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Questions about ranks and function
#1
Salvete omnes!

I'm still working on my final university paper on Gallienus. Today I found 4 inscriptions and maybe someone can answer a few short questions for me:
Here the 4 inscriptions:

Diis(!) P[at]riis de
abusque Fortun(a)e
Reduci pro salute
a[t]que incolumitate
d(omini) n(ostri) Im[p(eratoris)] C[a]es(aris)
P(ubli) Licini G[a]llie[n]i / Pii Fel(icis) Aug(usti)
M(arcus) Aurel(ius) Victor
v(ir) e(gregius) pr(a)eses pro(vinciae)
Mauretaniae / Caesariensis
protector eius // prov(inciae) CCXXIIII
K(alendis) I()

-------------------------

[Io]vi
Monitori <p=B>ro
salute adque
incolumitate
d(omini) n(ostri) Gallieni Aug(usti)
et militum
vexill(ationum) legg(ionum)
[G]ermaniciana[r(um)]
[e]t Brittan(n)icin(arum)
[cu]m auxili(i)s
[e]arum
[3 V]italianus
[pro]tect(or?) Aug(usti) n(ostri)
[praepo]situs


------------------

Genio
Imp(eratoris) [[P(ubli) [Lic(ini) Gall]ieni]]
Invicti Aug(usti)
Clementius
Silvius v(ir) e(gregius) a(gens) v(ices) p(raesidis) et
Val(erius) Marcellinus
praef(ectus) leg(ionis) prot(ector)
Aug(usti) n(ostri) a(gens) v(ices) l(egati) municipes
ex provincia
Raetia s(olverunt) l(ibentes) l(aeti) m(erito)
Paterno et Archesilao co(n)s(ulibus)

-----------------------

Herculi Aug(usto)
P(ublius) Ael(ius) Aelianus
praef(ectus) leg(ionis) II A/diut(ricis) protector Gallieni Aug(usti) n(ostri) a(gens) v(ices) leg(ati)
v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)

-----------------------

The first one is quite clear but I'm surprised they all call themselves "protector". How can Valerius Marcellinus in inscription 3 be a legatus legions and protector Augusti at the same time? Is this just a honorary title?

Same for the others (except No1 maybe)

The other phrase I found a bit strange is:

militum vexillationum legionum Germanicianarum et Brittannicinarum
cum auxiliis earum

to me this sounds like they were really just THEIR attached auxiliaries.
Like let's say cohors I Bat. is always marching with legio XX or something like that
RESTITVTOR LIBERTATIS ET ROMANAE RELIGIONIS

DEDITICIVS MINERVAE ET MVSARVM

[Micha F.]
Reply
#2
problem 1 solved Smile

The protectores appear under Gallienus and it is a title given to loyal (equestrian) officers who stayed loyal to him during the usurpations. It will only later on become a new military body, the protectores domestici.


Anyone got an idea about the auxiliis earum?
RESTITVTOR LIBERTATIS ET ROMANAE RELIGIONIS

DEDITICIVS MINERVAE ET MVSARVM

[Micha F.]
Reply
#3
These links might help you on ranks:
http://s_van_dorst.tripod.com/Ancient_W ... archy.html
http://www.unrv.com/military/legion.php (has legion structure as well)
http://www.geocities.com/sionmc/legion/gloss.htm (has some special ranks)

These links might help you on function:
http://www.roman-britain.org/glossary_m.htm
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook09.html - a highly recommended read on Rome.

As far as I know:
auxiliis
auxilium, auxili(i) N (2nd) N
help, assistance; remedy/antidote; supporting resource/force; auxiliaries (pl.)

earum
is, ea, id PRON
he/she/it/they (by GENDER/NUMBER); DEMONST: that, he/she/it, they/them;

Hope I helped.
Lucius Varenus.
Legio XIII
Reply
#4
thank you for trying to help.

I know what auxiliis earum means. I was just surprised by the use of earum in this case.

All I could find about the protectores in the 3rd century was the short passage in the RE and I was hoping that someone maybe knew a bit more about their origin.
RESTITVTOR LIBERTATIS ET ROMANAE RELIGIONIS

DEDITICIVS MINERVAE ET MVSARVM

[Micha F.]
Reply


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