§293 Diploma Awarded to Matthias son of Polaius

Diploma Awarded to Matthias son of Polaius

(0293) Text: Ser(vius) Galba Imperator Caesar August(us), pontif(ex) maximus, tribunic(ia) potestate, co(n)s(ul) design(atus) II, vetaranis qui militaverunt in legione I Adiutrice, honestam missionem et civitatem dedit, quorum nomina subscripta sunt, ipsis liberis posterisque eorum, et conubium cum uxoribus, quas tunc habuissent, cum est civitas iis data, aut, siqui caelibes essent, cum iis, quas postea duxissent dumtaxat singuli singulas. a(nte) d(iem) XI k(alendas) Ianuar(ias) C(aio) Bellico Natale, P(ublio) Cornelio Scipione co(n)s(ulibus), Matthaio Polai f(ilio), Suro(s). Descript(um) et recogn(itum) ex tabula, quae fixa est Romae in Capitolio ad aram. || C(aius) Iulius Agrippa Apamma, C(aius) Iulius Sace[rd]os An(t)io(chia), L(ucius) Velina Nauta Antioc(hia), Ti(berius) Claudius Chaerea Antio(chia), L(ucius) (C)ornelius Optatus Antioc(hia), L(ucius) Secura Alexandrus veteranus, M(arcus) Va(l)erius Diodorus veteranus

Translation: Servius Galba, Emperor Caesar Augustus, chief priest, holding the authority of a tribune of the people, appointed consul for the second time, has given an honourable discharge and citizenship to those veterans who served in legio I Adiutrix whose names are written below, together with their children and descendants, and further has given them a grant of formal marriage with the wives which they had acquired at the time when citizenship was given to them, or if they were single at the time of the grant, with those wives whom they later took in marriage provided this is limited to one wife each. Dated to 11 days before the calends of January in the year when Gaius Bellius Natalis and Publius Cornelius Scipio were consuls. To Matthais, the son of Polaius of Syria. Written down and copied from the tablet which has been set up at Rome in the Capitol beside the altar. (Trans. Fred Baxter)

Provenience: Verona, Italia 22 Dec 68 CE

Commentary: Auxiliary legions (legiones I and II Adiutrix) recruited non-citizens and awarded citizenship with diplomas similar to auxiliaries. Legio I Adiutrix was formed in 68 CE from the naval legio I Classica. The recipient Matthias was Jewish.

Bibliography: CIL 16.8; CIL 10.771; RMD 4 p. 615-616; AE 1994.387; Alfredo Buonopane, “Un diploma militare ritrovato: autopsia di CIL, XVI, 8,” Epigraphica 56 (1994): 216-223.