syme enigmatic sospes

7/27/2019 Syme Enigmatic Sospes

1/13

The Enigmatic Sospes

Author(s): Ronald SymeReviewed work(s):Source: The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 67 (1977), pp. 38-49Published by: Society for the Promotion of Roman StudiesStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/299917 .

Accessed: 19/09/2012 14:14

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms

of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend

access to The Journal of Roman Studies.

http://www.jstor.org
http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=sprshttp://www.jstor.org/stable/299917?origin=JSTOR-pdfhttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/stable/299917?origin=JSTOR-pdfhttp://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=sprs


2/13

THE ENIGMATIC SOSPESBy RONALD SYME

Inscriptionsound t PisidianAntioch isclose he careers fseveral enators.Theyafford arious nstruction,heprime pecimen eing ] P.f. Stel.Sospes'. The stonewasdiscoveredyHamilton,nd twillbe a suitableributeoepigraphistsfonereproduceshecopymadebythe careful ndexemplaryterrett.'P*F-STEL*SOSTI * ETIALI *LEG*AVGPRO *PR PROVINC GALPISID *PHRYG* VC * SAVRPAPHLAG *PONTI GALAPONTI * OLEMONIANIARM* EG * EG *XIII *GEMDONAT DON MILITARIBEXPEDIT * VEBIC -ET *SARMCOR*MVR*COR*VALL*CORAVR*HAST * VR* RIB *VEXILL * RIB -CVRAT*COLONIOR ET MVNICIPIOR PRAEFRVM* AND * X* *C * RAETORAED *CVRVL*Q*CRET *ET *CTRIB *LEG*XXIII *PRIMIGENIIIVIR*A*A*A*FF*THIASVS * IB

The documentouchesarge ields f mperial istory,otmere ates nd detailn therecord f a single enator.Hence abundant ebate, nd it goes on. Economy nd claritycounsel directpproachothe ext. The last wopostsheldbySospesofferomeprospectofprecision.i. First, hecommand fXIII Gemina, legion tationedn Pannonia ntil t went wayforTrajan's wars, tayingn Dacia after he conquest. Sospes received he decorationsappropriateo a legate f praetorian ank, expedit(ione) uebic(a) et Sarm(atica). Theemperor ho madetheaward s notnamed. Whobut Domitian?Early n theyear 2 an incursion f the SarmataeJazyges estroyedneofthe Pan-nonian egions XXI Rapax). The Suebi, the Germans f Bohemia nd Moravia,weredrawnn, sis ikewise hown y nothernscription. etachmentsromiveegions oughtin a ' bellum uebicum tem armaticum.' hat s, draftedrom he woMoesian rmies.2Domitianhimself ent o Pannonia,wageda war, nd after n absenceof eightmonthsreturnedo Rome n January f 93. The poet Martialhas copiousreferences,nd thechronologysclear.3Mommsen nd Dessau assigned ospes'command o thecampaignfDomitian.4Norwas hesitationonceived r expressed y a number f writers ho dealtwith heDanubianWars.5

I J. R. S. Sterrett, n Epigraphical ourneyn AsiaMinor (x888), 125, no. 98; then CIL III. 68i8= ILS 1017. The first wo lines of the photographof a squeeze are reproduced in 7RS xv (I925), pl.XXXVI.2 ILS 2719, cf. E. Ritterling,RE xii, I444;R. Syme, J7RS xviii (I928), 47 f. Note also the'bellum Germa. et Sarmatic.' of CIL XI. 5992: the'priores principes who decorated this centurion,once only,are a euphemismforDomitian.8 For the full evidence, S. Gsell, Essai sur leregnede l'empereur omitien I894), 224 f. The year

93 was advocated by R. Hanslik, Wiener StudienLXXXIII (I948), I26, also ' 93/4 in RE viii A, 603 f.;and 'either 92 or 93 ' occurs in A. M6csy, Pannoniaand UpperMoesia (I974), 85. An aberration.4 Mommsen, Hermes II (I869), II5 = Ges. Schr.IV, 447; Dessau, LS IOI7 and PIR', S 567."S. Gsell, op. Cit., 227; E. Kostlin, DieDonaukriege omitians Diss. Tiibingen, 9IO), 20 .;E. Ritterling,E xii, I716; C. Patsch,Wiener-B217, Abh. I, 40; R. Syme, n CAHxi (1936), 177, inDanubian apers I971), I09, and elsewhere.


3/13

THE ENIGMATIC SOSPES 39The full name and precise identity f the legate engagedlittle ttention. Everythingspokefor Caesennius. The unusual cognomenrecurs wo generationsaterwithA. JuniusPastor L. Caesennius Sospes, the ordinarius f I63. It was therefore elicitouswhenL. CaesenniusSospes turnedup as consul suffect otso long ago on a diploma ssued tothearmy n Thrace. He standsas the colleagueof C. Clodius Nummus in II4, on July 9.6That revelationhad a double consequence (identity eing assumedwith the legate ofXIII Gemina). It at once abolisheda pair of divergent atingsof Sospes' careerthat hadbeen advocated only a fewyearspreviously. At the sametime,however, fresh erplexity.If this man was a legionaryegate n 92, whydid he haveto waitmorethantwenty earsfora consulship?The objection has point and weight. Yet it may evaporate on closer inspection.Anything an happen in the life of a Roman senator. The consulate of L. CaesenniusSospes, so it will emerge, was a product of time and chance, even perhaps of caprice.Parallels offer orretardation-and a reasonis not farto seek.

II. The next and last post, n Galatia. Its nature s notat all clear. Prolegomena,howeversummary, annot be avoided. For action in Armenia, or forthe threatof action,Romerequiredan army n Cappadocia. At the beginningof Nero's reigna consularcommandwas setup, which ncludedGalatia. Domitius Corbuloheld it,thenCaesenniusPaetus (fora brief pell, and to no good result), hen Corbulo again. In thewinter f66/7 he commandlapsed, Corbulo being recalled and the legions takenaway to deal withthe rebellion nJudaea.Vespasianrestored hecommand, nd ArmeniaMinor quickly ccrued.8 The garrisoncomprised wo egions. XII Fulminata had been sent to Meliteneafter hefall ofJerusalem(in the autumnof 70); and XVI Flavia was stationed t Satala, in ArmeniaMinor.9The firstgovernorof Cappadocia-Galatia has escaped notice. Perhaps M. UlpiusTraianus (suff. 0) who held Syria from73/4until78.10 In the sequel ten are on directattestation,romCn. Pompeius Collega (suff. . 72) to M. JuniusHomullus (suff.02).11Homullus findsmention s governor fCappadocia when Trajan appearedonthe sceneearly n I14: his son was sent on a missionto the rulerofArmenia.12That country eingannexed,the Cappadocian command forfeitedmost ofthe hinterland,nd Galatia revertedto therank of a praetorian rovince. Left withthe frontierone (Cappadocia and ArmeniaMinor), L. Catilius Severus (suff. io) held ArmeniaMaior until it was abandoned threeyears ater.13As forGalatia, the firstgovernorafterthe severance is probablythe Ignotusof anacephalous inscriptiont Antioch.14 he next s the polyonymous]nius Gallus', likewiseatAntioch: clearly o be identifiedwiththegovernor . Cossonius Gallus and with Gallus,consul suffectn i i9.15 Then comes A. Larcius Macedo, on attestationn I2o and in I22(suff. 123).16In the periodof its existence s a consular province,Cappadocia-Galatia embraceda"Noted in Hermes XXXV (I957), 493 - RomanPapers (1977), 351 f. The diploma still lurks un-published in theMuseum at Sofia.I See below, Epilogue."After the deposition of Aristobulus (PIR2,A 1024) in 72-or perhapsin 71.9 For Satala see now T. B. Mitford, JRS LIV(1974), I60 f.10As conjectured n Tacitus 1958), 3'. See furtherG. W. Bowersock, 7RS LXIII (I 973), 134 f. Fordoubts,B. Kreiler, Die StatthalterKleinasiens unterden Flaviern Diss. Milnchen, 1975), 35 f.Il For the list, R. K. Sherk, TheLegates ofGalatiafromAugustusto Diocletian (I95I), 39 f.; W. Eck,Senatoren von Vespasian bis Hadrian (1970), 239.There is a gap between A. Caesennius Gallus(probably 80-3) and Ti. Julius Candidus Marius

Celsus (suff.86). P. Valerius Patruinus (suff.82)is suggestedby B. Kreiler, op. cit., 88 f.; ChironIV (1974), 451 f. He went n to Syria,wherehe isattested n November of 88 (CIL XVI. 35). There is

a chance that an Ignotus intervenes betweenPatruinus and Julius Candidus, who may not havebeen appointeduntil89.12 Dio LXVIII. 19. I.13LS 1041.14 ILS 1039. Governor afterbeing praetor andlegateofa legion, hereforen thestraight athto theconsulate.15 LS 1038 (Antioch); L. Cossonius Gallus isrevealed by AE 1928, IOI (Iconium). Identityisdoubtedin PIR2, C 154I-and deniedforGallus, thesuffectusf I I9, in E 71. See, however,Historiaxiv(I965), 345 - Danubian Papers (1971), 229; XVIII(I969), 359 = RP (1977), 78I. In CIL VI. 32374the consul suffect an stand as 'C]o[ssoni]o Gallo'.Accepted by W. Eck, Senatorenvon Vespasian bisHadrian1970), I85.16PIR2, L 98. It is there suggestedthat LarciusMacedo mightbe identical with the Ignotus of ILS1039.


4/13

40 RONALD SYMEwide area, taking n a congeries of minor territories. n fact,no fewer han eightofthem,thoughthe enumeration s not uniform n the inscriptions.The governorwould need an assistant. Inscriptions eveal threepraetorian egateswhocover, so it appears, the years 78-84. In rank and functiontheyare comparable to theiuridici n Tarraconensis and in Britain, and that term need not be disallowed for theCappadocian complex.

For Ti. Julius Celsus Polemaeanus (suff. 2), the post is thefirst o be held after hepraetorship.'7 Likewise for L. Julius Proculeianus.18 The third,A. Julius Quadratus(suff. 4), had previousemployment, ut of a minorgrade: one yearas a proconsul's egatein Bithynia-Pontus,wo years n Asia.19 Celsus, it will be observed,went on to command alegion during the reign of Titus. That fact s sharplyrelevant o the case of CaesenniusSospes, employed n Galatia after eing egate of XIII Gemina. Sospes looks ikesomethingbetter han a iuridicus.iii. To proceed. The document carries a pair of items that have caused much trouble.First,Sospes is styled leg. Aug. pro pr.' If correct, hatdenotes hegovernor fa province:the iuridicuss only leg. Aug.'.20 Second, Cappadocia is absentfrom he listofthe terri-tories. It leads offwith Galatia.

What then s to be done? Cappadocia, it mightbe assumed,was leftout by accident,whereasthe titulature f the governor s correct. Therefore ne theory akesSospes forapraetorian egate governing he whole of the consular province.21On a similar ssumption,a careful nd succinct tatement as Sospes a praetorian egate n Cappadocia-Galatia,c. 95,succeeding a consular who died in office i.e. Antistius Rusticus).2 At the same time,however, n alternative xplanationwas added: 'it is possible that the provincewas splitfor a shortwhileafterRusticus' death into ts twomaincomponentparts.'iv. The alternative s to be preferred, or everal reasons. It deserves o be prosecuted ndexploited,withclose scrutiny f the componentparts ofthe Cappadocian complex.On the inscriptions hat register he careers of governorsand iuridiciCappadociastandsat the head, followed by Galatia. There are enough of them, without he plethorahonouringA. Julius Quadratus.23 Now the dedication n honourof Sospes was set up byhis freedmanThiasus. This person n loyal assiduity numerated ight subsidiaryregionsunder the authority f his patron. No other document comes anywherenear thattotal.24It strainsbeliefthat great Cappadocia, the head and frontof the consular province,wasomittedby Thiasus through heer inadvertence. That province, t follows,was divided,albeitfor a short nterval f time.Antioch xhibits he cursus fL. AntistiusRusticus suff. o), also his edictdenouncingfood hoarders nd profiteersn a season of dearth.25Famine all too often ngendersdiseaseor thepestilence. A poem of Martial condoleswithNigrina,whobroughtbackto Italytheurn containing the ashes of her husband: ' Cappadocum saevis Antistiusoccidit oris/Rusticus.' 26The poem comes in Martial's ninthbook. rThe eventhwas published n December of92. It anticipates omitian's return rom annonia vii. 6). Bookviii refers ohisvictoriouspresence e.g. viii, I I). It was not published before94, for t carries dated tem,namely

17 ILS 8971.18AE I964, 4 (Comana of Cappadocia). Theinscription happens to show no post betweenquaestor and praetor. He is therefore escribed as'certe patricius in PIR2, J489a. Not likely.19I LS 88I9, cf. the numerous inscriptions istedin PIR2, J 507. The only exception s furnished ythree milestonesof Caesennius Gallus, which in factwere set up in Galatian territory ILS 263; 268;CIL iII. 14i8448).20W. M. Ramsay, however, assumed him aiuridicus, RS xiv 1 924), 1I92); and by inadvertencehe was included with Julius Quadratus and JuliusCelsus in Tacitus 1I958), 68, n. 5.21 Thus D. Magie, Roman Rule in Asia Minor(1950), 1437.

22 B. Levick, Roman Colonies in Southern AsiaMinor I967), 230.23Add now AE I968, 145 (Saepinum): the cursusof the legate M. Hirrius Fronto Neratius Pansa(suff. . 75), showing' pro]vinciaeCa[.' Furthermore,the whole complex is sometimes tyled the Cappa-docian province' (e.g. ILS 88I9).24 Only ILS 1017 includes Pontus Galaticus; andIsauria is elsewhere registered only on PergamonVIII. 3, no. 2I, the nscription f C. Julius QuadratusBassus (suff.O5), governor rom o8 to i i i.25 AE I925, I26.26 Martial IX. 30. I f. In 9I the 'impia Cappa-docum tellus' had carried off Camonius Rufus ofBononia, aged twenty vi. 85).


5/13

THE ENIGMATIC SOSPES 4Ithe consulate of the elder son of Silius Italicus (viii. 66): L. Silius Decianus assumedthefasces with T. Pomponius Bassus for colleague on i September of the year 94. The poempaying ribute o the widow of AntistiusRusticus n the nextbook Ix. 30) is consonantwithhis decease in 93 or in 94. Perhaps the latteryear.v. If a consular quits his post or his life, problem arises for he government-and a topicof genuine concernfor erudite nquiry n later ages. Various parallels offer nstruction.Tiberius Caesar kept he governors f Syria nd of Tarraconensis t Rome, for decade.In Syria a legionary egate was put in charge,the same person for quite a long time, so ithappens to be known.27 The situation n Tarraconensiswas complex and peculiar. Theconsular ad three egions nd threeegati.28 Two of he egionswerebrigaded ogethernthe north-west, nder a single commander the camp lay a little o the south of Asturica),while the legate of the third faced the Cantabrianmountains. The remaining egatehadadministrativeasks n the more civilized parts of the province.During the decennium n question a ' praetorprovinciae is attested,namely L. Piso,who was assassinated by a native n the year25.29 Clearly governor fpraetorianrank.30Furthermore, ommander of the two legions, be it assumed. It would be awkward oranomalous to make him subordinate o the civilian egate. The lattermightbe a person ofsmall consequence, not yet having commanded a legion-and Piso was a nobilis.31Next, a season of civil war. In the course of 69 Trebellius Maximus ran away,andthe commanders f the three egions n Britaindividedthe authority.32 arraconensiswasalso vacated by its consular,and there were no legions there n 70.33 Further, n thatyearSyria was leftwith only one legion for garrison, V Scythica. The legate,Cn. PompeiusCollega, took charge of the province,untila consular arrived.34Finally, he politicalemergency nder Nerva, after he adoptionofTrajan (in Octoberof 97). Two heterogeneous tems combine with advantage. First, the attitude of theconsular in Syriahad givenrise to disturbing umours.35Second, Larcius Priscus, afterbeing quaestor n Asia, is discovered s legateof IV Scythica,bearingthe titleofgovernorofSyria.36The consularhad died, had departed-or had been removed. Death in officewas notinfrequent. In the space of some fifty ears (c. 34 to 84) at least fourof the governorsperished n that nsalubrious country.37This time meremortalitys not the explanation,since the governorwas not succeeded by one of thethree egionary egates n theprovince.The nature of the crisis and the identityof the consular is an entertaining roblem.M. Cornelius Nigrinus suff. 3) now comes out as thepotent candidate, egateofMoesiaand then of Moesia Inferior uring he Dacian War ofDomitian (86-9), and subsequentlylegate of Syria.38vi. An attempt an be made to define nd circumscribe he office o whichSospes accededafter he decease of AntistiusRusticus. Since Sospes had commandeda legion n Pannonia,it s not ikely hathe passed onto a post of nferior ank. Norwoulditbe suitableto set theiuridicusnauthority ver either rboth ofthe egionary ommanders ntheeastern rontier.

27 Seneca, Epp. 12, 8: ' Pacuvius, qui Syriamususuam fecit.' Attestedalreadyin i9 as legate of VIFerrata Ann. II. 79. 2).28 Strabo III, p. i66 f.29 Ann. IV. 45. I.30As argued in JRS XLVI (1956), 20 f. = TenStudies n Tacitus I970), 56 f.31 Thus C. Caetronius Miccio (CIL II. 2423:Bracara), as restored and interpreted y G. Alf6ldy,Fasti HispaniensesI969), 67 f. His nextpostwas thecommand of II Augusta. That scholarputs L. Pisoin the same category ibid. 67).32 Tacitus, Hist. II. 6o.33Hence perhaps a brief tenure by a praetorian

legate. That is Fulvus (AE 1952, i22), identified sT. Aurelius Fulvus (cos. II 85): previously egateofIII Gallica in the East and in Moesia. For thisconjecture,YRS XLVIII (1958), 8 = RP (I977), 389.

34Josephus,BJ VII. 58, mentioning . CaesenniusPaetus (cos. 6I).35Pliny, Epp. ix. 13. I.3 ILS 1055. At the same time C. JuliusProculus,havingbeen' q. Augustorum, turnsup anomalouslyas laticlavius of IV Scythica (ILS 1040): clearlyacting commander. For this reconstructionseeTacitus i958), i6; 631 f."7And perhapsone, or two,more. L. CaesenniusPaetus (cos. 6i) is not heard ofafter 2; and MariusCelsus (suff. 9), attested n 73 (ILS 8903), cannothave had a longtenure.38G. Alf6ldy nd H. Halfmann,Chiron n (I973),331 f., interpreting fragmentarynscriptionfromLiria in Tarraconensis (AE 1973, 283). There is achance, however,thatNigrinuswas governorfor abrief enure from89 to 90/I.


6/13

42 RONALD SYMENow the inscriptionomits Cappadocia. Not by oversight, s some have believed.Therefore divisionof theprovince. The measureadopted by Trajan in I I4 segregated hefrontier one. That is, Cappadocia and ArmeniaMinor, along withthe legions n garrisonat Melitene and Satala. The solutionwas rational, nd it subsisted afterArmeniawas givenup in II7.So farso good. A furthertemnow comes in, not always allowed for n the manydiscussionswhich the documenthas provoked. The listofthe regionsgovernedby Sospesterminateswith Arm. : that s,ArmeniaMinor. Apart fromGalatia, eight reregistered,more hanon anyother nscription fa governor r uridicus.39 he freedman f Sospes waszealous. Perhaps over-zealous-and in error when including Armenia Minor. It goeslogicallywith Cappadocia.On that assumption,the two legionary egates divided authority: compare whathappened in Britain n 69. However, the inscriptions correctwhen accordingSospes thetitleof leg. Aug. pro pr.' and whenomittingCappadocia. If it is correct n this nstancealso, a solution could be produced,albeit mostpeculiar at first ight. That is to say, thefrontier rmywas divided. Sospes, the legate of Galatia, kept all the miscellaneousterri-tories, ncludingArmeniaMinorand the egionat Satala,while the egatecommandingXIIFulminataat Meliteneacted as governor fCappadocia.That arrangementwould make no sense in termsofgeography r ofmilitary olicy.It mightbe safer o assumethat Arm.,' n any case a faulty erm,was added bymistake tthe end ofthe ist. However it be, a divisionof Cappadocia-Galatia occurred, t arose froman emergency,t was notdesignedto lastfor ong. One reasonfor hechoiceof a praetorianmightbe sought n a shortageof suitable consulars, despite a recentsurge of promotions(eleven suffectin go). Dalmatia, itmaybe observed,was assigneda praetorian overnorn92 or 93.40And there s a further actor: a sequence of unhealthy easons at Rome, or even apestilence.41The pale horse ofthe Apocalypsewas ranging hrough he lands.In the course of95 T. Pomponius Bassus assumed the governorship fthe reunitedprovince. He had been consul suffect uring he lastfourmonths f94. The emperor ndhis counsellorsmayhave beenwaiting or hisman to qualify. The previous mploymentsfPomponius Bassus would be worth knowing: presumablythe command of a legion,followedby one ofthe eight praetorian rovinces n theportionofCaesar.

Vii. Sospes' governorship f Galatia thus acquires a meaningand a date,witha durationofperhapsnot much more than a year,terminatingarly n 95. It lends support not thatsupportwas needed) forthe date of the legionary ommand. Briefremarksmaynowgo tohis career.The beginning uguredwell. Sospes was one of the tresvirimonetales,he select andstylishpost in the vigintivirate. t normally onnotesextraction rom a consular family.Sospes was also a fetialis. Membership of that confraternityas no highdistinction-butitmaywell have come to himin early years.The praetorshipmay be put about 88. Sospes then becamepraefectus rumenti andi.Somethingof a surprise. This minorpost is not a signofbrightprospects n the advance-mentof a senator, nd it s seldomfound nthecareersof menwho achieveeminence n waror peace. For example, t is a paradox thatL. Catilius Severus (suff. I0, COS. II I20), whoheld thatpost,should havereached the chargeof the aerarium aturni,which ed straightothe consulship.42An advantageous marriage ontracted bout theyear 107 is theplausibleexplanation, inkinghimto a potent dynasticgroup: he is describedas the 'proavus' ofthe emperorMarcus Aurelius. That terms olicits and bafflesnterpretation.4339above, p. 40 n. 24.40 ViZ. Q. Pomponius ufus suff. 5), cf.CIL xvi.38.41As deduced fromDio LXVII iX. 6, cf. Tacitus

(i958), 69.42 ILS I04I.43 cf. hesitantremarks f Groag, PIR2, C 558. IfCatilius married thewidow of Cn. Domitius Tullus

(II suff.98), who is mentioned n Pliny, Epp. viii.I8. 8, he would become the stepfather f DomitiaLucilla (D i8z), the grandmother f Marcus. Forthat conjecture, Historia xvii (I968), 95 = RP(I977), 683. A previous conjecture suggested thatCatilius might have become a 'substitute grand-father' to Marcus by marryingLucilla herself,cf.Tacitus 1958), 793.


7/13

THE ENIGMATIC SOSPES 43Next, curatorf coloniae tmunicipia. This s a fact fgreat alue: the arliest fsuch officialsnrecord,nduniquefor hetime fthe Flavian mperors. here has beena strange isinclinationmong cholars o admit he nnovation arlier hanthe reign fTrajan. Hence undry ffortso disallowheplain ndpatent ating fCaesenniusospes.44Aftermilitaryaurels nPannonia ndthegovernorshipfGalatia, ospes could ookforward ith ationalonfidenceoa consulshipn97or98. Fortuneurned gainst, ithDomitianssassinatedn Septemberf 6and Trajan dopted yNerva levenmonthsater.Sospeswasdropped rom he istfor 7,or debarredn the equel. Others n thecompanyofhis coevalshad betteruck,or protection. hus theeloquentnovushomoCorneliusTacitus,praetorn 88-and already v vir acris aciundis.45Loyal service o Domitian n therecentyearswas no impediment,s is shownbyTrajan ndbyPliny,n their ifferentashions. he Caesennii, owever, ere n a bad way,being onnected ith he dynasty ow abolished. A Caesennius aetusmarried FlaviaSabina.46That is, the consulof6i, it is generally eld,and a daughter fT. FlaviusSabinus suff. 44). Sabinuswaspraefectus rbi, ccedingothehighdignityn thatyear, oit appears.47The matchbrought onspicuous enefit, ore hanonce. Paetus s thefirst nownconsul fhisfamily-but lso consulrdinarius,distinction ithoutarallel ince heyear

49,48 He went utquickly,n62,to takeuptheCappadocian ommand,uthis nvasion fArmenia nded n disasternda shamefulapitulationotheParthians.49 onethe ess,Caesennius aetuswas ableto comeup again arlyn thereign fVespasian.AsgovernorfSyriahecarried ut theannexationfCommagenen72.50Courtfavour r mere urvival anrehabilitate veteran olitician,ndyoungermenrecover romndiscretionr a mishap. t may ake ometime. In theyear 05 a certainLiciniusNepos,whilepraetor,hrust imself orward ithuntimelyeal,and he didnotabate his activitiesheyear after, arning herebyheunfriendlyabel of ' emendatorsenatus'. It is Pliny'shabitto treatfellowmembers f thehighassemblywithblandindulgence.His recurrentommentsn thebehaviour fNeposthereforeall fornotice-andappear minous.5" novus omoacking pecial avour rmeritmayreach heconsul-ship dozenyears fter eingpraetor.LiciniusNepos nfact urns p as consul uffect-in I27.52Better,ndvariouslynstructive,sthe case of C. Bruttius raesenssuff.I8 or i 9).Asmilitaryribune e earnedmilitaryecorationsn the Danubein89. Butretardationoccurred nce fnottwice nhiscareer. About heyear 07 Plinyurgedhim o renouncethe ase ofretirementnd returnopublic ife.54 here snofurtherrace fPraesens ntilthewinter f I4, whenheemergess legate onductingis egionndeepsnow cross heArmenian aurus.55Praesenswas now aboutforty-five.ertain f hiscoevalshadbeenex-consuls or number fyears.Praesens,s the anguage fPlinydeclares,dhered o thedoctrinesfEpicurus.Hissubsequent onourshowhimhigh n favourwithHadrian. And nfact everal riendsfHadrian ailed ofind onsular mploymentn the armed rovinces ntil hetime ftheParthianWar.56The consulship f L. Caesennius ospes in II4 mayaccordwith hispattern.Somethinglseattracts surmise.WhenTrajan npride ndmajestymarched ntoArmenia,hefirst lacehe occupiedwas Arsamosata.57t laycloseto Rhandeia,where44cf. below, Epilogue.45 One of the superior priesthoodsoften accruedabout the time of a man's consulship.46ILS 995, cf.PIR2, F 440.47As argued now by M. Griffin,Seneca. APhilosopher n Politics 1976), 230; 456 (reverting oBorghesi, gainst Stein in PIR2, F 352).48 The yearofQ. VeraniusandPompeius LonginusGallus.49 Paetus arrivedin 62, not in 6x (as argued by

Groag in PIR2, C 173)." Josephus,BJ vii. 22o. He reachedSyria late in70 (ibid. 59)."I Pliny, Epp. IV. 29; v. 4; 9; 12; VI. 5.

52 Identity is doubted by Sherwin-White n hiscommentaryn Epp. V. 29, denied n PIR2, L 220.But the son of a novushomo praetor n I05) is notlikely o have reachedtheconsulateas earlyas 127.53AE 1950, 66 (Mactar); IRT 545."4Pliny,Epp. VII. 3.65Arrian,fr.85 (Roos). Cf. Historiaxviii (i969),352 = RP (I 977), 774.6 Tacitus 1958), 243.57 Dio LxvIII. I 9. 2, withthereadingofGutschmidand Boissevain: to be accepted in the face ofstrongdoubts expressed by Magie, Roman Rule in AsiaMinor I950), I464 f


8/13

44 RONALD SYMECaesennius Paetus establishedhis base in 6z-and where,overcomeby the Parthian ttack,he made the capitulation.58The Romanswere alert o anniversaries,o recurrence r paradox n the destiny f menand nations. Awarding hefasces o a Caesennius n the year whenhe invaded Armenia, heImperatorbroughtup the past, in the designto enhance and parade his own glory. Thatconsulship was notunalloyed bliss for L. Caesennius Sospes.viii. A young son or kinsman commonlyserves in the armycommanded by a consularlegate; and a son of Caesennius Paetus is on attestation s a military ribune.59 Not, it istrue, n the narration bout Paetus. He is with Corbulo the yearafter, isiting he scene ofthe disaster Corbulo had takenover the three egions of Paetus). This is patently . JuniusCaesennius Paetus, consul rdinariusn 79.Those who augment the discussionabout the inscription f Sospes have neglectedtonotice another son of Paetus. He was only a child, not earninga separate entry n therepertoriafnamesand facts, nd generally assed over that was pardonable) whenwarfareand strategy n Armenia re under scholarlydebate.Benefit can still accrue from reading the texts. When things began to go wrong,Paetus depositedhis wife and son in a fortress alled Arsamosata; and after timetheParthians aid siege to that place, the castellum quo inbellisaetas defendebatur.60An easy assumption s to hand. The small boy preserved romdire peril was assigneda conspicuous cognomen. The word sospes is elevatedand poetical,not frequentn prosewriters. Not in Cicero, not n Tacitus, butsuitably mployedby Pliny n devout referenceto prayers orthesafety f the emperor.6'The boy was aged about four at the time since praetorc. 88, legionary egatein 92).An event n the lifeof a man or a familymay be visiblycommemorated y the choice ofacognomen. There was a certainQ. Servaeus, brought o ruinthroughhis friendshipwithSeianus.62 The cognomen Innocens , adhering o his descendant suff.oz), looks like aposthumous defence and protest.63Again, Suetonius Laetus should make one wonder,military ribune at the Battle of Bedriacum.64Perhaps bornhimself n the oyfulyearofCaligula's accession,he called his son ' Tranquillus . The wordconveysprofoundpeace.65To posit70 as the birthyear of the biographerwill not disturb.66As cognomen Sospes ' is preternaturallyare. Apart from he two senatorialCaesenniionlytwospecimensare on register. The one, so it happens, in Lycaonia,whichbelongedto theprovinceofthe Flavian senator; the other s Clodius Sospis, a soldier n the Vigilesunder Septimius Severus.67But' Sospitianus' should be added. It findshappy odgementwithL. Caesennius Sospitianus, memberof the corporationof LX haruspices.i8Etruriatherefore eckons.Of Caesennii on inscriptions t Rome, only one shows a tribe.69It is ' Stellatina',indicating arquinii. That city s patently hepatria of the ancient nd powerful ens; andthefamily omb s extant.0 Furthermore,wo Caesennii gainentrance o a speechofCiceroconcerningholders ofproperty n Etruria,viz. the twice-married aesennia, summoloconata , and P. Caesennius,a fatman who excitesderision: ' nontam auctoritate ravisquam

58 Rhandeia is supplied by Dio LXII. 21. I. Thename is unique. For the site,Kiessling,RE IA, 227 f.59Ann. xv. 28. 2.60Ann. v. IO. 3; I3. I.61 Pliny,Pan. 67. 5: ' egitcum dis ipso te auctore,Caesar, res publica ut te sospitem incolumemquepraestarent.'62 Ann. VI. 7. 2.63Onlyoneother pecimenoccurs,viz.L. CasperiusInnocens (CIL XIV. 2337), cf. I. Kajanto, The LatinCognominaI965), 252.64 Suetonius,Otho Io. I.65 Lucretius. 3I; Lucan . I7I. Observe domires tranquillae (Ann. I. 3. 7), thesole occurrenceoftheword in Tacitus.

66 For an attempt o put his birth s earlyas 6i or62, see B.Baldwin, ActaClassica VIII (I975), 67.67 CIL III. 6793 (territoryf Lystra); VI. I057. 7,1.49. Cf. . Kajanto, p. cit. n. 63), 232.68 CIL VI. zi6z.69CIL VI. I3937.70 See Historia xiii (I964), II3 = RP (I977),590 f., where the Antonian partisan CaesenniusLento is discussed, also a Caesennius proscribedforhis wealth (Appian, BC iv. II 5), the latter absentfrom RE. For the familytomb, M. Torelli, StudiEtruschi xxvi I968), 469.


9/13

THE ENIGMATIC SOSPES 45corpore.'71 Finally, he nscriptions f Tarquinii contribute wo mencalled P. Caesennius,also Caesennia P. f.72The Flavian senator, t will be recalled, s styled P. f. Stel. Sospes.' An objection atonce arises. How thencould he be a son ofL. CaesenniusPaetus,the consul of6i? Onlyone way offers, o conjecture hatthe fatherwas polyonymous. That is to say, by originhewas a Publius Caesennius, the praenomen Lucius' belonging to some othergentilicium.A desperate xpedient, ome might ay. By good fortune, here s no need now to haverecourse to conjecture,however plausible or expedient. Two wax tabletsfrom Pompeiideclare the consul's full name: he is L. Junius Caesennius Paetus.73 This Caesennius, itfollows,had acquired the item L. Junius' through estamentarydoptionor inheritance.And perhaps also the ' Paetus : senatorial Junii Paeti are on later record.74 ThereforeSospes is the son of a P. Caesennius, keeping he father's raenomen n his filiation.Com-pare C. Plinius L. f Caecilius Secundus, a Caecilius adopted by his maternaluncle C.Plinius.Curiosity s whettedby a contemporary ecurrenceof the item ' L. Junius . ThenotoriouspoliticianQ. Vibius Crispus fromVercellae was consul suffect, robably n theyear 6i.75 His second consulate has recentlycome to light: I5 March, 74, with thenomenclature L. JuniusVibius Crispus .76 The link mightbe significant.Caesennius Paetus and his colleague PetroniusTurpilianus were chosen to initiatechanges of policy, in Armenia and in Britain; and about this time (Seneca's influencewaning fast) new counsellorsof Nero can be surmised from tems thathappen notto bedisclosed in the narrative f Tacitus-Flavius Sabinus as Prefectofthe City,and suffectconsulatesforVibius Crispus (?6i) and for Eprius Marcellus (62). The ordinarii f62 area pair of novihomines,f no interest o posterity.77 ut L. VerginiusRufus opensthenextyear,a knight's on fromMediolanum.78The consular historian ould have gained various benefits roma glance at the fastiofthose years.79Crispus and Marcellus are lateron high show and in sharp portrayal,heministerswhom Vespasian honoured and cherished 0; and Caesennius Paetus was dulyrefurbished.

L. Caesennius P. f. Sospes is thus rescued and installed as the youngerson of L.Caesennius Paetus. About fifteen ears separatehim fromhis brother, he consul of 79.Either one is the son of Flavia Sabina, perhapsboth: Paetus mightalso have marriedaJunia. The elder brother hows the prefix L. Junius on wax tablets,but the Junius isomitted n inscriptionst Rome and at Puteoli.8A For all thatcan be known he temmighthave stood at the head of the dedicationto Sospes set up at Antioch.ix. Anothermember of the old Tarquinian familyhad employment n the eastern ands,namelyA. Caesennius Gallus. Perhaps a polyonymus,ike the consuls of 6i and 79, and, ifso, perhaps inkedto A. Didius Gallus (suff. 9). When the rebellionbrokeout in Judaea,Cestius Gallus the governor f Syria ntervened,aking s the nucleusofhisarmy he egionXII Fulminata. Its commander,Caesennius Gallus, stayed behindto establishorderinGalilee,afterwhichhewent oCaesarea.82 Thus he didnot sharethe disastrous etreat romJerusalem,o itappears.83 How long he retainedhiscommand, here s no sign. The legion

71Pro Caecina I O; 27.72 CIL XI. 3415 f.; 7569. Add now thededicationon a bronze altar at Graviscae: ' Isi et Serapi ICaesennia L.f. Prisca I Vitellia Sp. f. Ingenua ICaesennii Prisci I s.p.p.,' Not. Scavi (I97I), 2IO,.73A E 1973, I4I f.74 viz. JuniusPactus (suff. 27); (?Junius)Paetus(suff. 54); (?D.) JuniusPaetus (suff. 45): PIR2, J790 f. The first f these, t is there uggested,mighthave been a ' D. Junius L. Caesennius Paetus ' andrelated to L. Caesennius Antoninus suff. 28).75 ILS 2927.76 For 6i, U. Weidemann, Acta Classica xviii(I975), I49 f.; for an earlier date in preference,W. Eck,Historiaxiv I,975), 343f.

77viz. P. Marius and L. AfiniusGallus.78 AE i968, 6 (Fasti Ostienses). Hence hisgovernorship f Tarraconensis AE I939, 6o) shouldprobably runfrom74 to 77.79 Tacitus (1958), 387; 743. In the Annales asextant Vibius Crispus only crops up in annotationon his equestrianbrother xiv. z8. 2).80Tacitus, Dial. 8. 3: 'cum quadam reverentiadiliguntur .81 PIR2, C I74.82Josephus,y IL 510; 5I3; III. 31.83 At least on the showing of Josephus.


10/13

46 RONALD SYMEjoined the armyof Titus in 70-but no legateis named amongthe officers resent t theultimate ouncil of war.84 The ill fame ofXII Fulminata was recalled when Titus sent itawayto Melitene after he fallof the city.5Silence envelops Caesennius Gallus for a long space of time until he turns up asgovernorof Cappadocia-Galatia, probably holdingoffice rom8o to 83. Four milestonesattesthim, hree et up underTitus, the fourth nderDomitian.86 The year ofhis consulate(perhaps muchretarded) s noton record.87He may have owedhis provincial ppointmentto theespecial favourof Titus.Nothingis heard of Gallus in the sequel. In the year 84 a governorof Syria died(Atilius Rufus),and Domitian,when awarding he ornamentariumphaliao JuliusAgricola,letfall a hintthat he mightbe in the running orthat province.88As ever,the friends ndcounsellorsof Caesar had their candidates,with claims of various validity. Merit andexperiencecould not be ruled out. Funisulanus Vettonianus suff.78) had succeededAtiliusRufus nPannonia,where diploma attestshim n Septemberof84; andVettulenusCivica Cerialis suff. . 76) stood in Moesia, since at least 82.89On onecount,promotion romCappadocia to Syriawas convenient ndhighly uitable.Two recentgovernors ffered, amely Caesennius Gallus and his predecessorM. HirriusFronto suff. . 75).90 It would be worthknowingwho got Syria: that s, the predecessorofP. Valerius Patruinus suff. 2 or 83), who is attested n 88.L. JuniusCaesenniusPaetus had no longsurvival fterhe managedthe annexationofCommagene n 72. If he had deserved Syria,he deserved second consulate. That honourfellto no fewer han fourmen in 74, amongthem L. JuniusVibius Crispusand T. ClodiusEprius Marcellus. The elder son of Paetus, however, became consulordinariusn 79 andacceded in due courseto Asia (?93/4).91As has been shown, the catastrophe f the Flavian House annulled the prospectsofCaesennius Sospes. He onlyreached thefasces n I 14. The next consul is L. CaesenniusAntoninus, uffect n 128. The short nterval ccords with the retardation f Sospes-ifSospes, as seemsplausible,was his parent.92Then follows s ordinariusn I63 A. JuniusP. f. Fab. PastorL. Caesennius Sospes.93The nomenclature uggestsa genuine adoption,not testamentary,r the assumptionof aname from ffinity,r frompersonal gratitude. This man carries he Fabia', the tribe ofBrixia. One recallsthe JuniusPastor whom the young Plinydefendedwith uccess contrapotentissimos ivitatis tque etiamCaesaris amicos ; and a fragment fthe name can bediscernedon an inscription fBrixia.94x. To resume. Firstof all, scrutiny f the lasttwopraetorian ostsheld by Sospes yieldsaconcordant esult nd dating. Sospes commandeda legion n Pannonia duringDomitian's' expeditio Suebica et Sarmatica'. That was in 92. He next held the governorship fGalatia (eitherwith or without he adjunct ofArmeniaMinor). The appointmenthad areason,namely he decease of AntistiusRusticus, he consular egateofCappadocia-Galatia;it did not last for ong (?94/5),but it oughtto have led to a consulship.Second, identity.A forgotten hild at Arsamosatarisesup to confute ny doubters,explaina cognomen nd establish family exus. Sospes is theyounger onoftheconsulof6i, whosefullnomenclatures now certified, iz. L. JuniusCaesenniusPaetus: he began asa P. Caesennius,for so ' P. f.' in the filiation f Sospes declares.Third, L. Caesennius Sospes, revealedas consulsuffectn I14. He is hereassumed tobe the sameman. A faintdoubt calls formentionn passing. The suffectusf 14 mightbe

84 BJ VI. 237 (the legates of V, X, and XV).85ByvII. I8 f.86 PIR2, A I70; R. K. Sherk,op. cit. (n. II), 46 f.The fourthmilestone hows that he has become XVvirs.f. CIL iII. I4I84 48).87 Compare L. Funisulanus Vettonianus whocommanded IV Scythica n the armyof CaesenniusPaetus (Ann. xv. 7. i): not consul until78.88 Tacitus,Agr. 0. I.89 CIL XVI. 30 28.90For the cursus of M. Hirrius Fronto NeratiusPansa, see the new inscription from Saepinum,

published by M. Torelli inJ7RS VIII (I968), 170 f.,whence AE I968, 145. Torelli suggested thatFrontomighthave been legate of VI Ferrata in 69.W1hich s attractive. But it is not certain, as heassumes (ibid. I74), that Caesennius Gallus was stilllegateofXII Fulminata.91W. Eck, op. cit. (n. II), I44.92To be sure,this man mightbe a grandsonoftheconsul of 79.931LS 1095.94Pliny,Epp. I. I8. 3: Not. Scav. 1950, 70.


11/13

THE ENIGMATIC SOSPES 47a youthfulonsul, he fruit f an earlymarriage.That notion acks appeal: it entailsobtrudingnother enerationetween potential onsul f97 (i.e. Sospes) and a consul fiz8 (i.e. CaesennusAntoninus).Howeverhatmay e, even f dentity ere enied r disprovedepigraphyften ringssurprises),heconclusionsresentedbout hecareer nd parentageftheFlavian enatorwouldnotbe in anyway mpaired.Theonly tem o apsewouldbe theretardedonsulate.xi. WhileTacituswas composingheAnnales, e cameupon heforebearsf enators hoenjoyed ank ndrepute n his own time. Theirfirst ntrances ereoften quivocal, rworse. The consular istorian as not oath o consignheir ehaviour ofirm ecord.Noneed to insist r annotate.The bare nameswereevocative or he contemporaryeader.Specimensbound.95On one theory nd assumption orneliusTacituswent o worknot ong after ereturnedrom heproconsulatefAsia nthe ummerf I3. Trajan'swar oon mpinged.Without evertingomattersn notoriousontroversy,nemayobserve negative ign.Reviewingrovincesndarmies n Book vthehistorianlludes o theeastern rontierndtheroleof hevassalkingdoms. he formulationskept tudiously ague-and it eschewsmentionfArmenia.96Whatever iewbeheld about hedateofcompositionandthe rhythm),twillnotbeeasy omaintainhatTacituswaswritinghe Neronian ooks arlier han he ateyears fTrajan. Personalitiesndpoliticscquired harp elevance:Corbulo ndPaetus, onquestor renunciation.t is permissibleo look for omereflectionn a subtle nd subversivewriter hohadnocall or desire o be explicit.One instance ffordsntertainment. general bout to invadeArmenia omes outwitha proud pronouncement:se tributa c leges et pro umbra regisRomanum usimpositurumictis.'97 hat recalls rajan'sproclamation.98he speaker, owever,s notgreatCorbulo, nly he nept aetus.The historian ouldbe alert o theCaesennii nd their icissitudes.99e wascarefulto mentionheciviliansn thefortresstArsamosata,otoncebut wice.The more manreflectsntransactionsastand present,hemore harply tandout the ludibria erumhumanarum.100Such s thecommentlicited ya casualpieceofbusinessnthe Senate:they orgoto ncludeClaudius, hebrotherf Germanicus,n a public ctof hanksgiving.L. Caesennius ospeswastheclose coevalof Cornelius acitus praetor8).Xii. Epilogue. Sospesmay mpelto reflectionsf a differentrder.Therehas beenapersistenteluctanceo admit hat ospeswasa legionaryegaten92, winning onoursnDomitian's ampaigngainst uebi andSarmatae.Various evices avebeenbroughtntoplay,with ates angingrom hefirstears fVespasiano the ime fMarcusAurelius.'01Dismissinghoseextremes,rief ommentmay go to a pairof recent lucidations.First, roublewith armatianst thebeginningfHadrian's eignwas evoked,s registeredin theHistoriaAugusta.'02 utthose SarmatiansretheRhoxolani, hodweltnearthemouth ftheDanube. No warfare ith he Rhoxolaninfact nsued.103 nd none s on

95Tacitus 1958), 301 f.; 478 f.96Ann. IV. 5. 2: ' dehinc initioab Suria usque adflumen Euphraten, quantum ingentiterrarum inuambitur, uattuor egionibuscoercita, ccolis HiberoAlbanoque et aliis regibus qui magnitudinenostraprotegunturdversum externa mperia . See further' How Tacitus wrote Annals I-I', Publications e laFaculte de Lettres, Universitede Louvain (I977),forthcoming.97Ann.xv. 6. 4.98 Dio LXVIII. 20. 3.9 IncludingCaesennius Gallus. But the' Caesen-nius Maximus' in a long list of persons banishedafter iso's conspiracy Ann. xv. 71. 5) and registeredas PIR2, C 172 is more safelyto be regardedas aCaesonius (Martial VII. 44. I): the historianhimself,

not a scribe,mayhave made an error. Martial termsthe man an ex-consul VII. 44. 6).100Ann. iii. i8. 4.101Early Vespasianic,R. K. Sherk, op. cit. (n. ii),go; for the time of Marcus, A. M6csy, op. cit.(n. 3), IO1. It may be recalled that Domaszewskilong ago assigned LS IOI7 to the reignofAntoninusPius.102HA, Hadr. 6. 6, adduced by H. G. Pflaum,Historia i (1954), 431 f. (at 435). He was followedby J. Dobia4, Omagiu ui C. Daicoviciu 1960), I47 f.For briefdisagreement, anubianPapers I971), 109.103HA, Hadr. 6. 8: 'cum rege Roxolanorum,quide imminutis ubsidiis querebatur,cognito negotiopacem fecit .


12/13

48 RONALD SYMErecord with the Germans across the middle course of the river. Furthermore, he legionXIII Gemina was no longer n Pannonia. It belonged to thegarrison f Dacia.104The corollary f that theorywas to have Sospes governorof Galatia not long after.That will not do either. There is no room forhim. Three legatesof Galatia can be calledup, to fill he years from 14 to I2z.105The theorywas arbitrary,nd fragile n both members, venbefore he consularyear ofL. Caesennius Sospes becameknown. A restatement nsued after time. Why not opera-tions against the Sarmatae Jazyges n I07/8 when Hadrian (praetor io6) held the newlyerectedprovince fPannonia nferior?106 nother assage from he HA was now summonedinto service. It does not amountto much. To quote it in contextmay be enough: ' Sar-matas compressit,disciplinammilitarem enuit, procuratores atius evagantes coercuit'(Hadr. 3.9).What the biography appears to presentis a general and improvingtestimonialofvirtuesrequisite n an exemplary overnor, overnor n this nstanceof Pannonia Inferior.The language fails to disclosea victorious ampaign such as would confer ecorations n alegionary egate; and, once again,no hint of Suebi.The passage should perhapsbe put to differentmploy,to illustrate he contrastingstrandsperceptible n the Vita Hadriani. That is, a favourableor neutral presentation fthat person,with tems of detraction r scandal put to the creditof Marius Maximus.107The restatement ntailedshifting ospes' governorship f Galatia for a second time.It was now allocated c. i i i, which on a normal pattern f promotions oncorded with theyear of his consulate. That datingcarried further ppeal. It demonstrated he division ofthe province Cappadocia-Galatia,well in advance of Trajan's war.Trajan was avid and truculent, ager to seize the earliestpretext or ettling ffairs iththe Parthians, as the ' dignitas mperii enjoined. Signs were therefore ought, of pre-meditation nd also of planning; and some even roped in the special mandate of Pliny,appointed to set in order the affairs f the cities n Bithynia nd Pontus.The severance of Galatia from Cappadocia promised something better,and solid.The notion was taken up, with no hesitations.108 ndeed, it has found firm nd soberendorsement.109The advocates of the new doctrinefailed to explain in what ways the division ofCappadocia-Galatia contributed o preparationsfor a war of aggression. Otheramateurstudentsof geography nd strategymight nterpose he contrary hesis: Cappadocia stillneeded the hinterland orroads,transport nd supplies. JuniusHomullus, it follows,wasthe last of the consular egates. The annexationof Armenia abolishedthe complex. Nonetoo soon, some mightmaintain, orthe monster xtendedfrom he bounds of Pamphyliaand Cilicia to the Black Sea and the riverEuphrates. But that s anotherquestion.

To conclude. Sospes is rescueda secondtime,fromposthumoushazards. One revertsto Mommsenand Dessau, thoughnotto take shelterbehind the magnanomina . Soundmethod (or better,common sense) prescribed mmediateapproach to the document.110But the legionarycommand and the praetorianprovincealone held out some chance ofprecision,not anyof the otherposts.For the careerof Sospes, scholarswere readyto admit and commendanything atherthan a Domitianic date. Whythenthe effortnd allthe contortions?The answer s tranquil,but disturbing. Dogma had formed nd propagated.First, curator oloniarumtmunicipiorum. cceptable, o itwas decreed,underTrajan,104 Warfare on the borders of Dacia in I I7/8happens to be attested by the inscription n JuliusQuadratus Bassus (PergamonVII. 3, no. 2I); andthere s the ensuing command of the knightMarciusTurbo, embracingDacia and Pannonia Inferior. Notstrictlyrelevant, however, to the interpretation fHA, Hadr. 6. 6 f.-and the date of ILS I0I7 was

subsequentlymodifiedby the author of the theory.106 cf.above, p. 39. For his datingof Sospes Pflaumwas under constraint o deny that Gallus (ILS 1038)was Gallus the suffectusf II9, Op. cit. (n. 102), 434.

106H. G. Pflaum,BonnerHAC I968/9 (1970), I84 f.Endorsed by W. Eck, op. cit. (n. 3), I I.107 Emperors nd Biography I97I), 1z6 f.108 R. Hanslik, RE, Supp. x, Io89: 'Tr. trennte,wahrscheinlich uch schon im Hinblick auf seinengeplantenPartherkrieg,mJ. xo die beidenGebiete.'109Thus, following Pflaum's revised dating,W. Eck, op. cit. (n. 3), io f.; RE, Supp. xIv, 8I.110H. G. Pflaum,op. cit. (n. o02), 43I: 'il vautmieuxnous reporter u documentmeme.'


13/13

THE ENIGMATIC SOSPES 49butdubious r denied or hetime fDomitian.111econd, hepostofpraefectusrumentidandi. Likewise ubjectto decree. The post was abolishedby Claudius,restored yNerva.112 ow do weknow?Facts were dduced: none of these raefectiould be dis-covered ninscriptionsetween 4 and96.113Doubtsabout hedogmawerenotoftenxpressed.1' The persistencef faith ed tograve erelictions.115A thought ight avebeengiven othenature nd ncidence f he pigraphicvidenceregisteringenatorialareers rom iberius o Trajan. It exhibitsmen fbirth r success nhighproportion,hich s welcome. Thepraefectirumentiandi end o be new men, nscantprospectf a consulshipt that tage. In fact,Caesennius ospes s the first nownmemberfa consular amilyo holdthe office.Some otherminor osts fpraetorianank onfirm. etween 4 and 96 it willnotbeeasyto conjureup a curator ftheVia Appia-or, forthatmatter,f theAurelia, heFlaminia,heLatina.116 sGoethencorroborationf he bvious adtosay oEckermann,more hanonce, lieberFreund, s ist ebenso.'Wolfson ollege, xford

ill e.g., E. Kornemann,RE iv, I807.112 e.g., E. Kornemann, op. cit., 1780 (followingHirschfeld); M. P. Charlesworth n CAH x (I934),468; A. Momigliano, Claudius, theEmperor nd hisAchievement1934), 50, cf. 107; D. vanBerchem,Les distributionse ble I939), 72; 77.; H. G. Pflaum,op. cit. (n. I02), 441; 449. Also PIR2, J 523 (M.JuliusRomulus).113See the list appended to Pflaum'spaper.114 Vigorousdissentwas raisedbyG. E. F. Chilver,

AJPLXX (I949), 7 f. His interpretationfAE 1925,85 (the careerofM. JuliusRomulus) was notnoticedby Pflaum n I954, Op. cit. (n. 102), 446f.115ILS 1017 was omitted by McCrum andWoodhead, Select Documents f thePrincipates f theFlavianEmperorsI96I).116The earliest known curator of the Latinabelongs c. 95 (Statius, Silvae Iv. 4. 6o). For the fulllist, Pflaum, Corolla Memoriae Erich SwobodaDedicata (I966), i88 f.