12.06.2013 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<strong>The</strong> army in peacetime 139<br />

It is interesting that Cattianus and Surus (who also appear in a dedication<br />

made by the optiones—text no. 233) receive a payment from those taking their<br />

place rather than from their collegium. However, this payment made by their<br />

successors was presumably in lieu of a membership fee for the association of<br />

cornicularii and actarii, if the successor was not a member. <strong>The</strong> reference to the<br />

generosity of pay and benefactions indicates the substantial rises in army pay<br />

granted under the Severan dynasty.<br />

233 CIL 8. 2554=ILS 2445, inscription, Lambaesis, 3rd C. AD<br />

For the welfare of the Emperors, the optiones built their meeting hall<br />

along with statues and images of the divine house, and also their<br />

protecting deities, from the very generous pay and benefactions which<br />

they confer on them, under the supervision of Lucius Egnatius Myron,<br />

treasurer; they formally decided that when a fellow member of the<br />

asociation sets out to take up his promotion, he should receive 8,000<br />

sesterces, and that veterans too on their discharge should receive on 1<br />

January a payment of 6,000 sesterces each, and the treasurer will see<br />

to the distribution of this payment on the appropriate day without<br />

delay (64 names follow).<br />

Payments in the collegium of optiones on promotion and retirement are more<br />

than the equivalent sums for the horn-players and clerks (texts nos 2<strong>31</strong>–2).<br />

234 CIL 3. 11189, inscription, Carnuntum (Petronell), Upper<br />

Pannonia, 3rd C.AD<br />

For the welfare of our lords the Emperors [ _ _ _ ] (names of Maximinus<br />

and his son Maximus erased), and the entire divine house, in honour<br />

of the association of fellow-veterans, Lucius Cassius Florentinus, veteran<br />

of Legion XIV Gemina [Maximiniana], from the post of armourer,<br />

officer of the association mentioned above, vowed this to their spirit<br />

and majesty.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!