MORE CROATIAN SCHOLARS WEIGH IN ON THE MOST PROBABLE DATE FOR THE FOUNDATION OF LIBURNIA

NOTE:  Since writing this piece, yet another Croatian scholar has written to me supporting the idea presented in Miletic for Castus' military career...

"I agree with all scholars that the province (whichever it was - Liburnia or some other) was short-lived. In my opinion Miletić's discussion on Castus's career is well founded and I do not find any major flaws. Whether Castus led the army against Armenions or Armoricans (or somebody else) shall probably remain an issue to be discussed further, although I'm more prone to the former (because, as it seems, most of Castus's military activities were in the East) than to the latter (although, if I'm not mistaking, some turbulences occurred in Brittany /against the Armoricans/ at that time)."

Prof. dr. sc. Anamarija Kurilić

Sveučilište u Zadru / University of Zadar

Odjel za povijest  / Department of History

Obala kralja Petra Krešimira IV., 2

HR - 23000 Zadar  

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The L. Artorius Castus Stone with ARMENIOS Reconstructed

From Dr. Siniša Bilić-Dujmušić,

Hrvatsko katoličko Sveučilište / Catholic University of Croatia, History, Faculty Member:

"ARMENIOS fits the available space. And (if we date Castus to the time of Marcus Aurelius) it is very logical to connect him with Marcus Statius Priscus who went from Britain to Armenia with the legions from the Rhine and that Artorius could  join him as dux legionum Britanici (probably in the sense of some vexillations, grouped detachments from several legions, not necessarily numerous). Historia Augusta does not mention an army from Britain with Priscus, probably because most of the legions were from the Rhine and the Danube. But it is very logical that Priscus would start from Britain accompanied by some part of the army which was initially under his command.

Also, the iure gladi suggests a very dangerous situation in which some organizational work had to be done, such as the urgent organization of defense. And yes, Liburnia fits in well because of the proximity of the Marcomani who are already under Aquileia.

A procurator Augusti will be (obviously) appointed by the emperor. The procurator centenarius is basically a "civilian" duty and is appointed by the Senate (with a salary of 100.000 sestertia per year - that's why he's a centenarius). He received from the Senate the supervision of the part of the province of Dalmatia which was in the most peril at that time. Since he received the task of governing Liburnia from the Senate, Liburnia is his provincia - (in the original meaning of that term as "a task entrusted by the Senate"). This was not done with the intention of permanently administratively separating Liburnia from the province of Dalmatia, but as a temporary measure due to the current situation.

Judging by the information in the Anonymous of Ravenna about the province of Liburnia, this would include not all of Liburnia but its northwestern part (Liburnia Tarsaticensis). Which means that Artorius had the task of preventing the enemy from cutting off the vital communications leading from the coast to Noricum and Siscia.

Anonymous from Ravenna and some epigraphic data suggest that Liburnia may at some point (or several times) have been organized as a separate military district with its own commander. But, contrary to what Dr. Medini tries to prove in his original study, it was certainly not a permanent administrative unit that survived until the Gothic conquest and Justinian. What prompted him to that opinion was the use of the term provincia. But we have information from later sources that it is part of Dalmatia, as well as epigraphic monuments that are placed in Liburnia by the governors of the province of Dalmatia.

Linking the creation of such a military district during the time of Marcus Aurelius is based on a single piece of data from an epigraphic monument of uncertain dating and problematic reconstruction of a key part of the text. But yes, such dating and reconstruction are certainly one of the possibilities. With that restraint, if we accept that solution (and theorizing is what we do and that's how science progresses), then the dating of the Castus procuratorship around 170 AD is a very acceptable solution that can be wrapped up in a story logically connected to other known data. It is probably the best option that has been offered so far."

From Dr.sc. Hrvoje Gračanin, red. prof.,  University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences [Filozofski fakultet], Department of History:

"It seems indeed probable that Liburnia was established as a procuratorial province in the later part of Marcus Aurelius's reign, even though this change is usually dated to early years of Commodus' reign. What is certain is that this measure was only temporary and that Liburnia reverted to its previous administrative status as a part of the province of Dalmatia by early 3rd century AD, thus indicating that the measure had something to do with extraordinary circumstances, i.e. the war against Marcomanni and Quadi."