LE SYMPOSIUM INTERNATIONAL LE LIVRE. LA ROUMANIE. L ...

Roman veterans and the city institutions of Philippopolis... 565
while Μ(άρκος) Αὐρ(ηλίος) Φρόντωνος held the office of εὐροπάρχης in
AD 297. 134
similar is the case with Πό(πλιος) Οὐίδιος Βάσσος who belonged to
the equestrian family of Virdii who lived in philippopolis 135 . the rest of the
thracarchoi seems to be different cases.
According to an inscription of Ad 195, [Β]αιβίος Ἀπολ(λ)ιναρίος was
responsible for setting up a statue of the emperor Septimius Severus in
philippopolis. 136 the inscription itself is fragmentary and, therefore, the
revealing of the full name of that thracarches is unavailable. Despite that it
is obvious that he has a roman gentilicium and cognomen. It is known that
[Β]αιβίος is the Greek variant of the roman nomen gentilicium Vibius 137
and this gentilicium was one of the most widespread gentilicia in the whole
empire. quite often it was used by the military too, especially in the eastern
provinces. 138 the Greek variant itself is rarely used and it is to be found with
roman as well Greek names. 139 in Thrace [Β]αιβίος Ἀπολ(λ)ιναρίος is the
only known example, but in Macedonia Vibii are quite common.
The cognomen Ἀπολ(λ)ιναρίος belongs to that group of Greek names 140
ending with the suffix – arius. In our case, this name is a part of the group of
theophoric Greek names derived from the name of Apollo. this is how the
holders of this kind of name were connected and showed their connection
with that god. 141 Since Apollo was very popular in thrace we know of some
Apollinarii in thrace, including philippopolis and its territory. thus, we
are aware of a certain Ἀπολ(λ)ιναρίος, 142 four others who set votive plaques
in the sanctuary of Asclepius near Batkun 143 and one Ἰουλίος Ἀπολιν̣αρίος,
134 See BuJuKlIeV1998, 69-72; Idem 2000, 43-48.
135 the epigraphic monuments concerning this family in philippopolis are discussed
in ShArAnKoV 2005, 62-69.
136 IGBulg. III, I, 882.
137 See MCleAn 2005, 131, 118.
138 See for instance Ae 1919, 73; Ae 1959, 174; Ae 1964, 248; Ae 1968, 105; Ae
1968, 167; Ae 1968, 189; Ae 1969/70, 704; Ae 1979, 448; Ae 1980, 959 = Ae 1989,
888; Ae 1984, 60; Ae 2004, 318; Ae 2006, 1207; CIl III, 509; Ae 2003, 1606; CIl III,
823; CIl III, 1192; IlJug-03, 2808; rIB-01, 1327; rIB-03, 3016 = Ae 1985, 637, etc.
139 the most numerous representatives were found in Asia Minor, and then in
northern Greece, mainly Macedonia and the islands.
140 See the example cited in LGPN i-ІV.
141 pArISSAKI 2007, 134.
142 IGBulg. III, 1, 1026 = IGBulg. V, 5456.
143 Ἀπολινάρις Χρήστου - iGBulg. iii, 1, 1192; [— — —]νος Ἀπολιναρίου -
iGBulg. iii, 1, 1215; Αὐρ(ήλιος) [— — —] [— — — Ἀπολιν]άρις – iGBulg. iii, 1, 1277;
Ἀπολινάρις Ἀπολινάρε[ος] – iGBulg. iii, 1, 1279.