The Roman Army, 31 BC–AD 337: A Sourcebook

The army in peacetime 123
This illustrates the military aspect of Roman road building. Drusus’ victory over
the Raeti in 15 BC had led to the creation of the province of Raetia. This part of
the road ran in a north-westerly direction, passing through Tridentum (Trent),
Pons Drusi (Bolzano), and the Resia pass, providing access to the upper Danube.
ILS 208 (=EJ 363a), found near Feltria, shows that the road began at Altinum
near the mouth of the Po. For the construction of roads, see Chevallier 1989.
198 ILS 5834=Smallwood NH 420, milestone near Thoana, Arabia,
AD 110–111
Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus, Conqueror of the Germans,
Conqueror of the Dacians, son of the divine Nerva, chief priest, in the
fifteenth year of his tribunician power, imperator for the sixth time,
consul for the fifth time, father of the fatherland, when Arabia had
been reduced to the position of a province, opened up a new road from
the borders of Syria right up to the Red Sea, and paved it, through the
work of Gaius Claudius Severus, legate of the emperor with
propraetorian power. Fifty-four miles.
Thoana lies about 54 miles north of Petra. The construction of this road, which
ran from Bostra to the Red Sea, presumably began immediately after the
annexation of Arabia in AD 106 and was intended to link southern Syria with
the Arabian peninsula. It followed the course of an old caravan route previously
used by the Nabataeans. It can be inferred from text no. 36 dated to March
107, that the soldiers cutting stones near Petra were possibly engaged in this
road construction.
199 ILS 5863=Smallwood NH 413, cliff face inscription on the
south bank of the Danube, above Orshova, Upper Moesia, AD 100
Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus, Conqueror of the Germans,
son of the divine Nerva, chief priest, in the fourth year of his tribunician
power, father of the fatherland, consul for the third time, cut back the
mountains, constructed the projecting arms (ancones) underneath, and
built the road.
200 AE 1973. 473, inscription about 100 metres upstream from the
inscription in text no. 199
Sacred to Hercules, the stonemasons, who were engaged in making the
projecting arms (ancones), of Legion III[I Flavia] and Legion VII
C[laudia, Loyal and Faithful], paid their vow.
The reference to stonemasons here shows that the ancones mentioned in texts
nos 199 and 200 must be built structures and not merely ‘corners’. They can be