04-16-2011, 03:16 AM
Just a quick extra note on the 'shreds of evidence' for the later life of IX Hispana, or lack thereof...
I've been going through James Robert Summerly's PhD thesis Studies in the Legionary Centurionate (1990), and he makes a few interesting points about career inscriptions of centurions from the legion. As he points out, while senatorial officers of IX have been discussed in relation to the legion's fate, their juniors often have not. Duncan's article in AW mentions Aelius Asclepiades, also discussed by J.C. Mann. Summerly goes into a bit more detail:
The thesis goes on to cite two further inscriptions, which I'd never heard of, firstly Claudius Vitalis:
VII Claudia also sent a vexillation to Cyprus to crush the Jewish revolt there in 117, I think, so they were certainly in the area. Then there's L. Servaeus Sabinus:
Circumstantial, maybe, but interesting... If IX Hispana went east in c.113 for the Parthian war, they could have stopped at Nijmegen on the way for a bit of building work, perhaps? :grin:
- Nathan
I've been going through James Robert Summerly's PhD thesis Studies in the Legionary Centurionate (1990), and he makes a few interesting points about career inscriptions of centurions from the legion. As he points out, while senatorial officers of IX have been discussed in relation to the legion's fate, their juniors often have not. Duncan's article in AW mentions Aelius Asclepiades, also discussed by J.C. Mann. Summerly goes into a bit more detail:
Quote:CIL X 1769 (is) the tombstone of a man called Aelius Asclepiades who served eight years in IX Hispana and who was nati(one) Cil(ix). As Professor Mann states, it is difficult to see how a native of Cilicia could be recruited into VIIII Hispana unless the legion spent some time in the east, and the nomen Aelius suggests eastern enfranchisement on recruitment in the reigns of Hadrian or Pius. (Summerly 1990, p.56)
...Mann suggested IX Hispana may have gone east for Trajan's Parthian War and stayed in the east to be destroyed in the Jewish revolt of c132-c135.(ibid p149)
The thesis goes on to cite two further inscriptions, which I'd never heard of, firstly Claudius Vitalis:
Quote:The sixth transfer of Claudius Vitalis was from XX Valeria to IX Hispana and must have occurred in Britain, while the seventh transfer, from IX Hispana to VII Claudia may have taken place in the east. Claudius Vitalis seems to have served only eleven years and his second centurionate was in I Minervia in the second Dacian War of Trajan so his last transfer can hardly fail to have been within the Parthian War of Trajan. VII Claudia was in the east during the Parthian War of Trajan. (Summerly 1990, p149)
VII Claudia also sent a vexillation to Cyprus to crush the Jewish revolt there in 117, I think, so they were certainly in the area. Then there's L. Servaeus Sabinus:
Quote:Sabinus was transferred from IX Hispana to III Augusta at an unknown date. (He) was the son of a primipilaris from Savatra in Galatia and Dr. Dobson has suggested primipilares from the east do not come through until the Flavian period. The career of Servaeus Sabinus could therefore be Trajanic and if IX Hispana went east for the Parthian War of Trajan it is possible that the transfer into III Augusta occurred at that time as a vexillation of III Augusta fought in the Parthian War. (Summerly 1990, p150)
Circumstantial, maybe, but interesting... If IX Hispana went east in c.113 for the Parthian war, they could have stopped at Nijmegen on the way for a bit of building work, perhaps? :grin:
- Nathan
Nathan Ross
