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

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

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192 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Roman</strong> <strong>Army</strong><br />

only explicit reference to the use of soldiers in this sinister way, we may compare<br />

the case of Votienus Montanus, prosecuted in 25 for speaking abusively of<br />

Tiberius, where a soldier was one of the witnesses (Tac., Annals 4. 42).<br />

<strong>31</strong>9 CIL 5. 938=ILS 2905, inscription, near Aquileia<br />

Lucius Trebius, son of Titus, Lucius Trebius Ruso, son of<br />

father Lucius, ordered this to be set up<br />

I was born in the depths of poverty, then I served as a sailor in the fleet<br />

by the side of the Emperor (Augustus) for seventeen years without<br />

causing any ill-feeling or giving any offence, and was honourably<br />

discharged.<br />

This place is sixteen feet square.<br />

<strong>The</strong> army’s political role was based on the personal association of troops and<br />

emperor, and here in the case of one ordinary sailor (whose sentiments are<br />

unlikely to be different from those of many soldiers), we get a simple and very<br />

illuminating view of that relationship. Starr (1960:28, n. 37) argues that<br />

‘Augustus’ mentioned here refers specifically to Augustus himself.

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