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

The Emperor as commander-in-chief 77
he was dragged to the place near the forum where Roman law demands
that those condemned to death for villainy should be executed. (Section
155) When it was announced that Simon was dead there was a roar of
approval and they began the sacrifices, which were conducted in due
form with the customary prayers, before the imperial family withdrew
to the palace. Some people were entertained to dinner by the imperial
family, while for all the others arrangements had been made for
handsome banquets in their own homes. All that day the city of Rome
celebrated the victory of the campaign against its enemies, the end of
civil war, and the beginning of hopes for a happy future.
See in general Versnel 1970; Künzl 1988.
140 BMC 3, p. 221, no. 1035=Smallwood NH 50, sestertius, AD
116–17 (See Plate 6)
Obverse. Bust of Trajan, laureate.
TO EMPEROR CAESAR NERVA TRAJAN BEST AUGUSTUS,
CONQUEROR OF THE GERMANS, CONQUEROR OF THE
DACIANS, CONQUEROR OF THE PARTHIANS, CHIEF PRIEST,
TRIBUNICIAN POWER, CONSUL FOR THE SIXTH TIME,
FATHER OF THE FATHERLAND.
Reverse. Trajan in military dress, standing with the seated figure of
Armenia at his feet between two reclining river gods.
ARMENIA AND MESOPOTAMIA BROUGHT INTO THE POWER
OF THE ROMAN PEOPLE. BY DECREE OF THE SENATE.
This grandiloquent celebration of Trajan’s Parthian campaign proved premature
since all conquered lands were soon evacuated.
141 ILS 425, inscription, Rome, arch in the forum, AD 203
To Emperor Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax Augustus,
son of Marcus, father of the fatherland, Conqueror of the Parthians
and the Arabians and Conqueror of the Parthians and the Adiabenici,
chief priest, in the eleventh year of his tribunician power, imperator for
the eleventh time, consul for the third time, proconsul, and Emperor
Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus Pius Fortunate, son of