Pomponius, Petition from Veterans, PSI 9.1026B
created: This entry is taken from Petition from Veterans, PSI 9.1026B written by Pomponiu
edition published: 2023-06-30-05:00
language: la; la
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https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/422

and

First Flavian Colony of Caesarea

is directly attested at Pomponius, Petition from Veterans, PSI 9.1026B. This passage was written ca. 150 C.E. possibly in Caesarea Maritima. This long text survives in two copies on papyrus at the Bibliotheca Medicea Laurenziana (inv. 14488): A with writing mostly on the front and a single short column against the fibers on the back, and B with writing on one side. It contains a petition to the Imperial legate Vilius Cadus in Caesarea Maritima written by one Pomponius, presented by one Lucius Petronius Saturninus, and signed by a group of 22 soldiers, who posted it in a Portico of Junia Ba[?] at Caesarea Maritima (B line 1). They had served honorably in Legio X Fretensis, long stationed in Palestine, and were returning to their home town of Alexandria following discharge from duty. They now requested a written document or proof (instrumentum) to affirm their discharge “if circumstances demand” (rebus necessariis, line 9), presumably in an effort to secure citizenship for themselves or their children, or to garner any other benefit that such recognition of honorable service to the State might confer. The legate added his endorsement to the bottom of the recorded petition, promising to produce the document for the Prefect Egypt—and not formal certification or diplomata, which, as he states, was not standard practice—in his offices at Caesarea on January 22, 150 CE. Both copies have Greek transliterations intermixed sparsely with Latin. The texts stored in Florence were recovered from somewhere in Egypt, where the veterans brought them on their way home. Apart from its rich evidence for personal names and military communications during the High Empire, this text attests to concerns among legionary veterans over their legal status in retirement. It also gives the sole testimony for a named portico at Caesarea where notices were posted.

Descrip̣tum et recognitum ex lib(ello) proposito cum ạ[l]<i>is in po[r]tico Iuniae Ba ̣ ̣[ ̣ ̣] ̣ae, i(n) q(uo) s(criptum) e(rat) i(d) q(uod) i(nfra) σ(κριπτυμ) ι·θ·σ·ε·ι·θ·ι·σ·ε· (στ): Vilio Kado leg(ato) Aụg(usti) pr(o)pr(aetore) ab v[et]eranis leg(ionis) X Fr(etensis) n(umero) XXII, qui militare coeperụnt Glabrioṇ[e et T]orquato ιτεμ \ετ Π[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]/ Aq̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]ọ c[o](n)s(ulibus), qụ[o] ṛum ṇ[o]ṃịṇạ [s]ubie<c>ta ṣụṇṭ. Cum militaverimus, domine, in classe Misenis et ex indulgẹn[tia - ca. 14 ] leg(io ) Fr(etens ) t[ra]nsla[tis] s[up]ẹṛ XX o[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣] ṇobis uti bonis mil(itaribus) constiteri{n}t, ṇụṇc̣ quoq̣ụe felic[issimis tem]poribus ṣạ[cra]ṃẹṇ[to - ca. 13 ]s et iṇ patriam Alexandriam ad Aegyptum ituri petimus et rogamus digneris nobis adfirmare a te missos esse, ut ex adfir- (5) ṃạtione tua appareat nos ex ẹạdem leg(ione) missos esse non ex clasṣẹ ụṭ possit rebus necesari<i>s subscriptio tua insṭ[rume]nti caụsa nobis prodess[e] et huṃạṇịtati tuae in perpetuo gratias agere. C(aius) Viḅius Maximus (centuria) Petroni Fir[ ca.14 ]imus (centuria) Iulịạni Aeternalis· C(aius) Praesentius Procụ[l]ụs (centuria) Iuli Sabini· C(aius) Crispus Apollinaris (centuria) Claudi Ṃ[a]cedonis· C(aius) Ṣạ[ ca. 25 ]ini· C(aius) Iulius C̣ṛịspinus (centuria) Pọ[n]tieni Magni p(rimi)p(ili)· C(aius) Aurelius Priscus (centuria) ̣ar ̣ni Π[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]· Ḷ(ucius) Petrọ[ ca. 20 ]ṣṭṛọṇi Se[v]erị· C(aius) Longinus ⟦seue⟧ Priscus (centuria) Verui Rufi· C(aius) Longinus Priscus (centuria) ẹạḍ[em]· C̣(aius) Απολλινα̣ρ̣ις Μαχ̣ι̣μυς (κεντυρια) Πε̣τρονι (10) Fiṛmi· C(aius) Iulius Capito (centuria) Ploti Celeris· M(arcus) Sabinus Apollinaris (centuria) eadem· C̣(aius) Crispus Α[pol]linaris (centuria) Aeli Artori· Κ(αιυς) Ιυλιυς Κελ̣ε̣ρ (κεντυρια) Αεμι[l]iani Rufi· C(aius) Iulius Apollinaris (centuria) Iuli Sabini· C(aius) Iulius Loṇgus (centuria) Mari Germani· M(arcus) Valerius ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣]bi ̣e ̣ ̣ ̣ ππ(ιλι)· C(aius) Iulius Petronianuṣ (centuria) [ ̣ ̣]fi Paulini· C(aius) Aurelius Maximus (centuria) [Cla]ụdi Ṃạṛcelli· T(itus) Flavius Max̣iṃụṣ (centuria) eadem· [ ̣ ̣ ̣]lerius Ap̣ọḷlinaris (centuria) Flavi Longini. L(ucius) Petronius Saturninus edidi pro me et conveteranis meiṣ. Pomponius scri[bsi. S]ubs[cri]ptio: Veterani ex legionibus instrumentum accipere non solent, attaṃ[e]n sacramen[to] v[o]s a me [iussu imper]atoris n(ostri) (15) solutos notum fieri praefecto Aegyptio desideratis. Et instrumentum daḅ[o] pr[ ̣ ̣ ̣] ̣e· Ac[tum in c]ol(onia) [I F]l(avia) Caes(area) XI Kal(endas) Febr(uarias), Squilla Gallicano et Carmin{n}io Vetere co(n)s(ulibus)

[Ed. Vitelli 1928 with ref. to Smallwood 1966] [Minor corr. (resolved personal names, clear reconstructions, punctuation, capitalization)]

Recorded and authenticated from the petition published along with others in the Portico of Junia Ba[----], in which was written the text which is written out below [last phrase transliterated in Greek]. To Vilius Cadus, legate of the Emperor with propraetorian power, from 22 veterans of the Legion X Fretensis, who began their military service in the consulship of Glabrio and Torquatus or in the consulship of P[aulinus] and Aq[uilinus; = 124 and 125 CE], and whose names are listed below. Since, sire, we served in the praetorian fleet at Misenum and then, after transfer to the Fretensis Legion through the generosity [---], conducted ourselves over 20 [years] in every respect as good soldiers should, now indeed in these most felicitous times we have been discharged from our military oath and, as we are about to return to Egypt, to our native city of Alexandria, we ask and request that you should think it appropriate to affirm for us that we have been discharged by you, in order that it may be obvious from your affirmation that we have been discharged from this very legion, not from the fleet, so that your endorsement may serve us as written evidence if circumstances demand, and so that we may be eternally grateful for your compassion. Caius Vibius Maximus, (century of) Petronus Firmus [---]imus, (century of) Julianus Aeternalis Caius Praesentius Proculus, (century) of Julius Sabinus Caius Crispus Apollinaris, (century) of Claudius Macedon Caius Sa[----]nus Caius Iulius Crispinus, (century) of Pontienus Magnus, senior centurion Caius Aurelius Priscus, (century of) [----] Π[----] Lucius Petro[----]stronus Severus Caius Longinus Priscus, (century of) Verus Rufus Caius Longinus Priscus, same (century) Caius Apollinaris Maximus, (century of) Petronus Firmus Caius Julius Capito, (century of) Plotus Celer Marcus Sabinus Apollinaris, same (century) Caius Crispus Apollinaris, (century of) Aelius Artorus Caius Iulius Celer, (century of) Aemlianus Rufus Caius Julius Apollinaris, (century) of Julius Sabinus Caius Julius Longus, (century of) Marus Germanus Marcus Valerius [----], senior centurion Caius Julius Petronianus, (century) of [----]fus Paulinus Caius Aurelius Maximus, (century of) Claudius Marcellus Titus Flavius Maximus, same (century) [----]lerius Apollinaris, (century of) Flavius Longinus. I, Lucius Petronius Saturninus, presented (this petition) on behalf of myself and my fellow veterans. I, Pomponius, wrote it. Endorsement: Veterans from the legions do not usually receive a written document. However, you wish it to be made known to the prefect of Egypt that you have been discharged from your military oath by me on the orders of our emperor. I shall give you your written document. [Publish this?] Executed in the First Flavian Colony of Caesarea, 22 January, in the consulship of Squilla Gallicanus and Carminius Vetus.

[Rev. Campbell 1994 with ref. to Palme 2006]

Works Cited

[...] 9.1026B 39-41
[...] 201-202 329

Additional Bibliography

[...] 113 330
[...] 296-297

[Pomponius, Petition from Veterans, PSI 9.1026B]

[Alexandria

Egypt

Misenum]

[Law and Government

Military

Roman History

Urban Topography]