Recontruction of Belt from Herculaneum and Pompeii in 79 AD.

[jvrjenivs]

Still, nice work. And wwhy does he have to be an ordinary miles?
He could well have been an nco. He was at least a craftsman, going by his tool bag.

I don't know the age this man had, but we know of many fabricae runned by veterans. This would for instance explain the combination of tools and cingulum militare and gladius. Of course he could be an NCO, but he doesn't have to be one. How long did we mention the 'Sword of tiberius' as a 'very special high commander ornate scabbart and sword' which seems to be a very common type of decoration.

Modern value doesn't reflect ancient value straight forward. Okay, materials, like silver where also expensive, back then, but labor wasn't.

Again, you want to invest in something. Soldiers (and Auxilia too) were very presumptuous! So I really don't see why this couldn't be a normal soldier. I would say his tools back tells us much more on what he was than his ornate belt!