Praetorian Diploma – Cohors V Praetoria Philippiana Vindex

Triton XX, Lot: 824. Estimate $30000. Sold for $30000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Philip I. AD 244-249. Æ Military Diploma (two tablets, 138 x 101mm, 123.20 gm and 125.20 gm). Dated 7 January AD 248. Completely intact, engraved, pair of diploma tablets, originally complete and sealed. Includes two small bronze strips used to join the tablets together in preparation for sealing. The bronze lengths which formed the base of the original attached seal box are missing, but it can be seen where they joined to the second tablet, which contains the signatories.

EXTERIOR OF THE FIRST TABLET:

IMP(erator) CAES(ar) M(arcus) IVLIVS PHILIPPVS PIVS / FEL(ix) AVG(ustus) PONT(tifex) MAX(imus) TRIB(unicia) POT(estate) V CO(n)S(ul) III P(ater) P(atriae) P(roconsul) / IMP(erator) CAES(ar) M(arcus) IVLIVS PHILIPPVS PIVS FEL(ix) / AVG(ustus) PONT(tifex) MAX(imus) TR(ibunicia) POT(estate) II CO(n)S(ul) II P(ater) P(atriae) / NOMINA MILITVM QVI MILITAVERVNT IN / COHORTIBVS PRAETORIS PHILIPPIA / NIS DECEM I II III IIII V VI VII VIII VIIII / X PIIS VINDICIBVS QVI PIE (sic) ET FOR / TITER MILITIA FVNCTI SVN(t) (ius) TRIBVI / MVS CONVBII DVMTAXAT CVM SIN / GVLIS ET PRIMIS VXORIBVS VT E / [blank line with pair of holes for sealing the document] / TIAMSI PEREGRINI IVRIS FEMIN(as) / IN MATRIMONIO SVO IVNXERINT / PRO INDE LIBEROS TOLLANT / AC SI EX DVOBVS CIVIBVS ROMAN(is) / NATOS A(nte) D(iem) VII IDVS IAN(uarias) / IMP(eratore) M(arco) IVL(io) PHILIPPO PIO FEL(ice) AVG(usto) III / IMP(eratore) M(arco) IVL(io) PHILIPPO PIO FEL(ice) AVG(usto) CO(n)S(ule) / COH(ors) VI PR(aetoria) PHILIPPIAN(a) P(ia) V(index) / M(arco) AVRELIO M(arci) F(ilio) DIZAE / VLP(ia) PAVTAL(ia) / DESCRIPT(um) ET RECOGNIT(um) EX TAB(ula) AER(ea) / QV(a)E FIXA EST ROMAE IN MVRO POS(t) / TEMPL(um) DIVI AVG(usti) AD MINERVAM

TRANSLATION OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE FIRST TABLET:

Emperor Caesar Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, holding tribunician power for the fifth time, consul for the third time, Pater Patriae, Proconsul, [and] Emperor Caesar Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, holding tribunician power for the second time, consul for the second time. The names of the soldiers who served in the ten cohortes praetoriae Philippianae piae vindices – I II III IIII V VI VII VIII VIIII X – who loyally and bravely performed their military service. We have granted the right of conubium (legal marriage) insofar as individual and “primary” wives with whom they might have joined in marriage – even if they are women under the ius pergrinum (the rights of aliens) – likewise the children they raise as if born of two Roman citizens. (Dated) the seventh day before the Ides of January while the emperor Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix Augustus for the third time and Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix Augustus were consuls (7 January AD 248). Cohors VI Praetoria Philippiana Vindex – For Marcus Aurelius Diza, son of Marcus – Ulpia Pautalia. A transcribed copy from the bronze tablet which has been affixed at Rome to the wall behind the Temple of Augustus by Minerva.

INTERIOR OF THE FIRST TABLET:

IMP(erator) CAES(ar) M(arcus) IVLIVS PHILIPPVS PIVS FEL(ix) / AVG(ustus) PONT(tifex) MAX(imus) TRIB(unicia) POT(estate) V CO(n)S(ul) III P(ater) P(atriae) PR(oconsul) / ET IMP(erator) CAES(ar) M(arcus) IVLIVS PHILIPPVS PIVS / FEL(ix) PONT(tifex) MAX(imus) TRIB(unicia) [hole for sealing the document] POT(estate) II CO(n)S(ul) II P(ater) P(atriae) / NOMINA MILITVM (remainder of line and following five lines consist of multiple Xs as well as an additional hole for sealing the document.)

TRANSLATION OF THE INTERIOR OF THE FIRST TABLET:

Emperor Caesar Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, holding tribunician power for the fifth time, consul for the third time, Pater Patriae, Proconsul, [and] Emperor Caesar Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix, Pontifex Maximus, holding tribunician power for the second time, consul for the second time, Pater Patriae. The names of the soldiers (remainder of line and following five lines consist of multiple Xs as well as an additional hole for sealing the document.)

EXTERIOR OF THE SECOND TABLET:

C(ai) VALERI APOLLODOR(i)M(arci) AVREL(i) [hole for sealing the document] ANTONI(ni or ani)M(arci) AVRELI DIOGENET(is)M(arci) VLP(i) PRISCIAN(i)M(arci) AVRELI [hole for sealing the document] VALENTISM(arci) PASSVMI VALERIANIC(ai) VALERI LONGINI

TRANSLATION OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE SECOND TABLET:

(Seal of)Gaius Valerius ApollodorusMarcus Aurelius Antoninus or AntonianusMarcus Aurelius DiogenesMarcus Ulpius PriscianusMarcus Aurelius ValensMarcus Passumius ValerianusGaius Valerius Longinus

INTERIOR OF THE SECOND TABLET:

A(nte) D(iem) VII IDVS IAN(uarias) / IMP(eratore) PHILIPPO PIO FEL(ice) AVG(usto) III ET / IMP(eratore) PHILIPPO [hole for sealing the document] PIO FEL(ice) AVG(usto) CO(n)S(ule) / COH(ors) VI PR(aetoria) PHILIPPIAN(a) P(ia) V(index) / M(arco) AVRELI(o) M(arci) F(ilio) DIZAE / VLP(ia) PAVTAL(ia) / [blank line with hole for sealing the document] / DESCRIPT(um) ET RECOGNIT(um) EX TAB(ula) AER(ea) / QVAE IN MVRO POST / TEMPLVM DIVI AVG(usti) / AD MINERVAM

TRANSLATION OF THE INTERIOR OF THE SECOND TABLET:

(Dated) the seventh day before the Ides of January while the emperor Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix Augustus for the third time and Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix Augustus were consuls (7 January AD 248). Cohors VI Praetoria Philippiana Vindex – For Marcus Aurelius Diza – Ulpia Pautalia. A transcribed copy from the bronze tablet which [has been affixed at Rome] to the wall behind the Temple of Augustus by Minerva. W. Eck and A. Pangerl, “Diplome für prätorianersoldaten aus der Herrschaftzeit der Philippi,” ZPE 176 (2011), §3. As made, first tablet with green and brown with some natural deposits on the exterior and interior, second tablet with apple green patina, stain in middle from seal, reverse brownish green a few minor scrapes, inside top all of writing is complete and legible, patina thinned in spots, a few preparation marks, sealing wires with spots of corrosion. A fine extant military diploma from the 3rd century, and especially rare, as it belongs to a praetorian soldier and notes his place of final deployment .