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A New Diploma for Roman Britain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2012

Extract

The British Museum has acquired a military diploma (figs. 1–4) issued on July 17th, A.D. 122, to Gemellus, a non-commissioned officer of the Ala I Pannoniorum Tampiana, granting the usual privileges of a time-expired auxiliary—citizenship and the right to contract a legal marriage. It was found in 1925 at O-Szöny, the ancient Brigetio in Pannonia Superior, on the Danube fifty miles west of Buda-Pest. Seals and wiring have disappeared, though it is said that the bronze wire was still in position round the tablets when they were found. The two bronze tablets are complete; a corner of the rear one was broken by the pick, but the fragments have been rejoined and the break does not obscure the letters. There is a slight edging round the outer texts, the inner surfaces are flat. The dimensions are 6½ × 5¾ in. (·165 × ·148 m.).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright ©F. N. Pryce 1930. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

page 16 note 1 ‘Sesquiplicarius,’ one who receives half as much again in pay as the private soldier. For the form sequiplicarius, which seems clear on the internal text, cp. σησκονπλικάριοι from Egypt (Pauly-Wissowa, s.v.).

page 16 note 2 For recent literature in England, dealing with diplomas see Cheesman, , Auxilia of the Roman Army, p. 31Google Scholar; Smith, A. H. in this Journal, vol. xvi (1926), p. 95;Google ScholarAtkinson, D. in Class. Rev., vol. xlii (1928) p. 11CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

page 21 note 1 The diplomas of the Empire were collected and numbered chronologically in C.I.L., iii, 2 (1873)Google Scholar: in the Supplementum I of 1902 they were re-arranged and re-numbered, but for the text of the older examples it is still necessary to have recourse to the publication of 1873. Those for Britain are:

1. No. xxix of 1902. Found in the bed of the Meuse in 1880, now at Liège. Mentions 3 alae, 6 cohorts; imperfect, A.D.98.

2. No. xxxii of 1902, xxiof 1873; also published in C.I.L., vii, no. 1193; Dessau, 2001. Found at Malpas in Cheshire in 1812; now in the British Museum. 4 alae, 11 cohorts; text complete, A.D. 103.

3. No. xxxiv of 1902, xxiiiof 1873; also C.I.L., vii, no. 1194. Found on Sydenham Common in 1806; now in the British Museum. 2 alae, 11 cohorts; imperfect, A.D. 105.

4. No. xliii of 1902, xxx of 1873; also C.I.L., vii, no. 1195. Found near Stannington, Hallamshire in 1760; now in the British Museum. 6 alae, 21 cohorts; imperfect. A.D. 124.

5. Atkinson, in Cl. Rev., vol. xlii (1928), p. 11;CrossRefGoogle Scholar also J.R.S., xvii, p. 215. Found at Wroxeter in 1927; now in Shrewsbury Museum, 6 alae, 31 cohorts. Imperfect, A.D. 135.

6. No. lv of 1902. Found in the early nineteenth century at Walcot, near Bath; now at Huntingdon. A fragment; probably not of great length; 1 ala can be identified. Hadrianic.

7. No. lvii of 1902. Found at Chesters in 1879; now in the British Museum. 3 alae, 11 cohorts; the name of one ala is missing. A.D. 146.

8. J.R.S., xix, p. 216. Found at Colchester in 1929. A fragment; 1 cohort preserved.

page 21 note 2 The first is no. 4 of the preceding note.

page 21 note 3 The other is no. 2 of note 3.

page 21 note 4 See Cichorius in Pauly-Wissowa, s.v. Ala, col. 1254; Domaszewski, , Die Rangordnung des röm. Heeres, Banner Jabrbücher, 1907, p. 122, n. 6Google Scholar.

page 21 note 3 J.R.S., vol. XII (1922), pp. 61, 65Google Scholar. The overworked engraver might well be excused for abbreviating this governor's formidable list of names.

page 22 note 1 Cichorius in Pauly-Wissowa, s.v. Ala, col. 1269 the regiment was at one time in Newstead.

page 22 note 2 Cichorius, op. cit., col. 1247; the unit has several possibilities of identification.

page 22 note 3 On these units see Cichorius in Pauly-Wissowa s.v. cohors; Cheesman, Auxilia, Appendix i.

page 23 note ‡ See Cheesman, pp. 49–51.