Original scientific paper
New Epigraphic Confirmation of Presence of an Eight voluntariorum Cohort soldier in Salona
Ivan Matijević
; Filozofski fakultet u Splitu, Odsjek za povijest
Abstract
In the paper is published fragment of a stele found at the locality of Kapljuč in 1924. It was erected to the soldier, Lucius Adennius Philetianus, died after serving three years in the Eight voluntariorum Cohort. This is a valuable inscription, because the soldier's gentilicium, Adennius, has not been confirmed in the Roman Empire, and his cognomen, Philetianus, has not been known in Dalmatia. The Philetianus' name form consists of three parts, without the filiation and the tribus, whereas the inscription begins with the d(is) m(anibus) formula, which indicates its dating to between the early 2nd and the mid 3rd centuries.
The stele is found in the Salona's North Necropolis, in particular, in its part where the Kapljuč cemetery basilica will be erected later on. Here, as early as from the mid 1st century, were buried soldiers of the Seventh Claudia pia fidelis Legion, and in the late Principate period also those of the First Belgarum Cohort. The Philetianus' inscription indicates here also to have been graves of the Eight voluntariorum Cohort soldiers, this also having been confirmed by the stele of the soldier Vivius Silvestris, previously discovered at the same location.
The large number of inscriptions related to active soldiers of the Eight Cohort in Salona confirms beyond doubt that they played an important role in both the city and the governor's office activities. Namely, in the city epigraphically have been confirmed as many as 14 inscriptions of its active soldiers, just one less than those of the Seventh Legion, that are the most numerous.
Keywords
Salona; cohors VIII voluntariorum c. R.; Roman Dalmatia; Roman army
Hrčak ID:
106502
URI
Publication date:
8.9.2013.
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