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

Veterans 199
(CIL 16. 122—AD 166). This phrase cannot mean legal marriage and must
refer to the practice by which the government turned a blind eye to liaisons
formed by soldiers during service, while denying them the consequences of a
legal marriage. These diplomas were now worded more explicitly possibly
because questions had been raised about the status of children of veterans of
the fleet as a conseqence of the restriction placed on similar benefits for
auxiliaries (Campbell 1978:163–5; 1984:439–45; Roxan 1986; Link 1989).
326 CIL 16. 160=Smallwood NH 344, diploma, Porolissum, Dacia,
AD 106
Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus, Conqueror of the Germans,
Conqueror of the Dacians, son of the divine Nerva, chief priest, in the
fourteenth year of his tribunician power, acclaimed imperator six times,
consul for the fifth time, father of the fatherland, has granted Roman
citizenship before they have completed military service to the
infantrymen and cavalrymen who are serving in the first milliary Ulpian
Decorated Loyal and Faithful cohort of Britons, Roman citizens, which
is in Dacia under the command of Decimus Terentius Scaurianus, and
whose names are written below, because they performed dutifully and
loyally in the Dacian campaign.
11 August, at Darnithithis, in the consulship of Lucius Minicius
Natalis and Quintus Silvanus Granianus.
To infantryman Marcus Ulpius Novantico, son of Adcobrovatus,
from Leicester (Ratae).
Recorded and authenticated from the bronze plaque which is affixed
at Rome on the wall behind the temple of the divine Augustus near the
statue (?) of Minerva.
(Witnesses) Publius Cornelius Alexander, Lucius Pullius Verecundus,
Publius Atinius Amerimnus, Gaius Tuticanius Saturninus, Lucius Pullius
Trophimus, Gaius Julius Paratus, Marcus Junius Eutychus.
This soldier was granted the privilege of citizenship before the completion of
service because of his distinguished service in the Dacian War. Novantico
apparently settled where he had been serving in Dacia, the findspot of the
diploma. Mann (1972:237), points out that although citizenship was granted
in 106, the diploma was not issued until 110.
327 ILS 1993=MW 400, diploma, Tomi (Constanta), Lower Moesia,
AD 76
I, Emperor Caesar Vespasian Augustus, chief priest, in the eighth year
of my tribunician power, acclaimed imperator eighteen times, father of