Macrinus tomb to be reburied due to lack of money

[Caballo]

Lack of funds mean that this important tomb is being re-buried. Discovery News have of course gone for the "Gladiator" headline (though he wasn't).....

"A lack of fundings is forcing Italian archaeologists to bury again the large marble monument of Marcus Nonius Macrinus, a general and consul who achieved major victories in military campaigns for Antoninus Pius, the Roman emperor from 138 to 161 A.D., and Marcus Aurelius, emperor from 161 to 180 A.D.

Unearthed in 2008 on the banks of the Tiber near the via Flaminia, north of Rome, the tomb, complete with the dedicatory inscription, was hailed as "the most important ancient Roman monument to come to light for 20 or 30 years." "

http://news.discovery.com/history/gladia...21204.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7675633.stm

[M. Demetrius]

At least they can afford to protect it somehow.

Nations pretty much everywhere are having fiscal troubles. Italy isn't alone in that regard.

[starman2012]

Marcus Nonius Macrinus, a general and consul who achieved major victories in military campaigns for Antoninus Pius, the Roman emperor from 138 to 161 A.D., and Marcus Aurelius, emperor from 161 to 180 A.D.

What "major victories" for Pius? I thought his reign a peaceful time.

[Epictetus]

Regarding Pius, could this be the mysterious British incident mentioned by Fronto?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Well, he did go as far as building a wall, which was named after him....

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Italy donates less than like a tenth of a percent of it's GDP to preserving historical sites or something. I'd have to ask a friend for the exact number.

[starman2012]

Well, he did go as far as building a wall, which was named after him....

Sure, there was expansion in Britain. Dunno if Macrinus was involved.

[Epictetus]

Actually, I made a mistake. I was half-jokingly referring to this mysterious passage, which is often used in the "lost legion in Britain" theories:

Again under the rule of your grandfather Hadrian what a number of soldiers were killed by the Jews, what a number by the Britons!

Fronto to Marcus Aurelius, Loeb Fronto I, 23.

I had thought it referred to Antoninus Pius, but it clearly states Hadrian.

[Nathan Ross]

What "major victories" for Pius? I thought his reign a peaceful time.

This is quite odd actually. The text of the inscription reads as follows:

[M(arco) No]nio M(arci) fil(io) Macrino [consuli, proconsuli Asiae XVvir(o) sacris f]ac(iundis) sodali Verian[o Antoniniano / comiti leg(ato) Imp(eratoris) Antonini Aug(usti) ex[peditionis Germanic(ae) et Sarmatic(ae) leg(ato)] Aug(usti) pr(o) pr(aetore) p[rovinciarum Baeticae et Hispa]niae / citerioris item Pannoniae sup[erioris item Pannoniae inferioris curato]ri a[lvei Tiberis leg(ato) leg(ionis) XIIII Gem(inae) praet(ori) tr(ibuno) pl(ebis) leg]ato / provinciae Asiae quaestori tribuno militum 3 leg(ionis) VII Geminae Xvir(o) stlitibus iudican]dis / patri optimo et Flavi[ae] / M(arcus) Noniu[s Arrius

What's the bit about a Germanic and Sarmatian expedition under Antoninus Pius referring to? Or does it actually mean Marcus Aurelius instead?

[Epictetus]

Marcus was also referred to as Antoninus at times. It might indeed refer to him.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Well, he did go as far as building a wall, which was named after him....

Sure, there was expansion in Britain. Dunno if Macrinus was involved.

Probably not, I was refering to the wall built by Pius, which probably entailed a little
argy-bargy with the blueskins!

[starman2012]

Probably not, I was refering to the wall built by Pius...

Yes I know, the one north of Hadrian's wall, abandoned IIRC early in Marcus's reign.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Abandoned and reoccupied a few times..they obviously forgot about the midges a couple of times! ;-)