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

40 The Roman Army
63 CIL 6. 2725=ILS 2034, inscription, Rome, late 1st C.AD
Gaius Vedennius Moderatus, son of Gaius, of the tribe Quirina, from
Antium, soldier in Legion XVI Gallica for ten years, transferred to the
ninth praetorian cohort, in which he served for eight years, honourably
discharged, recalled by the emperor and appointed imperial reservist
(evocatus Augusti), builder (?) of the imperial armoury, reservist for
twenty-three years, awarded military decorations on two occasions,
by the divine Vespasian, and by Emperor Domitian Augustus,
Conqueror of the Germans [ _ _ _
The Legion XVI Gallica based in Lower Germany had sent detachments to
Italy in AD 69 in support of Vitellius. Moderatus may have been one of the
legionaries who, according to Tacitus, (Histories 2. 94), were rewarded by the
new emperor with transfer to the praetorian guard.
64 CIL 6. 2437=ILS 2037, inscription, Rome, 3rd C.AD
(Sculpture of a soldier) To the spirits of the departed, in honour of
Gaius Maccenius Vibius, soldier of the first praetorian cohort, century
of Primitivus, lived fifty-five years, soldier in Legion X Gemina for
nine years, transferred from there to the praetorian guard, served for
fourteen years; Ulpia Valentina set this up for her dearly-beloved,
estimable husband, under the charge of Maccenius Crispinus, reservist
of our Emperor, in accordance with the wishes expressed by his brother
in his will.
65 CIL 6. 2758, inscription, Rome, late 2nd C.AD
Sacred to the spirits of the departed. Valerius Martinus, soldier of the
tenth praetorian cohort, century of Martialis, who served in Legion
XIV Gemina, was transferred to the praetorian guard for three years,
of Pannonian nationality, lived twenty-five years, three months, fifteen
days. Valerius Januarinus, orderly (optio) of the century, set this up for
an estimable citizen.
In 193 Septimius Severus, governor of Upper Pannonia, marched on Rome and
captured it. One of his first decisions was to disband the old praetorian guard
which had connived at the overthrow of two emperors, and replace it with
soldiers drawn in the main from the Danubian legions which had first supported
him. Thereafter replacements for the praetorians were often sought from
legionary soldiers in various provinces, though Italians were not excluded. Texts
nos. 64 and 65 probably illustrate soldiers who were transferred to the guard
by Severus in 193, since Martinus served in XIV Gemina which was the first to