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\'Roman\' names at Vindolanda
#1
This is a question in relation to A.R. Birley's paper 'The Names of the Batavians and Tungrians' (in T. Grünewald (ed) 2001, Germania Inferior: Besiedlung, Gesellschaft und Wirtschaft an der Grenze der römisch-germanischen Welt. Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter, 241-260). From p.253 onwards he lists the names of the Batavian and Tungrian soldiers and notes that 58-64% of the Batavians and around 70% of the Tungrians had 'Romanised' rather than Germanic names. Many of these may presumably have been given their names upon recruitment (much like how Apion became Antonius Maximus; BGU 432, 632).

However, this was before volumes III and IV of the writing tablets had been published, which obviously gave us more data. Does anyone know if the totals of 'Roman' vs. 'German' names have been recalculated anywhere? I'd try this myself but I'm not very good with names. :oops:

(I hope it's not in volume III, I don't have that to hand right now...)
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#2
Just about to post a similar question myself. Didn't know about that paper, I will try to locate a copy ...

Could not Roman names be awarded at the end of service, with citizenship, and the son then use that name, continuing the tradition of soldiering in his father's cohort?

Related: Where Batavian and Tungrian names occur at all, surely they represent the first wave of recruits, whose fathers have not gained their citizenship and not adopted a Roman name. And if local recruitment begins quite quickly, within 20-30 years, surely Tungrian and Batavian names should be vanishing pretty quickly to be replaced with Celtic names (as we see in the Vindolanda tablets). On this last point, should recruits continue to come from Batavia/Tungria then I can see how these names would continue within the unit.
Paul Elliott

Legions in Crisis
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/17815...d_i=468294

Charting the Third Century military crisis - with a focus on the change in weapons and tactics.
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#3
Quote:Just about to post a similar question myself. Didn't know about that paper, I will try to locate a copy ...

I only have my notes on that paper which is especially annoying, I read it back before I scanned pdfs of everything I read... He makes references to soldiers having Greek names at Vindolanda for instance, but I don't have the specifics.

Quote:Could not Roman names be awarded at the end of service, with citizenship, and the son then use that name, continuing the tradition of soldiering in his father's cohort?

They would probably have to have been born during their father's period of service to qualify for the auxilia though surely? As otherwise they would have inherited the status of citizen as well. There's also the possibility that they used both a Roman and non-Roman name depending on context.

Quote:Related: Where Batavian and Tungrian names occur at all, surely they represent the first wave of recruits, whose fathers have not gained their citizenship and not adopted a Roman name. And if local recruitment begins quite quickly, within 20-30 years, surely Tungrian and Batavian names should be vanishing pretty quickly to be replaced with Celtic names (as we see in the Vindolanda tablets). On this last point, should recruits continue to come from Batavia/Tungria then I can see how these names would continue within the unit.

When it comes to Batavians the issue of where soldiers were recruited from becomes very problematic - it's not at all clear that local recruitment was a significant factor (from the Brittunculi?!) and the IXth Cohort was only at Vindolanda for a fairly short period of time. It's a shame we don't have any documents like P. Dura 121, recording the arrival of new recruits. It's very hard to establish ages (and therefore duration within the military) for named soldiers otherwise, even centurions.
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#4
Sorry Robert, maybe I have forgotten... sons and wives were also granted citizenship up until 140 AD weren't they? This shouldn't stop citizens (especially sons) joining auxiliary units, The ratio of citizens to non-citizens within auxiliary units increased throughout the principate. I do have a source if you want one!
Paul Elliott

Legions in Crisis
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/17815...d_i=468294

Charting the Third Century military crisis - with a focus on the change in weapons and tactics.
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#5
There's also the possibility that they used both a Roman and non-Roman name depending on context.

True. That's a pain!

To address your question, does Birley state that Roman names were taken up on recruitment? I thought that a Roman name was taken up upon a grant of citizenship.... ie. after 25 years.

Hope you can clarify, I've just started a new book, where all of this is a REALLY BIG DEAL Smile
Paul Elliott

Legions in Crisis
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/17815...d_i=468294

Charting the Third Century military crisis - with a focus on the change in weapons and tactics.
Reply
#6
You're right about sons getting citizenship as well up to that point - d'oh.

Quote:There's also the possibility that they used both a Roman and non-Roman name depending on context.

To address your question, does Birley state that Roman names were taken up on recruitment? I thought that a Roman name was taken up upon a grant of citizenship.... ie. after 25 years.

Hope you can clarify, I've just started a new book, where all of this is a REALLY BIG DEAL Smile
Just to clarify, by 'Roman name' I mean a name that is either Latin in origin or is a Latinised form of a Celtic/Germanic name, not the tria nomina! Birley's discussion relates to the single-named individuals at Vindolanda who were part of the Batavian or Tungrian garrisons. Any individuals with a full Roman name are taken to be senior officers or legionaries (or family members of same). I can't recall any veterans having a full Roman name, but then if they're only being referred to informally it might be the case that their old messmates just call them by the name they've always known them by.

As for new names being given to (or adopted by) new recruits, I'm not sure what the best source for discussion would be. Birley alludes vaguely to the practice, but Maureen Carroll highlights a selection of examples in Spirits of the Dead 2006, p258, as does Michael Speidel in Die römischen Schreibtafeln von Vindonissa, 1996, p83-4. and R.W. Davies in Service in the Roman Army 1989, p20.

Carroll cites the example of the Germanic bodyguard of the Claudian Emperors who had official, extremely un-German names that they presumably weren't born with, but the absolute go-to example is that of Apion, who took the name Antonius Maximus at some point after joining the Roman fleet in Egypt in the 2nd century, but uses both names in a letter to his father (letters quoted and discussed here in full).

One note of caution I'd add is that we don't know who decided what the Romanised name should be. Although it's tempting to believe that as it is (falsely) claimed occurred at Ellis Island, that new soldiers were given new names entirely at the whim of the scribe taking their records (Carroll alludes to this), it's equally possible that the new recruits either chose a name specifically or were happy to have their original name made more understandable in an official Roman context. If you're putting this sort of scene into a book, you're probably free to go either way with that!
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#7
I have found in the past that a well constructed/argued comment/question directed at any of the Birleys at Vindolanda gets a very good response. If you have a particular question, find the website and send them an email. They have been very helpful to me on several occasions.
Moi Watson

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Merlot in one hand, Cigar in the other; body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!
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