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

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<strong>The</strong> soldiers 23<br />

Before Domitian, soldiers’ salaries were paid in three annual instalments.<br />

His pay-rise perhaps added a fourth instalment—possibly signified on<br />

this coin if Stip. can be expanded to stipendium; however stip. may<br />

stand for stipendia, i.e. the emperor’s general interest in military pay.<br />

22 Cohen, vol. 4, p. 157. no. 126, bronze as of Septimius Severus<br />

and Caracalla, AD 205–8<br />

Obverse. Head of Caracalla.<br />

ANTONINUS PIUS AUGUSTUS<br />

Reverse. Severus and Caracalla seated on a platform; an official stands<br />

behind, a legionary in front.<br />

THE GENEROSITY OF THE EMPERORS. CONSUL FOR THE<br />

SECOND TIME. BY DECREE OF THE SENATE.<br />

Severus had demonstrated his generosity by possibly doubling military<br />

pay around AD 195 (Herodian (see text no. <strong>31</strong>4), 3. 8), the first rise<br />

since Domitian.<br />

23 Dio (2nd–3rd C.AD), 77. 3<br />

Antoninus (Caracalla), although it was evening, secured the legions,<br />

shouting out all along the way that he had been plotted against and<br />

that his life was in danger. When he entered the camp he said, ‘Rejoice<br />

fellow-soldiers, now I can indulge you. . . For I am one of you; it is for<br />

you alone that I want to live so that I can grant you all kind of favours;<br />

all the treasuries are yours’.<br />

Dio is hostile to Caracalla whose extravagant treatment of the troops had in<br />

his view led to excessive expenditure and financial demands on the upper classes.<br />

His estimate that the emperor’s pay-rise had cost in total 280 million sesterces<br />

(78. 36; cf. Herodian, 4. 4) may be exaggerated but is not out of the question.<br />

It would represent a rise of about 50 per cent (Speidel 1992).<br />

24 Fink RMR 68, papyrus, Egypt, AD 81<br />

In the consulship of Lucius Asinius<br />

QUINTUS JULIUS PROCULUS from DAMASCUS<br />

received the first salary instalment of the third year of the Emperor,<br />

247 1/2 drachmas, out of which

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