Question: Dalmatian religions?

[Martin Wallgren]

What do you gentlemen and Gentlewomen belive would be the most likely religion for a Auxiliae Optio from Dalmatia?

Is there anyone out there who have more knowlage of this things it would be apriciated to know what you think.

[Peroni]

The best place to start is probably with any altar dedications made by the Cohortes Dalmatarum.

I'll have a look for you this evening Martin and let you know what I find.

[Martin Wallgren]

Thanx man!

[Arahne]

Search Dalmatia monography writen by J.J. Wilkes in the 70-ies. Search the Illyrian religion especially during the roman time.

[Peroni]

OK Martin..

From Britain only so far.. (I'll consult Spaul later tonight)..

(RIB 832; AD138-61)
IOVI OPTIMO MAXI CAPITOLINO PRO SALVT [IMP CAES] ANTONINI AVG PII POSTVMIVS ACILIANVS PRAEF COH I DELM
“To Jupiter Best and Greatest, for the well-being of (the emperor Caesar) Antoninus Augustus Pius, Postumius Acilianus, prefect of the First Cohort of Dalmatians [set this up]."

(RIB 1795)
DEO SANCT VETERI •IVL • PASTOR IMAG • COH II DELMA V S L M
"To the holy god Veterus, Julius Pastor, the Bearer of the Emperor's Image [for] the Second Cohort of Delmatians,
willingly and deservedly fulfills a vow."

[Ti Cl Nero]

Hi,
interesting.
We must be careful, though, because the ethnical connotation of an auxiliary unit usually faded quite quickly when units were posted out of their "homeland" (which happend quite often - most of the times).
So, despite the name of the cohors, it may have had little of "dalmatian" after a couple of generations from its raising, and/or its moving, having been filled in time with local (or coming from whatever other province) recruits.
We need to find an inscription dated not much later than the unit raising (when known) in order to have a good chance of a significant inscritpion under this point of view.
Anyway, I think that Iuppiter Optimus Maximus would fit perfectly.
I also thought of the Spaul; Adrian, is there any other similar source you would suggest?
Thanks

Vale

[Peroni]

I found these other three inscritions Martin..

Another mentioning Jupiter, one dedication to Ceres, and another to Egyptian gods Serapis/ Isis?? :?

Information on Veterus can be found here..
http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_v/veteris.html

CIL 03, 08353 (p 2328,117) = ILJug-03, 01503
(Dalmatia - Uzice

I(ovi) Optimo Maximo Parthino / Caius Iulius Rufus / tribunus cohortis I milliariae / Delmatarum pro salute / [[6]] / [[3]]]I libens posuit

CIL 10, 05382 = D 02926 = AE 1981, 00223
Latium et Campania / Regio I – Aquinum

C[ere]ri sacrum / [3]nius Iuvenalis / [tribunus] cohortis [I] Delmatarum / II[vir] quinquennalis flamen / divi Vespasiani / vovit dedicav[it]que / sua pecunia

ILJug-03, 01483 = SIRIS 00679a
Dalmatia – Cacak

Serapi et Isidi / Cnaeus Pompeius / Politianus / tribunus cohortis II / [milliariae Delmatarum] / [

I also thought of the Spaul; Adrian, is there any other similar source you would suggest?

Have you used this before??
http://compute-in.ku-eichstaett.de:8888 ... epigraphik

[Martin Wallgren]

Thanx again man! You´re a rock!

[Robert Vermaat]

Thanx again man! You´re a rock!

Yes indeed! Let's all call him Petrus from now on. :wink:

[Peroni]

[Arahne]

Carlo I think that he said optio from Dalmatia? One man. Above mentioned vota are generally applicable to all Romans more or less.

[Ti Cl Nero]

Salve Stefan,
That's exactly what I meant.
Generally speaking, the ethnical connotation of an auxiliary units gradually fades away as the unit is moved from the area where it has been raised and posted to a different provincia, where gaps will be filled with local replacements, or replacements coming from other areas (with a few exceptions).
So, single soldiers in a "Delmatarum" unit would not necessarily be mainly from Dalmatia, unless the unit is young enough, or it hasn't been moved from Dalmatia.
That's why I suggested that we should be careful (which doesn't mean that we should no do that at all - there are a couple of inscriptions from Dalmatia, above, which may be more significant , and also those from Britain may be useful provided the unit hadn't been there for too long at that time, which would need to be checked) in assuming that a dedication by a single man serving in a Delmatarum unit is actually a dedication by a dalmatian man - since, as you say, this is what Martin is looking for.
Vale