Stone of C. Sulgius Caecilianus
This brief note provides a mid-third century inscription for a man who held a praepositus role with the same fleet we find LAC attached to - and did so after being a centurion! This same soldier becomes primus pilus after being praepositus, and then goes on to be prefect of a legion. Such a career course, especially for the later period in which this inscription belongs, shows that praepositus was merely being used as a title of temporary command of a military force. It does not mean that LAC was anything other than a camp prefect of the Sixth Legion after being a praepositus. In fact, as several leading writers on the structure of the Roman military have conclusively shown, the position of praefectus castrorum was the expected rank grade to be assumed by a primus pilus.
Publication: CIL 08, 01322 = CIL 08, 14854 = CIL 11, *00250,2a = D 02764 = ILTun 01287 = IDRE-02, 00431 = AE 1937, +00116 = AE 1956, 00011 = AE 2017, +01742 EDCS- ID: EDCS-17701194 Province: Africa proconsularis Location: Toukaber / Tukabur / Tuccabor
C(aio) Sulgio L(uci) f(ilio) Pap(iria) Caeciliano praef(ecto) leg(ionis) III Cyrenai/cae p(rimo) p(ilo) leg(ionis) XX Valeriae Victricis praeposito reli/quationi classis praetoriae Misenatium Piae / Vindicis et the{n}sauris domini[cis e]t Bastagis copia/rum devehendar(um) |(centurioni) leg(ionis) III Aug(ustae) et septimae Geminae / et primae Parthicae et XVI Fl(aviae ) F(irmae) et XIII G(eminae) in provincia Daci/a nauarch(o) classis praetoriae Mise[n]atium Piae / Vindicis optioni peregrinorum et ex[erci]tatori mil[i]/tum frumentarior(um) et Sulgiae [3]AE et Sulgio / Apro III II IIIICII [S]ulgio [3]IO[3]IRSI / PICI[3]FS[3]LAIIIAIIIIA[3] patri et co(n)iu[gi] Type of
inscription / personal status: milites mulieres; ordo equester; tria noun; Viri
Material: lapis
A good description of this inscription can be found in https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1163/j.ctv2gjwwg9.17#metadata_info_tab_contents:
Here is another good example of the use of praepositus - several times - in an inscription now believed to me from the time of Marcus Aurelius. The man holding the praepositus title is thought to have been a freedman (!). In one case, he is praepositus of a fleet. Note also the use more than once of praefectus, as applied to cohorts and such. I imagine other such examples can be found demonstrating quite nicely that the extraordinary nature of LAC's praepositus title claimed by Malcor et al is a gross exaggeration.
publication: CIL 08, 09358 (p 1983) = D 02738 = IDRE-02, 00464 = CERom-07, 00403 = AE 1987, 00827 EDCS-ID: EDCS-23500113
province: Mauretania Caesariensis place: Cherchell / Cherchel / Scherschel / Caesarea
P(ublio) Aelio P(ubli) fil(io) Palati/na Marciano / praef(ecto) coh(ortis) I Augustae / Bracarum / praeposito n(umeri) Illyricorum / trib(uno) coh(ortis) Ael(iae) expeditae / praef(ecto) al(ae) Aug(ustae) II Thracum / praeposito al(ae) Gemin(ae) / [[Seba[sten(ae)]]] / praeposito classis / Syriacae et Augustae / praef(ecto) classis Moesiaticae / C(aius) Caesius Marcellus / veter(anus) ex dec(urione) / al(ae) II Thracum
inscription genus / personal status: litterae erasae; milites; ordo equester; tituli honorarii; tria nomina; viri
material: lapis
...the career inscription of P. Aelius Marcianus set up in Caesarea in Mauretania Caesariensis (ILS 2738 = PME I,IV,V, A44). The text reads: P. Aelio P. fil. Palati/na Marciano / praef. coh. I Augustae / Bracarum / praeposito n. Illyricorum / trib. coh. Ael. expeditae / praef. al. Aug. II Thracum / praeposito al. gemin. / Seba[sten.] / praeposito classis / Syriacae et Augustae / praef. classis Moesiaticae / C. Caesius Marcellus / veter. ex dec. / al. II Thracum
His career has been dated to the years following the death of Hadrian.26 Recently a later date has been suggested for his career. It has been pointed out that the nomen and filiation of Marcianus coupled with the tribe Palatina would suggest that he was the son or the grandson of a freedman.27 Thus the post of praepositus of the fleets of Syria and Egypt at Caesarea in Mauretania Caesariensis would belong to the reign of Marcus when the Moors invaded Baetica.28 This later dating is also supported by his post of praeposito n. Illyricorum. This unit was converted into an ala at some time after AD 140 (RMD I 39) and before the third century when it is recorded as such on two tombstones (AE 1992, 1472; VI 3234).
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