The Centurion and his horse questions.

[popularis]

On the stone that was earlier menthioned, we also read the letter EQ(ues), so it is certainly possible he owned a horse.

I don't think that horse is depicted because he liked riding for pleasure. It's more a sign of wealthy status, I think. But this is not my field of expertise, and I'm sure others can comment on the way of seeing this stone better as I can.

For this inscription, I think that it signifies that he served as a cavalryman. At least in the early part of his career. The inscription is from Carnuntum (Pannonia Superior) and is, I think, 2nd century?:

CIL 03, 11213 (p 2328,32) = D 02596 = RHP 00221 = Schober 00054 = LegioXVApo 00085 = MaCarnuntum 00140 = AEA 1999/00, +00013 = AEA 1999/00, +00043 = AEA 2001/02, +00001 = AEA 2003, +00002 = AEA 2006, +00016

T(itus) Calidius / P(ubli) (!) Cam(ilia) Sever(us?) / eq(ues) item optio / decur(io) coh(ortis) I Alpin(orum) / item |(centurio) leg(ionis) XV Apoll(inaris) / annor(um) LVIII stip(endiorum) XXXIIII / h(ic) s(itus) e(st) / Q(uintus) Calidius fratri / posuit

Rough translation would be:

Titus Calidius Severus, [the son] of Publius of the voting tibe Camilia, a cavalryman, and then an optio [and then] a decurion in the first cohort of Alpini [equitata], and then a centurion in the 15th Legion Apollinaris. He lived for 58 years, and was in the army for 34. He lies here. Quintus Calidius, his brother, put up this inscription.

I'm not really qualified to deal with the iconography, but I'd be tempted to say that the bottom panel signifies his service as a cavalryman, while the top two panels (especially the right hand panel, with greaves and what I think is a centurion's helmet), signify the latter part of his career.

In other words, I don't think this monument is evidence for or against mounted centurions.

On the general point, I seem to remember Caesar (B.G. 7.65) taking horses from his military tribunes, the other Romans of equestrian rank, and his euocati (recalled or retained time-served veterans) to give to his German mercenaries, whose own horses weren't good enough. The fact that he doesn't mention centurions here might be significant (if only for the late Republic).

blue skies

Tom