CIG 9155B Anazarbos : An Epigraphic Record of a numerus Phalangarium?

Authors : Julian Bennett

Pages : 203-211

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Publication Date : 2013-06-01

Article Type : Research

Abstract :Most who study aspects of the Roman army will know of the series of six funerary memorials found at Anazarbos, two in Latin and Greek, the others in Latin only, that honour individual members of the equites singulares Augusti, the imperial mounted bodyguard2. Five of these men evidently died there while still in service, presumably when the unit was based in winter quarters at or near Anazarbos, while the sixth was a veteran of the same unit who, having qualified for his discharge after 25 or so years of military service, chose to retire to Anazarbos. Three of the texts make reference to a period when there were two joint emperors, so indicating that they were erected during the joint reigns of Severus and Caracalla 197-202 , or Macrinus and Diadumenianus 217-218 , or Valerianus and Gallienus 253-260 3. It is a reasonable assumption from the overall similarity in their style that all six tombstones belong to the same general period, with Severus’ Second Parthian War of 197-198 being the favoured option4
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