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Pomponius, Petition from Veterans, PSI 9.1026A

   https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/49

Context

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 22 soldiers, who had 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 a document for the Prefect of Egypt—but not formal certification or diplomata, which, as he states, was not standard practice—in his offices at Caesarea on January 22, 150 C.E. On the back of the first copy (A verso) nine more soldiers, some of Legio VI Ferrata, signed on to the petition. Both copies have Greek transliterations intermixed sparsely with Latin. The texts stored in Florence were recovered 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.

Text

Recto Descriptum et recogn[i]ṭ[u]ṃ ex libello proposito cum ali<i>s in p̣ọrtị[co] Iu[niae ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]ae,in quo scriptum eṛat id qụod i<n>fra scriptum est: Vịlio Kado<.> ḷe[g(ato)] Ạug(usti) pr(o)pr(aetore) [ab] veteranisleg(ionis) X Fr(etensis) n(umero) XXII qui militare coeperunt Glabr[io]ne ẹṭ Tọṛ[quato i]ṭem Pạ[ulino] etAquilino co(n)s(ulibus), quoṛum nomina subiecṭạ ṣụṇt. Cum militaveri[imus, domine, in classe] (5)praetoria Misenensi{s} et ex indulgentia divi Hadriani in leg(ionem) Fr(etensem) translatiṣ [a(nnos) s]uper XX (5)omnia nobis uti bonis militibus coṇṣṭitẹṛi{n}t, nunc quo[que] felicissimis temporibussacramento absoluti sumus, et ịṇ patriam Alexandriam ad Aegypto ituri pẹtimus etrogamus digneris nobis adfirmare a te missos esse, ut ex adfirmatione tua appareatnos ex eadem legione missos esse, non ex classe, ut possit ṛ[e]bus neces[sari]<i>s sub-scriptio ṭụạ [inst]ṛụmenti c̣ạusa nobịṣ prodesse eṭ h[u]maṇịtati tuạẹ [i]ṇ per[petuo] gratias (10)agamus. C(aius) V[ ca. 12 ] (centuria) Pe[ ̣ ̣ ̣]ni Firmi· C(aius) Longi[ ca. 10 ] (centuria) I[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]ni Ae-ternalis· C(aius) Praesenṭius Proculus (centuria) Iuli Sabini· C(aius) Crispus Apolḷịṇaris (centuria) [C]laudiMacedonis· C(aius) Sabinus Capetolinus (centuria) Flaui Longini· C(aius) Iulius Crispinus (centuria) Pon[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]Magni p(rimi)p(ili)· C(aius) Aurelius Pṛịscus (centuria) [ ̣ ̣ ̣ ]ni Proculi· L(ucius) Petronius Saturninus (centuria) Ṇụ-mis[ ̣]troni Seveṛi· C(aius) Longinus Priscus (centuria) Verui Rufi· C(aius) Longinus Priṣc̣us (centuria) ẹạḍẹṃ (15)C(aius) Apollinnaris Maximus (centuria) Petr[ ̣ ̣]i· Firmi· C(aius) Iulius ̣ ̣p̣ịṭ ̣ (centuria) Pḷoti Celeris· M(arcus) SabiṇụṣApọllinaris (centuria) eadem· C(aius) Cṛispus A[ ca. 10 ] (centuria) Ae[ ̣]i Artoṛị· [ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]us ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣] ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]ṇịRufi· C[ ca. 15 ]ịs (centuria) I[ ca. 40 ]uạleri[ ca. 15 ]ce[ ca. 45 ]ụṣMax̣ịmus (centuria)· C̣ḷạụḍ[ ca. 9 ] T(itus)· Flavius Maximus (centuria) ẹadẹm· [ ̣ ̣ ̣]l[ ̣]riụṣ Ap̣[o]ḷḷ[i]n[aris] (20)(centuria) Flavi Longini. Ḷ(ucius) [P]etronius Saturninus edidị pr[o] me et c̣onveteranis ṃẹis. Pom-ponius scribsi. Subsc̣ṛiptiọ: Veterani ex legioṇịbus instrumentum accip̣ẹṛẹnon solent, attamẹṇ sacramentọ vos a me iuṣsu imperatoris ṇ(ostri) solutos notumfieri praefecto Aẹg̣ỵp̣ti desideratis. Sportulam dabo pr ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣e. Actum in c̣[o]l(onia) I Fl(avia) Aug(usta)Caes(area) XI Kal(endas) F̣ebrụạṛ(ias) Squịlla Gallicano et Carminnio Vetere cos(ulibus) (25) Verso (hand 1) Υαλεριυς Υαλεριανυς υετ(ερανυς)leg(ionis) VI Ferr(atae) signa[vi](hand 2) ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣us Valeṇṣ(hand 3) ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ius Valeṇṣvẹ[t]eranus leg(ionis) VI Ferr(atae) (30)(hand 4) [Ι]υλιυς Ιυλιανυς[leg(ionis)] VI F̣ẹṛr(atae)(hand 5) traces(hand 5) traces(hand 6) ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣ ka[ ̣] ̣s veteran ̣s (35)̣ ̣ ̣ ̣(hand 7) [ -ca.?- ] ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣[ ̣ ̣ ̣ ̣]l ̣s vẹṭ(eranus) 1

Textual Note

Ed. Vitelli 1928 with ref. to Smallwood 1966

Corrigenda Note

Minor corrections (resolved personal names, clear reconstructions, punctuation, capitalization)

Translation

A front Recorded and authenticated from the petition published along with others in the Portico of Junia [----], in which was written the text which is written out below.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 Paulinus and Aquilinus [= 124 and 125 C.E.], 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 of Hadrian the god, 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 V[---], (century of) Pe[---]us FirmusCaius Longi[---], (century of) I[----] AeternalisCaius Praesentius Proculus, (century) of Julius SabinusCaius Crispus Apollinaris, (century) of Claudius MacedonCaius Sabinus Capitolinus, (century) of Flavius LonginusCaius Iulius Crispinus, (century) of Pon[----] Magnus, senior centurionCaius Aurelius Priscus, (century of) [----]nus ProculusLucius Petronius Saturninus, (century of) Numistronus SeverusCaius Longinus Priscus, (century of) Verus RufusCaius Longinus Priscus, same (century)Caius Apollinaris Maximus, (century of) Petr[----]us FirmusCaius Julius [----], (century of) Plotus CelerMarcus Sabinus Apollinarus, same (century)Caius Crispus A[----], (century of) Ae[----] Artorus[----, (century of) ----] RufusCaius [----], (century) of I[----][names of legionaries?][----] Max̣ịmus, (century of) Claud[ius ----]Titus Flavius Maximus, same (century)[----]lerius Apollinaris, (century of) Flavius LonginusI, 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 bonus. [Publish this?] Executed in the First Flavian Colony of Caesarea, 22 January, in the consulship of Squilla Gallicanus and Carminius Vetus. A back (hand 1) Valerius Valerianus, veteran, Legio VI Ferrata, I signed(hand 2) [----]us Valens(hand 3) [----]us Valens, veteran, Legio VI Ferrata(hand 4) Julius Julianus, Legio VI Ferrata(hand 5) [----](hand 5) [----](hand 6) [----], veteran[----](hand 7) [----], veteran2

Translation Note

Rev. Campbell 1994 with ref. to Palme 2006


Works Cited

  • 1 G. Vitelli, ed., Ρapiri greci e latini IX: no. 1001-1096, Pubblicazioni della Società Italiana per la ricerca del Papiri greci e latini in Egitto (Florence: E. Ariani, 1929), vol: 9.1026A, p: 39-41.Link to Zotero Bibliographic Record
  • 2 J. Brian Campbell, The Roman Army, 31 BC-AD 337: A Sourcebook (London and New York: Routledge, 1994), p: 201-202, entry: 329.Link to Zotero Bibliographic Record

Additional Bibliography

  • E. Mary Smallwood, ed., Documents Illustrating the Principates of Nerva, Trajan and Hadrian (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1966), p: 113, entry: 330.Link to Zotero Bibliographic Record
  • Bernhard Palme, Die classis praetoria Misenensis in den Papyri, in Italo--Tusco--Romana: Festschrift Luciana Aigner-Foresti zum 70. Geburtstag am 30. Juli 2006, ed. Petra Amann, Marco Pedrazzi, and Hans Taeuber (Vienna: Holzhausen, 2006), 282–99, p: 296-297.Link to Zotero Bibliographic RecordLink to Worldcat Bibliographic record
About This Text

 

How to Cite This Entry

Joseph L. Rife, “Pomponius, Petition from Veterans, PSI 9.1026A,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/49.

Bibliography:

Joseph L. Rife, “Pomponius, Petition from Veterans, PSI 9.1026A.” In Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, edited by Joseph L. Rife., edited by Joseph L. Rife. Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project, 2023. Entry published June 30, 2023. https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/49.

About this Entry

Entry Title: Pomponius, Petition from Veterans, PSI 9.1026A

Authorial and Editorial Responsibility:

  • Joseph L. Rife, general editor, Vanderbilt University
  • Joseph L. Rife, editor, Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia
  • David A. Michelson, Daniel L. Schwartz, and William L. Potter, technical editor, “Pomponius, Petition from Veterans, PSI 9.1026A”
  • Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Pomponius, Petition from Veterans, PSI 9.1026A”

Additional Credit:

  • TEI encoding by Joseph L. Rife
  • URNs and other metadata added by Joseph L. Rife
  • Electronic text added by Joseph L. Rife
  • Testimonia identified by Joseph L. Rife
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