04-16-2008, 10:18 AM
Quote:An invalided soldier would receive a missio causaria, basically a premature honourable discharge. I'm not sure whether we have any decent evidence for this ...Indeed we do!
The diploma CIL XVI, 10 (= AE 1932, 211) says that causari(i) qui militaverunt in leg(ione) II Adiutrice Pia Fidele qui bello inutiles facti ante emerita stipendia exauctorati sunt et dimissi honesta missione ("invalids who served in the Second Loyal & Faithful Legion Adiutrix who were made ineffective in war before completing their service (stipendia) are released and dismissed with honourable discharge").
Roman military law (as recorded in the Digest, XLIX.16.13) laid down that missionum generales causae sunt tres: honesta causaria ignominiosa ("in general there are three kinds of discharge: honourable, for invalids, and dishonourable".)
But it seems that all men who were invalided out were given honourable discharge, because Digest XLIX.16.13 also states that anyone qui causaria missus est ("who is discharged for cause", i.e. as an invalid) was still eligible for the praemia (reward) of a veteran.
