Aulus Platorius Nepos

Aulus Platorius Nepos – Governor of Britannia from 122AD to c.125

… Hadrian enjoyed the friendship of Sosius Senecio, Aemilius Papus and Platorius Nepos from the senatorial order, …”

Aelius Spartianus The Augustan History Hadrian 4

“… Yet this same man [Hadrian] listened readily to whatever was whispered about his friends, and thus almost all, even the closest and even those whom he had raised to the highest honours, he regarded as being in the category of enemy in the sequel – for example Attianus and Nepos and Septicius Clarus. …”

Aelius Spartianus The Augustan History Hadrian 15

“… In the case of Platorius Nepos – whom Hadrian had formerly esteemed so very highly that when he came to him when he was ill and was refused admission no punishment was inflicted – he was led on by suspicions: …”

Aelius Spartianus The Augustan History Hadrian 23

Aulus Platorius Nepos was suffect consul 119AD, the same year that Hadrian was himself ordinary consul for the third time, with Publius Dasumius Rusticus his colleague.

Platorius Nepos – Epigraphic Evidence

A number of building inscriptions have been recovered which bear this propraetor’s name. The amount of evidence, all confined to the structure of the Wall and its strongpoints, prove conclusively that Hadrian’s Wall was built during the governorship of this man.

Jarrow, Tyne & Wear RIB 1051 (date: 119-38AD; exact origin unknown) DIVORVM OMNIVM FILIVS IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS IMPOSITA A NECESSITATE IMPERII INTRA FINES CONSERVATI DIVINI PRAECEPTO … COS III … (c. 7 lines lost) DIFFVSIS BARBARIS ET PROVINCIA RECIPERATA BRITANNIA ADDIDIT LIMITEM INTER VTRVMQVE OCEANQVE LITVS PER MIL P LXXX EXERCITVS PROVINCIAE OPVS VALLI FECIT SVB CVRA A PLATORI NEPOTIS LEG AVG PR PR .

Benwell, Tyne & Wear RIB 1340 (dated: 122-6AD) IMP CAES TRAIANO HADRIAN AVG A PLATORIO NEPOTE LEG AVG PR P VEXILLATO CLASSIS BRITAN “For the emperor Caesar Trajan Hadrian Augustus, a detachment of the British Fleet (built this) under Aulus Platorius Nepos, Pro-Praetorian Legate of Augustus”, from the Benwell granary.

Halton Chesters, Northum RIB 1427 (dated: 122-6) IMP CAES TRA HADRIANO AVG LEG VI VICTRIX P F A PLATORIO NEPOTE LEG AVG PR PR To the emperor Caesar Trajan Hadrian the August, the Sixth Victorius Legion, Loyal and Faithful, under Aulus Platorius Nepos, the emperor’s Legate with propraetorian power, (made this)”, from the West Gate of the Onnum fort.

Inscription from milecastle 37 RIB 1634 (dated: 122-6AD) … LEG II AVG A PLATORIO NEPOTE … […] the Second Augustan Legion by Aulus Platorius Nepos […].

From the Wall between Housesteads and Great Chesters RIB 1637 (dated: 122-6AD) IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIAN AVG LEG II AVG A PLATORIO NEPOTE LEG PR PR To Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, the Second Legion Augusta [built this] for Aulus Platorius Nepos, pro-praetorian legate”.

and RIB 1638 (dated: 122-6AD) IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANI AVG LEG II AVG A PLATORIO NEPOTE LEG PR PR For Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, the Second Augustan Legion [built this] by [authority of] Aulus Platorius Nepos, pro-praetorian legate.

also RIB 1666 (dated: 122-6AD) IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANO AVG LEG II AVG A PLATORIO NEPOTE LEG PR PR Go on! Have a go at translating this one yourself.

Chesterholm/Vindolanda, Northumberland RIB 1702 (dated: 122-6AD) IMP CAES TRAIANO HADRIANO AVG LEG II AVG A PLATORIO NEPOTE LEG PR PR ditto….

From the Wall between Birdoswalds and Castlesteads RIB 1935 (dated: 122-6AD; on wood) IMP CAES TRAIANI HADRIANI AVGVSTI LEG … A PLATORIO NEPOTE LEG PR PR likewise….

Platorius Nepos’ Full Curriculum Vitae

A PLATORIO A F SERG NEPOTI APONIO ITALICO MANILIANO C LICINIO POLLIONI COS AVGVRI LEGAT AVG PRO PRAET PROVINC BRITANNIAE LEG PRO PR PROVINC GERMAN INFERIOR LEG PRO PR PROVINC THRAC LEG LEGION I ADIVTRICIS QVAEST PROVINC MACED CVRAT VIARVM CASSIAE CLODIAE CIMINIAE NOVAE TRAIANAE CANDIDATO DIVI TRAIANI TRIB MIL LEG XXII PRIMIGEN P F PRAET TRIB PLEB IIIVIR CAPITALI PATRONO D D

“For Aulus Platorius Nepos Aponius Italicus Manilianus, son of Aulus, Consul, Augur, Pro-Praetorian Legate of the emperor in the province of Britain, Pro-Praetorian Legate in the province of Lower Germany, Pro-Praetorian Legate in the province of Thrace, [Legionary] Legate of the 1st Adiutrix Legion, Quaestor for the Province of Macedonia, Curator of the Cassian, Clodian, Camillian and New Trajan roads, Candidate of the divine Emperor Trajan, Tribune of the 22nd Primagenia Legion, loyal and true, Praetor, Tribune of the Plebs, Triumvir Capitalis, Patron [of the City of Aquilea]. Gaius Licinius Pollio has dedicated this offering.”

Dessau, Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae – Titvli virorvm et mvliervm ordinis senatorii ILS 1052; CIL V 877; Aquilea