Diploma Awarded to Barsimsus Callisthenes
(0296) Relevant Text: Imp(erator) Caes(ar), divi Hadriani f(ilius), divi Traiani Parthic(i) nep(os), divi Nervae pronep(os), T(itus) Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Aug(ustus) Pius, pont(ifex) max(imus), trib(unicia) pot(estate) XII, imp(erator) II, co(n)s(ul) IIII, p(ater) p(atriae) equit(ibus) et pedit(ibus), qui milit(averunt) in alis III, quae app(ellantur) […] et I Hispanor(um) Campagon(um) et I[…] et coh(ortibus) X, I Vindelicor(um) ∞ et […] et II Fl(avia) Commagenor(um) et I[…] et I U(l)pior(um) et I Thrac(um) sag(ittaria) et […] et I Gallor(um) Dacic(a) et I Aug(usta) Itur(aeorum) et […] et pedit(es) singul(ares) Brittannic(i), et sunt in Dacia Super(iore) sub Statio Prisco leg(ato), XXV plurib(us)ve stipend(is) emerit(is) dimissis honest(a) mission(e), quorum nomina subscripta sunt, civitat(em) Romanam, qui eorum non haberent, dedit et conubium cum uxorib(us), quas tunc habuissent, cum est civitas is data, aut cum is, quas postea duxiss(ent) dumtaxat singulis. Idib(us) Dec(embribus) Q(uinto) Canusio Praenestino, C(aio) Lusio Sparso co(n)s(olibus). coh(ortis) I Vindelicor(um) ∞, cui praest L(ucius) Versinius Aper, Hispell(o), ex pedite Barsimso Callistenis f(ilius), Caes(area). Descript(um) et recognit(um) ex tabula aerea qua Romae in muro post templ(um) divi Aug(usti) ad Minervam.
Translation: The emperor Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius, son of the deified Hadrian, grandson of the deified Trajan, great-grandson of the the deified Nerva, chief priest, holding the power of a tribune of the people for the twelfth time, imperator for the second time, consul for the fourth time, father of the fatherland, has given citizenship, to those who did not already have it, and a right of formal marriage to the wives which they had acquired at the time when citizenship was given to them or those whom they later took in marriage provided it be limited to one, to the cavalry and foot soldiers who have served in the following three alae which are called …, ala I Hispanorum Campagonorum, …, and who have served in the following ten cohorts, cohors I Vindelicorum milliaria, …, cohors II Flavia Commagenorum, cohors I …, cohors I Ulpiorum, cohors I Thracum sagittaria, … cohors I Gallorum Dacia, cohors I Augusta Ituraeaorum, and … and individual British infantry; all of whom are in the province Upper Dacia under the legate Statius Priscus and have been granted an honourable discharge having served 25 years or more and whose names have been written below. Dated to the calends of December in the year when Quintus Canusius Praenestinus and Gaius Lusius Sparsus were consuls. Granted to Barsimsus son of Callisthenes of Caesarea formerly pedes of cohors I Vindelicorum milliaria commanded by Lucius Versinius Aper, Hispello. Written down and copied from the bronze tablet which is in Rome on the wall behind the temple of the deified Augustus beside Minerva. (Trans. Fred Baxter)
Provenience: Caransebeș, Romania (Dacia) 13 Dec 157 CE
Commentary: Barsimsus, a man with a Jewish name, hailed from Caesarea Maritima.
Bibliography: CIL 16.107; M. H. Gracey, “The Roman Army in Syria, Judaea and Arabia” (D.Phil. thesis, Oxford University, 1981) 255; Lya Benjamin, Mihai Spielmann and S. Stanciu, Izvoare și mărturii referitoare la evreii din România; vol. 2, Part 2 (Bucharest: Hasefer, 1990), 141.