Primus pilus bis

[Dagalaifus]

One request and a few questions.  First, I have seen Birley's article "Legionary Centurion or Equestrian Officer..." cited multiple times and would very much like to read it. Unfortunately, I am not a professor or student and cannot find it anywhere online. Without violating copyright restrictions, does anyone reading this post know where I might be able to find a copy of the article?

Also, I am still trying to understand the curious position (for me, anyway) of a primus pilus bis. 
First, is this an appointment made by the Emperor? 
Second, where in a legion's command hierarchy would you place the primus pilus bis?  The reason I ask is that I recall seeing at least one inscription, where the primus pilus bis served in an urban tribunate (or two) before returning to the legion as a primus pilus bis. If that's the case, would the primus pilus bis outrank the praefectus castorum?  The Romans were such a rank/status conscious people that I can't imagine anybody serving in the urban tribunates and then returning to the legion in a lesser rank/status position.
Third, did the primus pilus bis receive a greater salary than the primus pilus?  If so, what was the salary?
Fourth, what was the purpose of the primus pilus bis?  In other words, why appoint somebody, who has already served as a primus pilus, to serve as a primus pilus a second time? 
Fifth, wouldn't the appointment of primus pilus bis be bad for morale?  After all, while he was serving, there would be no opportunity for the more senior centurions in the legion to be promoted to primus pilus and eventually, become an Equestrian.   
Sixth, are there instances where a primus pilus bis was appointed to take command of a vexallatio (i.e., a special military mission)? 
Finally, did anyone serve 3 or 4 times as a primus pilus.  Thank you in advance for answering my questions.

I apologize in advance if I have violated any RAT rules or was impolite by asking too many questions.

[Robert Vermaat]

I apologize in advance if I have violated any RAT rules or was impolite by asking too many questions.

Not at all!

[Flavius Inismeus]

Also, I am still trying to understand the curious position (for me, anyway) of a primus pilus bis. 

Brian Dobson started his discussion of PP II in "The Primipilares in Army and Society" ("Kaiser; Heer und Gesellschaft in der Römischen Kaiserzeit. Gedenkschrift E. Birley", ed. G. Alföldy, B. Dobson & W. Eck, Stuttgart, 2000, 139–152), with "The post of primuspilus iterum remains a mystery."    My knowledge is based for the most part on this on this article, don't think it'll be of much help.


First, is this an appointment made by the Emperor? 
No hard evidence, although it was certainly a stepping stone to the ducenarian procuratorships, and the emperor must've cared about the personnel selection on this level. 

Second, where in a legion's command hierarchy would you place the primus pilus bis?  The reason I ask is that I recall seeing at least one inscription, where the primus pilus bis served in an urban tribunate (or two) before returning to the legion as a primus pilus bis. If that's the case, would the primus pilus bis outrank the praefectus castorum?  The Romans were such a rank/status conscious people that I can't imagine anybody serving in the urban tribunates and then returning to the legion in a lesser rank/status position.

PP II might have exercised the duties of camp prefect but with higher pay, or he might have been an "ordinary" PP. Dobson mentions both solutions.

Third, did the primus pilus bis receive a greater salary than the primus pilus?  If so, what was the salary?

To quote Dobson: "Assigning him a level of pay produces further anomalies; it must fall somewhere between the pay of a praetorian tribune, above that of an ordinary primuspilus and prefect of the camp, and below that of a ducenarian procurator."

Fourth, what was the purpose of the primus pilus bis?  In other words, why appoint somebody, who has already served as a primus pilus, to serve as a primus pilus a second time? 

It was somehow regarded as a necessary step before making the man a higher procurator. Why? 

Fifth, wouldn't the appointment of primus pilus bis be bad for morale?  After all, while he was serving, there would be no opportunity for the more senior centurions in the legion to be promoted to primus pilus and eventually, become an Equestrian.   

If PP II was serving as camp prefect, no. Dobson also supposed that there had been ten or fewer PP II at any one time.

Sixth, are there instances where a primus pilus bis was appointed to take command of a vexallatio (i.e., a special military mission)? 

Can't help with this one, my knowledge of epigraphy isn't that good...

Finally, did anyone serve 3 or 4 times as a primus pilus.  

...but it's good enough to know that primipilares III did exist:

CIL 10, 05063 = D 02640 = Atina 00108           EDCS-ID: EDCS-20400854
province: Latium et Campania / Regio I         place: Atina
Q(uinto) Crittio C(ai) f(ilio) / Cor(nelia) / primipilari III

and

CIL 09, 01630          EDCS-ID: EDCS-12401136
province: Apulia et Calabria / Regio II         place: Benevento / Beneventum
]M PIL TER[

is regarded as another.

[Renatus]

Do you really mean 'Birley'?  There is an article by Brian Dobson entitled 'Legionary Centurion or Equestrian Officer? A comparison of Pay and Prospects' in Ancient Society 3 (1972), 193-207.  I am not sure if there is an inter-library loan service where you are but, here in the UK, the local library can easily get a copy of the article through that service.

Alternatively, you may get some answers from the chapter on 'Primuspilus Iterum' in Brian Dobson's Ph.D. thesis 'The Primipilares of the Roman Army', available at http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/8434/.

[Dagalaifus]

Do you really mean 'Birley'?  There is an article by Brian Dobson entitled 'Legionary Centurion or Equestrian Officer? A comparison of Pay and Prospects' in Ancient Society 3 (1972), 193-207.  I am not sure if there is an inter-library loan service where you are but, here in the UK, the local library can easily get a copy of the article through that service.

Alternatively, you may get some answers from the chapter on 'Primuspilus Iterum' in Brian Dobson's Ph.D. thesis 'The Primipilares of the Roman Army', available at http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/8434/.

Renatus,
Thank you for the correction I did, indeed, mean B. Dobson, as well as the link to Dobson's thesis, which I am looking forward to reading this evening.