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Submitted for award of PhD September 2006. - King's College London

Submitted for award of PhD September 2006. - King's College London

Submitted for award of PhD September 2006. - King's College London

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second Stabidinus is plausibly the toponym from Stabiae. It should also be noted that<br />

in each case a Staius is mentioned. This gens name was probably so common that the<br />

men added their patronym and cognomen to distinguish themselves from other Staii.<br />

The third tile stamp, ST tSa 24, documents Gaius Papius son <strong>of</strong> Mitulus MT<br />

X. The letter X following the abbreviation <strong>of</strong> the <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> meddix tuticus has been<br />

interpreted in several ways. La Regina thought it denoted a meddix tuticus who was<br />

holding <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>for</strong> the tenth time. 251 Prosdocimi compared it to the meddices degelasii<br />

at Nola, and proposed that X stands <strong>for</strong> dekelasis, although none <strong>of</strong> the meddices at<br />

Nola is tuticus. More plausibly, Capini has suggested that it refers to a decennial<br />

meddix tuticus. 252 It is possible that the same man appears as meddix tuticus in the<br />

tile stamp n]i. staa. m. t. g. paap. mit, whether omitting the X or in a previous<br />

tenure. 253<br />

In any case, all scholars agree that the letter X does not imply that there<br />

were ten meddices. The tile stamps there<strong>for</strong>e do not compel us to revise the generally<br />

accepted view that the <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> meddix tuticus was single.<br />

The tiles were stamped with the name <strong>of</strong> the chief magistrate to indicate the<br />

year when they were made as was common practice in Greek and Roman states. 254<br />

The eponymous use <strong>of</strong> the <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> the meddix tuticus can be observed also in a new<br />

inscription from Schiavi d'Abruzzo, where the <strong>of</strong>fice and the name <strong>of</strong> the holder, Ni.<br />

Dekitiüd, are given in the ablative absolute to denote the year when the temple was<br />

dedicated. 255 This proves that the <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> meddix tuticus was annual.<br />

and (... ) letters supplied by the editor to fill out an abbreviation in the inscribed text. Both brackets are<br />

also used in the traslations.<br />

251 La Regina (1989) 328.<br />

252 Capini (1985) 248.<br />

253 ST tSa 1.<br />

254 Vitruv. De arch. 2.3.2. mentions bricks made at least two years be<strong>for</strong>e their use are the best<br />

building material. In Utica only bricks made five years previously were used and `appoved as such by<br />

the authority <strong>of</strong> the magistrate'. Vitruv. De arch. 2.8.19 also alleged that the strongest walls were<br />

built <strong>of</strong> ro<strong>of</strong>ing tiles which endured weathering.<br />

255 ST Sa 2.<br />

75

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