05-11-2014, 01:36 PM
Quote:It clearly states that he is miles legionis, but his monument has a representation of medical/surgical tools. Is it possible that he had a status like the one medicus ordinarius, whom you mentioned in your article (Ancient Warfare VI. 4, str. 47) and that he „served in the ranks (in ordine militat)“? ... In which group of soldier would you put this soldier – an ordinariy miles gregarius or in the immunes?The inscription is AE 1903, 376. It is curious that, if the man had been a medic, he does not mention the fact. And yet his heirs thought it appropriate to illustrate his tombstone with a case of surgical instruments.
There is no corpus of medical sculpture known to me (as opposed to medical inscriptions), so I cannot say how common this might be. I would hesitate to use this as evidence that the man was a surgeon, although he may well have been a medical orderly. On the other hand, perhaps he died "under the scalpel"? Would it then have been appropriate to show medical instruments?
A most curious tombstone.
