Military Diplomata – AD 132

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The unit list comprises three alae and twelve cohorts, all previously known, which accounts for about onethird of the number of auxiliary units attested in Britain during the reign of Hadrian. 13 alae were named on the constitution of 17 July 122; a fourteenth on that of 16 September 124. By 127 two alae had been transferred to Lower Germany. By then, or a little later, ala I Pannoniorum Tampiana had moved to Noricum. There was thus a maximum of ten alae in Britain in the latter part of Hadrian’s reign.

This diploma is now the earliest definite attestation of the full name of the ala Augusta Gallorum Proculeiana in a unit list. It can also be equated with the ala Augusta and ala Augusta ob virtutem appellata on inscriptions and on writing tablets. At the time of issue of this constition
the ala was most likely at Chesters on Hadrian’s Wall where it is named as ala Augusta ob virtutem
appellata on a Hadrianic altar to Disciplina.

The constitution of 17 July 122 names 37 cohorts and a further four are listed on other constitutions
from the reign of Hadrian.While just under a third are named on this diploma it is worth noting that many
are listed in the same relative position as they were in 122 and 127 with cohors I Augusta Nerviana Germanorum milliaria in first place. cohors I Hamiorum sagittariorum is also recorded in Hadrian’s reign in 122, 124, 127, and 135. More specifically it is attested at Carvoran on an altar set up for the welfare of L. Aelius Caesar by T. Flavius Secundus, praef(ectus) coh(ortis) I Hamiorum sagittar(iorum).33 At the same time, 136/138, T. Flavius Secundus is recorded on building stones from the rampart of the fort. He was perhaps the immediate successor of M. Mussius Concessus as prefect.

IMP CAESAR DIVI TRAIANI PARTHICI F DIVI NERVAE NEPOS TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG PONTMAX TRIB POTEST XVI COS III.P P.PROCOSEQVITIB ET PEDITIB QVI MILITAVER IN ALIS TRI5 BVS ET COH XII QVAE APPELL I AVG GALLOR PROCVL.ET AVG VOCONT ET VETTON HISP ET I AVG NERVGERMAN
ET I CELTIB ET I THR ET I LING ET I HAMIOR SAG ET I MORIN ET I SVNVC ET I ET II DALMET III BRAC ET IIII ET V GALLOR ET SVNT IN BRITAN10 NIA SVB IVLIO SEVERO QVINQ ET VIGINT STIPEND EMERITIS DIMISS HONEST MISSIONEQVORVM NOMIN SVBSCRIPT SVNT IPSIS LIBER POSTERISQ EORVM CIVITAT DEDIT ETCONVB CVM VXORIB QVAS TVN C HA 15 BVISSENT CVM EST CIVITAS IIS DATA AVT SIQVI CAELIB ESSENT CVM IIS QVAS POSTEA DVXISS DVMTAXAT SINGVLI SINGVLASA D V I D DECC ACILIO PRISCO A CASSIO ARRIANO COS20 COH I HAMIOR SAGITT CVI PRAESTM MVSSIVS CONCLSSVS (!)EX PEDITELONGINO SESTI E MOMSET LONGINO L EIVS ET SESTIO F EIVS (!)25 ET SESTIAE FIL EIVSDESCRIPTVM ET RECOGNITVM EX TABVLA AENEA QVAE FIXA EST ROMAE IN MVRO POSTTEMPLVM DIVI AVG AD MINERVAM

IMP CAES DIVI TRAIANI PARTHICI F DIVI NERVNEP TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG PONT MAXTRIB POT XVI COS III P P PROCOS EQ ET PED QVI MIL IN

AL III ET COH XII QVAE5 APP I AVG GALL PROC ET AVG VOC ET VETT HISP ET IAVG NERV GERM

ET I CETT ET I THR ET I SING (!)ET I HAM SAG ET I MOR ET I SVN ET I ET II DALM ETIII BRAC ET IIII ET V GALL ET SVNT IN BRIT SVBLVLIO SEVERO QVINQ ET VIG STIP EM DIM (!)10 HON MISS QVOR NOM SVBSCR SVNT IPS LIBPOST EOR CIV DED ET CON CVM VX QVAS TVNCHAB CVM EST CIV IISDATA AVT SIQ CAEL ESSCVM IIS QVAS POSTE DVX DVMTAX SING SINGVLAS

Imp. Caesar, son of the divinity Traiani Parthici, nephew of the divinity Nerva, Traianus Hadrianus Aug(ustus), pont(ifex)max(imus), trib(unicia) potest(ate) XVI, co(n)s(ul) III, p( ater) p(atriae), proco(n)s(ul), equitib(us) and peditib(us) who served in the wings of the tribes and coh(orbits) 12 which call(are)

  • Aug(usta) Gallor(um) Procul(eiana) and
  • Aug(usta) Vocon(iorum) and
  • Vetton(um) Hispan(anorum) and
  • 1 Aug(usta) Nerv(iana) German(orum) ) (miles) and
  • I Celtib(erorum) and
  • I Thr(acum) and
  • I Ling(onum) and
  • I Hamior(um) sag(ittariorum) and
  • I Morin (orum) and
  • I Sunuc(orum) and
  • I and
  • II Dalm(atarum) and
  • III Brac(araugustanorum) and
  • IIII and
  • V Gallor(um) and

there are in Britain under Julius Severus and they are living stipend(s) retired honorable mission(s), in whose name(s) are subscribed(a) themselves the liber(s) of their descendants He gave the city (em) and conub(ium) with the wife(s) they had then when the city was given to them or if they were celibate(s) with those whom they later on, while each one is separate.a. d. 5 id. Dec(embres) C. Acilius Priscus, A. Cassius Arrianus co(n)s(ulibus).coh(ortis) I Hamior(um) sagitt(aria) to whom M. Mussius Concessus is present, from the foot of Longinus Sesti f(ilius) MOMS, and Longinus his son and Sestius his son and Sestiae be
l(ie) his Described and revised from a copper plate which be xa is in the wall of Rome behind the temple of the god Augusti to Minerva.

  • Claudius Menander;
  • P. Attis Severus;
  • T. Flavi Romulus;
  • L. Pulli Daphni;
  • P. Atti Festus;
  • C. Julius Silvani;
  • C. Vettieni Hermetis.

Source

  • A diploma for the army of Britain in 132 and Hadrian’s return to Rome from the east by Werner Eck