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

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

and I have already written to you about young Pausanias enlisting in a<br />

legion. As he no longer wished to serve in a legion but in an ala, on<br />

learning this I was obliged however reluctantly to go to see him. So,<br />

after many appeals from his mother and sister to get him transferred to<br />

Coptos, I went down to Alexandria and used many approaches until<br />

he was transferred to the ala at Coptos. Although I wanted to pay you<br />

a visit on the voyage up, we were limited by the leave granted to the lad<br />

by the most distinguished Prefect, and for this reason I was unable to<br />

visit you…<br />

49 CIL 8. 2251=ILS 2578, inscription, Mascula (Khenchela),<br />

Numidia, late 1st/early 2nd C.AD<br />

Titus Flavius Bitus, cavalryman of second twin cohort of Thracians,<br />

lived fifty-five years, served twenty-seven years, Julia Marcella, his sister,<br />

and Bitus [his son set this up].<br />

50 ILS 2585, inscription, Strassheim, Upper Germany, 1st/2nd (?)<br />

C.AD<br />

To Mars and Victory, Soemus Severus, chief clerk (cornicularius) of the<br />

first Flavian milliary cohort of Damascene mounted archers, willingly,<br />

happily, and deservedly fulfilled his vow.<br />

51 ILS 2590, inscription, Asia<br />

To the spirits of the departed, Lucius Calpurnius Valens, orderly (optio)<br />

of the first Lepidian part-mounted cohort of <strong>Roman</strong> Citizens, century<br />

of Ponticus, lived forty years, served eighteen years. Calpurnia Leda,<br />

his wife, erected this.<br />

It is obscure how this cohort (first recorded in Syria c. AD 69) acquired its title<br />

‘Lepidiana’ derived from a personal name (Holder 1980:21–2; Speidel 1982b).<br />

<strong>The</strong> title ‘<strong>Roman</strong> Citizens’ indicates that at some point all members of the unit<br />

had received the citizenship before discharge.<br />

52 ILS 2566, inscription, Aquae Mattiacae (Wiesbaden), Upper<br />

Germany<br />

Quintus Vibius Agustus, Raetian, soldier of the second cohort of<br />

Raetians, 30 years of age, thirteen years’ service. His heir had this<br />

set up.

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