Speculatores

[M. Caecilius]

I agree that there would have been a distinction between the Speculatores Augusti and those attached to the legions, although ultimately, they may come from the same tradition, perhaps originating with Antony. The praetorian cohorts existed, after all, during the Republic as guards of the headquarters, to be remodelled by Augustus (and Tiberius, thanks to Sejanus), although they seem to disappear from the regular legions so far as I am aware (i.e. guards of the praetorium of the governor or legate do not seem to be called praetorians any longer). And as you indicate, Roman terms are often far less rigid than we would wish for.

Interesting inscription.

The schola here seems to refer to a building, as it's been rebuilt by the by the people named, as a meeting hall for the Speculatores as a group (also a called a schola, possibly), which itself is interesting. This would again indicate some seperation. They still belong to the Legio I and II respectively, but also share some organisation and self-consciousness as speculatores.


As you say, there are exactly 20 names, not counting Aurelius Pertinax, so your conclusion about 10 per legion seems correct.

As to Aurelius Pertinax, he is curante, not curatore. I'd see this in direct relation to the restoration of the schola, or else the setting up of the inscription; in this sense, he'd be more of a delegate for the men who commissioned and payed for the rebuilding. The 20 Speculatores payed and comissioned the rebuilding, Aurelius Pertinax saw to it, and the propraetorian legate Flavius Aelianus dedicated it.

It's interesting to note that Aurelius Pertinax sets himself apart as a frumentarius, although I don't know what conclusion to draw from that.

There are incidentally two more references to Scholae of the Speculatores which I could find.

CIL 03, 07741 = CIL 03, 14479 (Alba Iulia in Dacia):

[Pro sa]lute Severi [et Anto]nin[i A]u[gg(ustorum) et [[Getae Caes(aris)]]] / sc[ho]lam specu[latoru]m [3 impen]/dio suo fecer[unt 3]NN[3] / iussu Mevi Suri c[o(n)s(ularis) Dac(iarum)] III n[om(ina) eor(um) in]fr(a) scrip(ta) [sunt] // Ulp(ius) Bacchius |(centurio) leg(ionis) XIII G(eminae) / Iul(ius) Tacitus |(centurio) leg(ionis) V M(acedonicae) P(iae) / Cla(udius) Claudianus |(centurio) leg(ionis) V M(acedonicae) P(iae) / [A]el(ius) Valerius corn(icularius) / [An]t(onius?) Va[3 c]orn(icularius) / [3]AN[3] / [3]CL[3] / [3]FA[ // ] Gaiu[s 3] / [3] Cocc[eius 3] / [3]VR[ // ]imian(us) / [[6]] / [3]ian(us) / [3]s / [3]n(us) / [

Which wierdly enough mentions the building of a Schola at their own expense by by three centurions (one from XIII Gemina and two from V Macedonica Pia) at the behest of Mevius Surus (governor of Dacia around AD 198-199 accordin to Piso). Three centurions seem quite a lot: The Inscriptiones Daciae Romanae.426 (available at scribd), associates them with the praetorium of the governor, and explains that the centurions and cornicularii are former speculatores who were promoted, though Piso does not explain how he reaches that conclusion.

According to his reconstruction in three columns, we have again 20 speculatores (of which one suffered Damnatio Memoriae, interestingly enough), 10 for each legion - reflecting your example - plus five people who were promoted and replaced, but still seem to have kept some connection to their former corps.

Piso also refers to a doctoral thesis on Speculatores (amongst other): M. Clauss, Untersuchungen zu den principales des römischen Heeres von Augustus bis Diokletian : cornicularii, speculatores, frumentarii, Thesis (doctoral)--Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 1973.

Then there is CIL 08, 2603 from Lambaesis:

Genio / scholae suae / P(ublius) Aurel(ius) Felix / speculator / leg(ionis) III Aug(ustae) / domo Thamug(adi) / donum dedit

Although it's speculative that P. Aurelius Felix means a Schola Speculatorum with "schola suae", or something else entirely.

The evidence seems to suggest that there was some kind of group feeling, beyond merely special duties assigned to legionaries. The existence of a specific schola and the interpretation that people who had left the group after promoting still kept some ties to them, would indicate this. The schola also seems semi-official; I don't think it's a group of the army as a century or cohort would be, and more of a 'club' with a religious dimension, but in both the (re)building dedications, the governor is involved.