Traian\'s Parthian war?

[Malko Linge]

Hi,

I would like to know if the ala II Gallorum from Cappadocia took part in the Parthian war. Does somebody can help me? I try to find out, when Tib Claudius Helvius Secundus was Prefect of the ala II Gallorum.
Thanks


Malko Linge
___________________
(Christian)

[Mitra]

Hi Malko

I have found only a little clue:

"
province: Asi find spot (ancient name): Ephesus

literature: AE 1935, 0167.
IK 17, 4112.
AE 1941, p. 38 s. n. 119.

[Flavium] / Iuncum / praef(ectum) coh(ortis) I / Pannoniorum trib(unum) / cohortis V gemellae / civium Romanorum / tribunum leg(ionis) X fretensis / praef(ectum) alae Gallor(um) veteranor(um) / donato(!) ab Imp(eratore) Traiano / in bello Parthico hasta pura / et corona vallari proc(uratorem) Cilic(iae) / et Cypri iuridicum Alexandreae / ad Aegyptum proc(uratorem) / provinc(iae) Asiae / decuriones et tabellari / et equites qui sunt / ad Lares domnicos
"

Probably (not sure) the hasta pura has been "donata" when prefectus vet.ala gallorum (unluckily the number is not reported, but being a Ephesus inscription, we can think to be a know unit in the region), before to be procurator.

[D B Campbell]

Probably (not sure) the hasta pura has been "donata" when prefectus ala gallorum ...

[size=92:1hsv6i9k]AE 1935, 157, AE 1941, 119 (Ephesus, Asia):
[Aemilius?] / Iuncum / praef(ectum) coh(ortis) I / Pannoniorum trib(unum) / cohortis V gemellae / civium Romanorum / tribunum leg(ionis) X fretensis / praef(ectum) alae Gallor(um) veteranor(um) / donato ab Imp(eratore) Traiano / in bello Parthico hasta pura / et corona vallari proc(uratorem) Cilic(iae) / et Cypri iuridicum Alexandreae / ad Aegyptum proc(uratorem) / provinc(iae) Asiae / decuriones et tabellari / et equites qui sunt / ad Lares domnicos [/size]

Tricky inscription. It's easy to see why you might assume that Iuncus gained his dona militaria in the last of his three militiae, i.e. as prefect of the ala Gallorum veterana. But the scale of the award is very basic -- 1 corona + 1 hasta -- more appropriate to a prefect of an infantry cohort. A cavalry prefect would expect more.
(Compare M. Vettius Latro, decorated during Trajan's Dacian Wars while prefect of cohors I Alpinorum: AE 1939, 81. He received 1 corona + 1 hasta + 1 vexillum. )

So it's more likely that Iuncus led the cohors I Pannoniorum in Trajan's Parthian War, and was decorated as its prefect.

[Mitra]

Much probably you are right, but this is not a 100% rule, at example Le Bohec reports a legatus legionis with 1 corona and 1 hasta under Hadrianus (i'm not sure but probably is this "leg(ato) leg(ionis) X F]re[t(ensis)] donat(o) donis / [ab Imp(eratore) Caes(are) H]adriano hasta pura / [et coronis mu]rali vallar[i ob bell]um / [3 p]raetori [tr(ibuno) pleb(is?) qu]ae[st(ori)] / [sevir(o) eq(uitum)] R(omanorum) turm[ae 3 t]riu[mviro c]a[p(itali) 3] / [patron(o) co]lon(iae) d(ecreto) d(ecurionum) pub]lice ".

and in this case we have a new military grade after the "donata":
"
P(ublio) Comi[nio P(ubli) f(ilio)] / Cl(audia) Cle[menti] / honorat(o) e[quo pub(lico) praef(ecto)] / coh(ortis) V Ling[on(um) trib(uno) mil(itum) leg(ionis) II] / Adiutr(icis) P(iae) F(idelis) [donis milit(aribus) donato] expedition[e Parthica corona] / murali has[ta pura ab Impera]/torib(us) Caes(aribus) An[tonino et divo Vero] / Armen(iacis) Me[dic(is) Parthic(is) maximis] / praef(ecto) alae I si[ngularium c(ivium) R(omanorum) proc(uratori)] / ad XX hered(itatium) pe[r Hispaniam citerio]/rem proc(uratori) ad f[amil(iam) glad(iatoriam)] / per Italiam p[roc(uratori) 3 praef(ecto)] / classis pr(aetoriae) Mis[enens(is)] / proc(uratori) Dacia[e Apulensis] / [ "

Also for Vettius the new commands after the cohors equitata, appears after the donata:

"M(arco) Vettio C(ai) f(ilio)] Quir(ina) / [Latroni fla]m(ini) divi Aug(usti) / sacerdoti Cerer(um) anni / CXXXVII sacrorum / equo pub(lico) in quinq(ue) decu/ri(a)s adlecto praef(ecto) fabr(um) / praef(ecto) coh(ortis) I Alpinorum e/quit(atae) ab Imp(eratore) Nerva / Trai(ano) Caes(are) Aug(usto) Ger(manico) Dac(ico) / donis militarib(us) hasta pur(a) / vexillo corona murali / donato trib(uno) mil(itum) leg(ionis) II adiu/tricis pia[e fidel]is [pra]ef(ecto) alae / Silian[ae Romanorum] civ(ium) to/[rquatae armillatae "

[D B Campbell]

Much probably you are right, but this is not a 100% rule.

You're quite right, Davide. There are no 100% rules in epigraphy!

P(ublio) Comi[nio P(ubli) f(ilio)] / Cl(audia) Cle[menti] / honorat(o) e[quo pub(lico) praef(ecto)] / coh(ortis) V Ling[on(um) trib(uno) mil(itum) leg(ionis) II] / Adiutr(icis) P(iae) F(idelis) [donis milit(aribus) donato] expedition[e Parthica corona] / murali has[ta pura ab Impera]/torib(us) Caes(aribus) An[tonino et divo Vero] / Armen(iacis) Me[dic(is) Parthic(is) maximis] / praef(ecto) alae I si[ngularium c(ivium) R(omanorum) ...

Cominius Clemens (AE 1890, 151) was decorated by Marcus and Verus while tribunus militum. As the second rung on the career ladder, we might have expected a more generous award than 1 corona + 1 hasta.
Generosity definitely seems to have peaked with Trajan!

Also for Vettius the new commands after the cohors equitata, appears after the donata.

I think you are trying to show that the dona should be listed straight after the relevant rank (as in the Cominius example, above). This is not always the case.
The dona are sometimes stated at the end of the list of military ranks, in order to emphasize them. (I assumed this to be the case with our man Iuncus.) An example of this is P. Besius Betuinianus (AE 1968, 654), also decorated (highly!) in Trajan's Dacian Wars ... but during which of his commands?!

... when Tib Claudius Helvius Secundus was Prefect of the ala II Gallorum

Interesting career inscription, Malko (AE 1925, 44). Any particular reason for selecting it? :?:

[Malko Linge]

AE 1925, 00044
Provinz: Mauretania Caesariensis Ort: Cherchell / Caesarea
Ti(berio) Claudio L(uci) f(ilio) / Helvio Secundo / praef(ecto) fabr(um) Romae adlecto / a divo Nerva in quinque decuriis / praef(ecto) coh(ortis) equitatae II Bracar(orum) / Augustanorum iterum pr[ae]f(ecto) coh(ortis) I / Flaviae c(ivium) R(omanorum) equitatae trib(uno) leg(ionis) IIII / Scythicae iterum trib(uno) leg(ionis) XII / Fulminatae praef(ecto) eq(uitum) alae II Gallorum / scribae decuriarum quaestoriae / et aedilium curulium / Caesariensi / quem absentem cives sui / omnibus magistratum / honoribus publico decreto / exornaverunt / Caesarienses / d(ecreto) d(ecurionum)

I'm interested in the early principate, Domitian's and later Traian's ruling time. I've been often thinking about how it coud happen that Traian became the the first man in Rome. That's why I'm investigating senators and equites careers.
Tib Claudius Helvius Secundus is interesting for me because he had such an unusual career, he took up so many posts in short time and quite often these posts were of the same level.
I have often found in the literature, that something special had to happen when somebody got the post of the same level second time; otherwise a person used to get the post upgraded ( as tribunus cohortis).

His career is not usual. Why? :?

I tried to corelate his serving time with the legati of the provinces, but he had never gone with any legat to another province. (like M. Valerius Propinquus Grattius Cerealis with Cornelius Nigrinus).

By the way, thank you for your answer, but I don't think that the ala II Gallorum and the ala Gallorum veteranorum are be the same unit.

Malko Linge
__________
(Christian)

[Mitra]

Yes, i verified after, is a syrian ala not from cappadocia. From the career it is probable he command the ala at Nerva time before to be adlecto in quinque decuriis.

Cominius Clemens (AE 1890, 151) was decorated by Marcus and Verus while tribunus militum. As the second rung on the career ladder, we might have expected a more generous award than 1 corona + 1 hasta.

Yes, i know i'm interested to fact he choice to place the ala command after the dona.

I think you are trying to show that the dona should be listed straight after the relevant rank (as in the Cominius example, above). This is not always the case.

No, i imagine that this isn't a rule for all, at example others don't specify the types of dona:
"D(is) M(anibus) / A(ulo) Atinio A(uli) f(ilio) Pal(atina) / Paterno / scrib(ae) aedil(ium) cur(ulium) / hon(ore) usus ab Imp(eratore) / equo publ(ico) honor(e) / praef(ecto) coh(ortis) II Bracar(um) / Augustan(orum) trib(uno) mil(itum) / leg(ionis) X Fretens(is) a divo / Traiano in expedition(e) / Parthica donis donat(o) / praef(ecto) alae VII Phryg(um) cur(atori) / kal(endarii) Fabraternor(um) Novor(um) / Atinia A(uli) f(ilia) Faustina patri / optimo fecit"

What is interesting is the motivation of choice (the dona isn't so important to be specified, also in respect to the successive career). Inscriptions about the time when Iuncus was procurator? I have found only a Flavius Iuncus, curator in Samaria send as ambassodor to Falco Asia proconsul in 124, with Ulpius Proculus (also this inscription comes from Ephesus).