Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
AE 1981 777
#1
According to Everett Wheeler, AE 1981 777 mentions Aurelius Gaius was once an optio triarius. Does anyone know the time frame that has been allocated to this inscription? Taken into account with Vegetius’ (2 8 5) of a triarius prior, it becomes very interesting.

Thanks in advance

Steven
Reply
#2
The career of Aurelius Gaius is usually dated to the tetrarchy - in fact, given his wide travels, that's about the only period that fits. He was a christian - the epitaph refers to the 'resurrection' - and it's usually suggested that he was discharged around the time that Christianity was forbidden in the army by Diocletian, c.299 (he could have been dismissed - the inscription mentions that he 'suffered many hardships' after his promotion). In fact all the locations listed can be related to campaigns shortly before this date.

J Albert Morales (in 'The curious career of Aurelius Gaius', Ancient Warfare VI-5, 'The Army of Diocletian') suggests that Gaius joined the army under Aurelian, but this seems unnecessarily early to me. The reference to Mesopotamia can only refer to Carus's invasion of 283 (since Gaius was apparently in Mauretania with Maximian in c.298, so Galerius's Persian war is ruled out), and this would seem acceptable as a first campaign. Gaius's entire military service therefore falls beween c.283 and c.299.

Here's Gaius himself, meanwhile, from his tombstone:

[attachment=8992]AureliusGaius.jpg[/attachment]


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
Nathan Ross
Reply
#3
A long article on Aurelius Gaius is to be found in T. Drew-Bear, 'Les Voyages d’Aurélius Gaius, Soldat de Dioclétien', in La Géographie Administrative et Politique d’Alexandre à Mahomet. Actes du Colloque de Strasbourg, 14-16 juin 1979, (Strasbourg, no date), 96-141. It is, as you will have gathered, in French. I set out below an extract from an article that I wrote some years ago concerning (inter alia) the ranks of centurions in Vegetius' First Cohort, which I hope you may find of interest:

From the late third or early fourth century AD comes the career of Aurelius Gaius who held successively the ranks of optio triarius, optio ordinatus and p[rinceps ?] optio. Of these, optio triarius is the first and, presumably, the most junior. This is diametrically opposite to the position under the Republic, when the triarii were the oldest and most senior soldiers, but corresponds exactly to that appearing in Vegetius, where the triarius prior seems, from the number of men under his command, to be the most junior of the centurions in the First Cohort. Perhaps, therefore, the triarius prior should be sought some time in the third century.
Michael King Macdona

And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
Reply
#4
Nathan wrote:
The career of Aurelius Gaius is usually dated to the tetrarchy - in fact, given his wide travels, that's about the only period that fits. He was a christian - the epitaph refers to the 'resurrection' - and it's usually suggested that he was discharged around the time that Christianity was forbidden in the army by Diocletian, c.299 (he could have been dismissed - the inscription mentions that he 'suffered many hardships' after his promotion). In fact all the locations listed can be related to campaigns shortly before this date. J Albert Morales (in 'The curious career of Aurelius Gaius', Ancient Warfare VI-5, 'The Army of Diocletian') suggests that Gaius joined the army under Aurelian, but this seems unnecessarily early to me. The reference to Mesopotamia can only refer to Carus's invasion of 283 (since Gaius was apparently in Mauretania with Maximian in c.298, so Galerius's Persian war is ruled out), and this would seem acceptable as a first campaign. Gaius's entire military service therefore falls beween c.283 and c.299.

Thank you Nathan for your informative response. It is greatly appreciated. For me Aurelius Gaius’ career coincides with the 6000 man legion of Vegetius. As there is no problem the word triarius is not a corruption, then this would indicate Vegetius’ use of the term triarius for the 6000 man legion is correct, and the term is not taken from an earlier period.

Renatus wrote:
I set out below an extract from an article that I wrote some years ago concerning (inter alia) the ranks of centurions in Vegetius' First Cohort, which I hope you may find of interest: From the late third or early fourth century AD comes the career of Aurelius Gaius who held successively the ranks of optio triarius, optio ordinatus and p[rinceps ?] optio. Of these, optio triarius is the first and, presumably, the most junior. This is diametrically opposite to the position under the Republic, when the triarii were the oldest and most senior soldiers, but corresponds exactly to that appearing in Vegetius, where the triarius prior seems, from the number of men under his command, to be the most junior of the centurions in the First Cohort. Perhaps, therefore, the triarius prior should be sought sometime in the third century.

Thank you Renatus for doing this. Yes I find it very interesting and you present a very appealing theory. Is there any chance of reading the whole article? Also do you know the full inscription for AE 1981 777? From what you have written, there appears to still be three troops types (optio triarius, optio ordinatus and p[rinceps ?] optio). This reinforces my conviction old format of three troop types (example: hastati, principes and triarii) still remains with the Vegetius legion, but with differing names.
Reply
#5
Quote:do you know the full inscription for AE 1981 777?
Are you asking to see the text?
[attachment=9038]AE1981_777.jpg[/attachment]


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
posted by Duncan B Campbell
https://ninth-legion.blogspot.com/
Reply
#6
And here's Hugh Elton's version of the translated text:

Aurelius Gaius
Nathan Ross
Reply
#7
If the original text is in Ancient Greek and not Latin.....

What 'forces' the translation towards those specific terms? I'm thinking here particularly of triarius, ordinatus and p(rinceps)....

I'd also add lanciarius, but am equally happy to note that he seems to identify the position as a 'picked' one.

I'm very curious as to what leads to the usage of those terms when the language itself is different to that used to create the terms in the first place.
Reply
#8
For those who want their own copy of Elton's translation:

Aurelius Gaius, son of the same, I served in Legio I Italica of
the Moesians, was selected for Legio VIII Augusta in Germany
and the [Legio I] Iovia Scythica in the provinces of Scythia and
Pannonia. As a recruit I served as an apprentice cavalryman,
then as a lanciarius, optio triarius, optio ordinatus, optio princeps, and
optio of the imperial comites [drawn from?] Legio I Iovia Scythica.
I travelled around the empire, to Asia [?], Caria, [missing
region], Lydia, Lycaonia, Cilicia, [missing region], Phoenicia,
Syria, Arabia, Palestine, Egypt, Alexandria, India, [missing region],
Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, [missing region], Galatia, Bithynia,
Thrace, [missing region], Moesia, the Carpians’ territory, [missing
region], Sarmatia four times, Viminacium, [missing region],
the Goths’ territory twice, Germany, [missing region], Dardania,
Dalmatia, Pannonia, [missing region], Gaul, Spain, Mauretania,
and [missing region]. Then advancing and after much toil
I came to my native land Pessinus where I was brought up, [and
am now] dwelling in Cotyaeum . . . with [my daughter?] Macedonia.
In tribute to Julia [Are]scusa my dearest [wife] I have erected
this stele from the fruits of my own labours as a memorial till the
Resurrection. Farewell all.
Reply
#9
Optio Ordinatus brings up the thought of the late Roman position of Ordinarius. Possibly some connection?
Reply
#10
Quote:If the original text is in Ancient Greek and not Latin.....

What 'forces' the translation towards those specific terms? I'm thinking here particularly of triarius, ordinatus and p(rinceps)....

I'd also add lanciarius, but am equally happy to note that he seems to identify the position as a 'picked' one.

I'm very curious as to what leads to the usage of those terms when the language itself is different to that used to create the terms in the first place.
They are transliterations: τριάρες, ὠρδινᾶτος, πρίνκεψ, λανκιάρις (triares, ordinatos, prinkeps, lankiaris).
Michael King Macdona

And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
Reply
#11
Renatus, after spending the last few days looking into this, in regard to your theory the triarius centurions were the junior centurions, I believe you could be correct on this matter. This can be supported by Vegetius’ (2 8) comment that “ancient practice stipulated that the chief centurion was promoted from the First centurion of the principes.” Vegetius is also supported by Livy’s (42 34) description of the career of Spurius Ligustinus, who is promoted from primus princeps prioris centuriae to the primus pilus on four occasions.

Going by my research, the posterior command structure was introduced in the late republican period, so I would say this would be when the junior centurions in your reverse order were introduced.
Reply
#12
Quote:What 'forces' the translation towards those specific terms?

That was my idea too, when I first read the term triarius in Vegetius' text.

In the republic we had triarii, principes and hastati. But already in the republic the triarii were sometimes called pili. So the highest centurio is called primus pilus prior. It would have been perhaps not wrong to call him primus triarius prior alternatively. But the romans did'nt

But what about the greeks?

Quote:They are transliterations: τριάρες, ὠρδινᾶτος, πρίνκεψ, λανκιάρις (triares, ordinatos, prinkeps, lankiaris).

Is it possible, that the greeks never adopted the roman term pilus and insisted to use the term triarius? How was the greek term for a primus pilus? Is it someting like primus τριάρες? Do we have any sources in greek about this rank?

I know, that Vegetius says, that the triarius was the lowest rank centurio. So that does not fit to my theory. But well, you know, it is Vegetius ....

Same with ordinarius. We don't know, what rank this centurio ordinatus or ordinarius really was. We know that in early empire there were centuriones and centuriones primi ordinis. We don't know much about the exact ranking of the centurions. But we know, that the primi ordines aka centurions of the 1st cohort were higher in rank than others.

What if ordinarius in late empire was not a rank but just a term for the highest ranked centurions, like primus pilus, princeps and hastatus were primi ordines.
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas
Reply
#13
It's a wierd term, because it seems to refer to some sort of higher rank than Centurion, or a High Ranking Centurion in the Limitanei Garrisons. In the Comitatenses and Palatina though, it seems to just mean "Centurion" generally.
Reply
#14
Quote:It's a wierd term, because it seems to refer to some sort of higher rank than Centurion, or a High Ranking Centurion in the Limitanei Garrisons. In the Comitatenses and Palatina though, it seems to just mean "Centurion" generally.

Interesting, that could mean, that the Limitanei had 2 ranks of centurions like the early legions. The higher ranked were primi ordines or now called ordinarius. You could also guess, that after a few hundred years and citizen rights for everybody, the centurio princeps of an auxilia, which was the highest centurio of an auxila and 2nd in command behind the tribune/praefect was called ordinarius, too.

Due to the fact that comitatenses are always of higher rank than limitanei, every centurio of the comitatenses was an ordinarius. So in this case ordinarius is not a rank but a rank-group. Like in modern armies lieutenants are a rank group of more than on rank (1st Lt., 2nd Lt. , ...).
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas
Reply
#15
Quote:How was the greek term for a primus pilus? Is it someting like primus τριάρες? Do we have any sources in greek about this rank?
This question has been raised before but, unfortunately, the answer is inconclusive:
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/17-roman-mi...greek.html
Michael King Macdona

And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
Reply


Forum Jump: