01-29-2012, 04:59 AM
Quote:[Ta]bularium princi[pis cum im]ag(inibus) | d[om]us divinae option[es coh(ortis) pri]mae | de suo feceru[nt] | Q(uintus) [Semp]ronius Felix p(rimi) p(ili) P(ublius) Aeli[us Macrinus] princ(ipis) | L(ucius) [Vale]rius Ianuarius has(tati) C(aius) Iu[l(ius) Longinian(us) p]r(incipis) pos(terioris) | C(aius) [Ant]onius Silvanus has(tati) pos(terioris) ...It also shows that the title of the princeps prior was abbreviated to princeps. However, in the passage from DBC 3.64 quoted by Macedon, Caesar gives this officer his full title when describing the incident at Dyrrachium in which all the centurions of the First Cohort of the Ninth Legion were killed except the princeps prior.
This (fragmentary) inscription, set up by the optiones of the primi ordines of the Third Augusta legion at Lambaesis around AD 250 shows that the third in seniority (L. Valerius Ianuarius' centurion) was simply known as the hastatus (not hastatus prior).
Quote:I can see from the Latin quotes above that the "ordinus" was a very important word in Roman military nomenclature and with regard to the office of the cenurion. What does it exactly mean? Can it be a centuria as Duncan has suggested?It seems that ordo in the plural can also, in effect, mean 'cohort'. In DBC 3.53, Caesar refers to the promotion of the centurion Scaeva from the Eighth Cohort (ab octavis ordinibus) to primus pilus, i.e., to the primi ordines.
Michael King Macdona
And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
