 8 mm. Tabella I in t. sh ows parallel striations from careless preparation ofth e bronze. There are patch es
ofcorrosion products which partially obscure th e script. Tabella II int. is less obscured an d more legible. The bin din gh oles were pun ch ed
before th e inner script was en graved, th e area roun d th ese h oles is avoided on both in n er faces. There are double framin glines on all edges o f
the outer faces.
in tus : tabella 1 2
IMP CAESC IVLIVSVERVSMA
PIVSFEL AVG GE/M

MPO
MAX TR POT III
C IVLIVSVER MAX
5 SARM MAX NOB
EQ VIT Q VI INTER SINGVL

MILITA
VER CASTRIS

M INIANIS
(!) .Q VIBVSPRAEST

A NT
TRIB Q VIN ET VIC PL

B VE ST I
10 PENDISEMERIT DIMISHON
SSQ VOR NOMIN SVBSCRIPT
SVNT C R Q VI FOR NON BERENT
ET CONVBIVM CVMVX Q
ASTVNC HABVISSCVM EST CI V
15

IISDATA AVT CVM IISQ VAS

POSTEA DVX ISSENT D

AT
SINGVLIS
tabella I I
A D VII ID IAN
PER PETVO ET CORNELIANO COS
20

EX EQ VITEDDN NAVGG.
M. AVR . SVRI

FILVALENTI
(!)

AVG TRAIANA EX TRAC I A

DESCRIPT ET RECOG NIT EX TABVLA AERIA (! )
Q VE FIX A EST ROME IN MVRO POSTEMPL
25

DIVIAVGADMINERVAM
On th e outer face th e lust lin e of imperial titles an d lin es 1 7-20 are in larger script .
Imp. Caes( ar) C. Julius Verus Maximinus Pius Felix Aug(ustus)
Germ( anicus) Dacic( us) Sarm( aticus) max( imus), pontiflex)
max( imus), trib( unicia) pot( estate) III, co( n)s( ul), p( acer)
p( atriae), proc( onsul) et
C. Julius Verus Maximus Germ( anicus) Dacic( us) Sarrn( aticus )
max( imus), nobilissimus Caesa r
equitibus3 , qui inter singulares militaverunt castris novis
Maximinianis, quibus prae est Aelius Valens trib(unus)4 , quinis
et vicenis pluribusve stipendis emeritis dimissis honesta missione,
quorumnomina subscripta sunt, civitatern Romana( m), qui eoru m
non haberent dederunt et conubiumcumuxoribus, quas tunc
habuissent, cumest civitas its data, aut cumUs, quas postea
duxissent dunttaxat singulis.
a . d. VII idus Ian. L . Mario Perpetuo5 et L . Mummio Cornelianod
co( n)s( ulibus) .
ex equite dominor( um) n( ostrorum) Aug( ustorunt) 7M. Aurelio Suri
fil . Valenti-g, Aug( usta) Traiana ex Tltraciav .
extrinsecus: tabella I
IMPCAESCIVLIVS VERVS-MAXIMINVS-
PIVSFELIX AVGGERMDACICSARMMAX
PONTIFMAX TRIB-POTIIl . COS-PPPROC ET
CIVLIVSVERVSMAX IMVSGERMDACICSARM
MAX NOBILISSIMVSCAESAR-

5
EQ VITIBVSQ VI INTER SINGVLARESMILITAVERVN
CASTRISNOVISMAX IMIN IAN ISQVIBVSPRAE
EST-AELIVSVALENSTRIB-Q VINISET VICENI S
PLVRIBVSVE STIPENDISEMERITISD I MI SSI S
HONESTA MISSIONE Q VORVM NOMINA SVBS

10
CRIPTA SVNT CIVITATEM ROMANA Q VI EORVM (! )
NON HABERENT DEDERVNT ET CONVBIVMCVMVX O
RIBVSQ VASTVNC HABVISSENT CVMEST CIVITAS
IISDATA AVT CVMIISQ VASPOSTEA D V X I SSEN T
DVMTAX AT SINGVLIS AD .VII IDVS

IAN

1 5
LMARIO PERPETVO ET L MVMMIO CORNELIANO CO S
EX EQ VITEDOMINORNN AVGG
M A V R E L I O SV R I F I L
VALENTI AVGTRAIANA-
EX THRACI A
DESCRIPT ET RECOGNIT EX TAB VLA AERE QVE FIX A EST
ROMAE IN MVRO POSTEMPL DIVI AVG AD MINERVAM
tabula II
TI-CLAVDI

EPINIC I
TICLAVDI

PAVLLI
TICLAVDI

PARTHEN I
TICLAVDI

EROTIS
TICLAVDI

EVTYCHETIS
TICLAVDI

FORTISSIMI
CLLABERI

APRONIAN I
Descript(um) et recognit(um) ex tabula aereat 0 , que fixa est
Romae in muro pos templ( um) divi Aug( usti) ad Minervam.
Ti . Claudi Epinici; Ti . Claudi Paulli ; Ti. Claudi Partheni ; Ti .
Claudi Erotis; Ti. Claudi Eutycltetis; Ti . Claudi Fortissimi; Cl.
Laberi Apronianit t .
I owe especial thanks to Herr Gutmann for his kindness in
allowing me to study and publish this diploma.
2 . The careless script on the inner face, which is characteristic o f
many third century diplomas, together with surface corrosion
products, makes it extremely difficult to produce an an
accurate transcript. The scribe also tended to use the left two-
thirds rather than the whole plate in some lines of the inner
face of tabella I. The reading of this face is therefore not
completely certain in some areas .
20
2 5
332
3. This diploma is part of the same issue as CIL XVI 146.
Tabella I of
CIL XVI 146 shows the same rough preparatio n
of.the inner face with parallel scratches that
h ave not been
polish ed to a smooth surface. Nevertheless a compariso n
with th e ph otograph s publish ed in Of 14 (1911) 130-131
shows that these two diplomas were not en graved by the same
scribe. The inner script ofCIL XVI 146 is not so careless as
th at of the present example an d is presented in regular lines.
The new
diploma does n ot sh ow the mistaken addition of"a
ped" as in line 4 in tus of CIL XVI 146 (see Lieb (1 986) 343,
n ote 175 on th e possible sign ifican ce of this mistake for the
issue ofdiplomas of the auxilia in the third century) .
4. PIR2 I A. 275; but see now Devijver (1976-4) Tomus 1, p. 76,
an d Tomus 4, p. 1423 - A68, citing Pflaum ( Car. No. 332) for
th e opin ion th at Valen s became procurator Augustorum
praefectus provinciae Sardiniae in 248, but is probably not to
be identified with
P
. Val
. praes( es) prov( inciae) Sardi[niaeJ.
Cf. Dobson (1978) no. 207.
5. PIR2 V 2, M. 312 .
6. PIR2 V 2, M. 703.
7. Plural Augusti are in dicated rather than Augustus an d Caesar,
cf.
CIL XVI 146, n ote 7.
8. M. Aurelius Valen s h as not been attested h ith erto amon gthe
equites singulares Augusti, but his father "seems to h ave been
men tion ed in
CIL VI
3195" (= M
. P. Speidel (1993) 598
)
personal commun ication from M. P. Speidel observin gth a t
"only 8 of 66 Aurelii after 193 h ave a praen omen ""in the
third cen tury man y horsemen's son s joined the guard". This is
the sixth diploma of the equites singulares Augusti to be
recorded an d is the second complete (or nearly complete)
example extant ( RMD 158 of 133 (two tablets with small
areas missing); CIL X VI 144 and 146 of 230 and 237 (each
one tablet only); RMD 134 and RMD 197 of 223235 and 230
respectively (fragments) . Of these: the first was found in
Bulgaria, two were found in Moesia superior (CIL X VI 146
and RMD 197), one in Pannonia superior ( RMD 134), and two
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
of the fin d-spots are un kn own (CIL
XVI 1 44 an d th e present
diploma) .
All n ame castris nova with th e possible exceptions
ofRMD 197 (note 2) an d RMD 134
( RMD II p. 210 n ote 2.) .
All the third cen tury examples
belon gto th e period within 25
years of th e Constitutio
An ton in ian a.
9 Augusta Traian a (=Bern e) lay on th e south ern slopes of th
e
Haemus moun tain s an d, alth ough th e fin d-spot is un kn own , i
t
is possible th at th e recipient of
th e diploma return ed to Th rac e
on disch arge (cf. Roxan
(1981) 271- 273 con cern in gth e
parallel of 3rd C
. praetorian recipien ts wh o return ed to
Dan ubian provin ces) .
10. AERE extrinsecus AERIA intus. The V's in divi an d
Aug. (line
25 intus) are turned th rough 90 degrees an d
resemble barred
chevrons.
11. Five of these witnesses were named in the same order (with
one in terven in gname) in an un publish ed fleet diploma of AD
221 ; the fast witness appeared 5th in the list of a fleet
diploma
as far back as 206
( RMD 189). Members of the equites
singulares Augusti were originally selected from
auxiliary
units an d their tombstones often refer to their
origin al units an d
sometimes the
provin ce where those units were station ed, eg.
ILS 2209; 2210; 2211. This diploma
confirms the eviden ce of
the second cen tury
diploma of the same numerus ( RMD 158)
which shows th at the witnesses to diplomas of the
equites
singulares Augusti
came from the same source as those to
auxiliary an d fleet diplomas. (See Appen dix VI "Late
witnesses of auxiliary an d fleet diplomas") . Th e order o f
witnesses shown in this diploma also demon strates th at th
e
system in augurated in the latter part
ofth e reign ofHadrian ,
which established an order of seniority for signatories, who
moved upthe list as the first witness retired, was still in being
in the second quarter of the third century
. See Morris an d
Roxan (1977) 299-333
. It may be observed that the last
witness used the nomen Cl( audius) as a praen omen .
Ph otograph s Pl . 9a, b, c an d d .
33
3
5
10
15
20
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
1 99 PHILIPPI DVO M. AFRANIO QVINTIANO
a. 246 Ian. 7
Tabella I with a roughly triangular section missing on the lower left hand side, which appears to have been cut away with some force, probabl y
by a plough. Seen in London' . Height 13.7 cm; width 9.95 - 10.1 cm; thickness variable: 1 - 2 mm; weight 186 g. The surface of the oute
r
face is very dark with small patches of corrosion insufficiently serious to damage the lettering, which is clear and well inscribed in the style o f
the period. Letters on this face average 3.5 mm high, but are slighly larger on lines 1, 16 and 17 (ca. 4 mm); and largest on lines 18-20 (varyin g
between 4.5 and 6 mm). No framing lines are visible but there is a guide-line on the left which lies between the I and M of IMP an d tuns
through the N of NOMINA
. All other letters keepto the right of this line, although two just verge on it (lines 3 and 8) . The initial letters on
lines 1 an d 4 are larger than the rest of the lines, at 5 .5 and 4.5 mm respectively. The inner face has a roughly prepared surface scored wit h
parallel lines, which is a characteristic feature of diplomas issued in the late second and third centuries . This face is completely illegible, the
"letters" consist of a series of roughly parallel strokes on the surface which slope from topleft to bottom right, arranged in 11 lines . These
closely resemble marks produced on the inner face of CIL XVI 151, which was issued on the same day and is now held in the British Museum.
There is also a fairly heavy accretion of verdigris and corrosion products on this face . The two binding holes were pierced th rough from the
outer face and have produced raised rims on the inner face
intus: tabella I

extrinsecus: tabella I
11 lines of rough marks \ \ \ \ replacing script .

IMP CAESMIVLIVSPHILIPPVSPIVSFEL
AVG PONTIFMAX TRPOTIII-COSPP
MIVLIVSPHILIPPVSNOBILISSCAE S
NOMINA MILITVMQ VI MILITAVERIN
COHORTIBVSPRAETORISPHILIPPI A
NIS-DECEM I-II . 1II IIII- V V I V II VIII , VIIII
X PIISVINDICIBVSQ VI PIE ETFORT I
TERMILITIA FVNCTISVNTIVSTRI
BVIMVSCONVBIIDVMTAX ATCVM
SINGVLISETPRIMISVX ORIBVS.
VTETIAM SI PEREGRINIIVRIS
FEMINASIN MATRIMONIO-SVO.
Lin d 1 6-20 extrin sectu are in larger script, wh ich is sligh tly irregula r
an d may be in a differen t h an d .
X ERINTPROINDE LIBEROSTOL
TAC SIEX DVOBVSCIVIBVS
ANISNATOSA DVII IDVSIAN
RVTTIO PRAESENTEET
LIO . ALBINO COS.
. I PRPHILIPPIANPV
AFRANIO M F Q VINTIAN
AEL MVRS
DESCRIPTETRECOGNITEX TABVLAER
Q VE FIX A ESTROMAE IN MVRO POSTEM
PLVMDIVI . AVG AD MINERVA
5
10
15
20
Imp . Caes( ar) M. Julius Philippus Pius Felix Aug( ustus), pontiff ex )
max( imus), tr( ibunicia) pot( es)tate III. co( n)s( ul), e( ater)
p( atriae) ,
M. Julius Philippus nobiliss( imus) Caes( ar )
nomina militumqui militaver( unt) in cohortibus praetori s
Philippianis decemI. II. Ill. 1111 . V. VI. VII. VIII . VIIII . X. pits
vindicibus, qui pie et fortiter militia functi suns, ius tribuimus
conubii dumtaxat cumsingulis et primis axon bus, ut, etiams i
peregrini iuris feminas in matrimonio suo [iuJnxerint, proinde
liberos tol[la]nt ac si ex duobus civibus [Ro]manis halos.
a. d. Vll idus Ian. ( C. BJruttio Praesente et [C. AJllio Albino cos. 2
[co]h( ors) I pr( aetoria) Philippian( a) p( ia) v( index) .
M. Afranio, M. f. , Quintian( o), Ael( ia) Murs( a)3
Descript( um) et recognit( um) ex tabul( a) aer( ea), que fixes est
Romae in muro pos( t) templumdivi Aug( usti) ad Minerva( m)
I must thank James Ede for allowing me to study this diploma
and publish it. This is part of the same issue as CIL XVI 151
and the similarity of treatment of the inner faces has been
noted, but there are differences in spelling and the use of
abbreviations between the two outer faces suggesting that they
were not engraved by the same h an d . CIL XVI 151 hasPont . ,
pretoris, toll. acxi, andfix. where the present example shows
pontif., praetoris, tol[laJnt; ac si, and fixes (see also note 2).
The irregularity of the script in lines 1620 ext. also suggests
that these details may have been added after the engraving of
the standard formula. This is not apparent in CIL XVI 151 .
This diploma was seen in Koln by Professor Werner Eck ,
whom I must thank for a transcript which confums the
reading.
2 . InCIL X VI 151 the cognomen of the first consul shows the
tendency to replace AE by E. Here the spelling Praesen te is
given. See PIR2 1, B 167. It is now possible to confum the
name of his colleague. The C. A ll(?) of CIL X VI 1 51 i s
supplemented by -Jllio Albino, as h ad been in ferred CIL III
LX X X IX note 2; cf. H. Nesselhauf CIL X VI p.136 and note
I . Werner Eck has suggested to me that Albinus could
perhaps be a descendant of C . Allius Fuscus or C . Allies
334
ROMAN MILITARY DIPLOMAS
recruited in Pannonia inferior durin gthe last years of
Alexander Severtis; cf. RMD 188 note 12 concerning
praetorians recruited from Pannonia. The find-spot of this
diploma is unknown but if the recipient h ad returned home,
like many other third cen tury praetorian i, it may h ave came
from northern Slovenia .
4. It is rare for the final M to be omitted from Minervam
especially when, as here, there is space for completion.
Photograph Pl . 10.
200 IMP. INCERTVSINCERTO
c. a 206 - 250? [Ian. 7?] I
Fuscianus, both suffect consuls in the joint reign of Marcus
Aurelius and Commodus, but that at least one generation must
have intervened; cf. W. Eck (1985) 187; G. Alfdldy (1977 )
36 1
3. The recipient served in coh. 1 praetoria and bore a Roman
name in contrast to the recipient of CIL X VI 151 who served
in coh. V praetoria, and h ad an Illyrian name as praenomen.
Both veterans gave Aelia Mursa as origo, and h ad been
Publish ed Yu. K alash n ik Trudy Gosudarstvien n ogo Ermitaza (Papers of the National Hermitage Museum) 24 (Len in grad 1984) 1 65-1 68. A
small fragment of tabella I of a praetorian diploma found Chersonesus, 1952 . Height 2 .3 cm; width 2 .6 cm. Height of letters on the outer face
4 mm; on the inner face 2.5-4 mm. Now in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, inv. no. X .1952 .281.
intus: tabella I

extrin secus : tabella I

5
[Imp. Caes(ar)
pon t(ifex) maJx(imus), tri[b(un icia) pot(estate)
n omin a n iJilit(um) qu[i militaver(un t) in co]hortibus [praetori s
ca. 9-to? decem] I. II. III. 11111. V. VI. VII. VIII. Vllll. X piis
vi]n dicibu[s] t , qu[i pie et fortiter militia fu]n cti su[n t, ius ]
tri[bui aut tri[buimuscon ubii].etc .
I must thank Dr. Edward D4browa for drawing this diploma to
my attention and providing a summary of the publication. The
description of the praetoriani as [piis vi]ndicibu[s] indicates
an issue after ca. AD 206, which is the date of the first extant
example of this usage. This date has therefore been accepted
provisionally as the earliest time of issue, although the title
was almost certainly granted during Severus' Easter n
campaigns. A letter count shows that there could be room for
perhaps 9-10 letters between praetoris and decemon the outer
face, which suggests that an imperial epithet may have been
inserted there. It is not possible to match this with certainty on
the inner face, since the degree of abbreviation used intus can
vary considerably in the third century (eg. compare CIL X VI
139, 140 and 142) . Therefore it cannot be asserted positivel y
that the fragment comes from a diploma issued after 212 ,
when Caracalla began to attach the epithet A ntoniniana to the
praetorian fleets, and presumably also to the praetorian
cohorts. Nevertheless, the relative legibility of the inner face
suggests that the diploma belon ged to the first rather th an the
second half of the third cen tury an d sh ould be placed between
the outside limits of ca. 206-250, with a stron gprobability th a t
it was issued after 212 . The spacing of the text shows that ten
praetorian cohorts were cited.
Probably the main interest of this tiny fragment is its find-spo t
in Chersonesus. Yu. Kalashnik points out that there was a
Roman garrison in Chersonesus over a long period an d close
connections with the Balkan provinces. Saxer (1967) 91-92
cites evidence for vexillations of legions from Moesia inferior
in I,Chersonesus Taurica from the Flavian period on wards :
Josephus Bell. hid. II, 16, 4; /LS 2747 (ca. 173) ; CIL III
13750 (185/186); an d tile stamps CIL III 142154-5. A member
of legio XI Claudia buried his mother at Olbia in South ern
Russia, h e may h ave originated there (An n . ep. 1909 n o . 167);
cf. Man n (1983) 136 . In addition part (or all) of cohors /
Barcaraugustan orum was probably detach ed from Moesia
inferior for service in Ch erson esus in the second cen tury (/LS
9160). The recipient may have been recruited from a militar y
family in the Crimea into a legion of Moesia inferior an d
thence to a praetorian cohort. It is possible that the find-spot
indicates that he returned home to this area on retirement.
Photographs and drawings Trudy Gosudarstvien n ogo Ermitdza, 24,
166 . (= RMD II p. 231 No. 10)
Archaologische Bibliographie 1 986, n o . 5224
Fig. 10(a): Drawing of 200 tab. I int.

Fig. 1 0(b) : Drawin gof 200 tab. I ext.

335