Leu Numismatik AG
Web Auction 20 16-18 Jul 2022
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Philip I, with Philip II as Caesar, 244-249. Military Diploma (Bronze, 49x51 mm, 17.00 g), for an unknown soldier of the second Praetorian cohort in Philippi. G. Bruttius Praesens, consul, 246. W. Eck & A. Pangerl: Neue Diplomzeugnisse für die Truppen in den Donauprovinzen aus dem 2. Jh., in: Acta Musei Napocensis 56 (2019), pp. 101-102, 9 (this piece). Fragmentary and pierced, and with a small piece glued to the edge, otherwise, very fine.
From a Swiss collection, formed before 2011.
Obverse:
[IMP CAES M IVLIVS PHILIPPVS PIVS FEL AVG PONT MAX TRIB POT III COS P P M IVLIVS PHILIPPVS NOBILISSIM CAES NOMINA MILITVM QVI MILITAVERVNT IN COHORTIBVS PRAETORIIS PHILIPPIANIS ... VT ETIAMSI PEREGRINI IVRIS FEMINAS]
IN MATRIMONIO [SVO IVNXERINT PRO-]
INDE LIBEROS TO[LL AC SI EX DVOB CI-]
VIBVS ROMANI[S NATOS A D VII ID IAN)]
C BRVTTIO PRE[SENTE C ALLIO ALBINO COS]
COH II [PR PHILIPPIAN P V
...]
Reverse:
Marks resembling letters.
This interesting diploma was issued for a veteran of the Cohors II Praetoriana Philippiana. Philippi saw the establishment of a Roman colony by Mark Antony after the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, which was later refounded by Octavian in 30 BC. As such, the city had a strong military identity, with one of its coin issues even referring to the Praetorian cohorts settled there. The consul mentioned in our diploma, Gaius Bruttius Praesens, came from an old senatorial family, which, by his time, included several consuls amongst its ranks. He was probably also a relative of Crispina, the wife of Commodus, who may have been his great-aunt.
From a Swiss collection, formed before 2011.
Obverse:
[IMP CAES M IVLIVS PHILIPPVS PIVS FEL AVG PONT MAX TRIB POT III COS P P M IVLIVS PHILIPPVS NOBILISSIM CAES NOMINA MILITVM QVI MILITAVERVNT IN COHORTIBVS PRAETORIIS PHILIPPIANIS ... VT ETIAMSI PEREGRINI IVRIS FEMINAS]
IN MATRIMONIO [SVO IVNXERINT PRO-]
INDE LIBEROS TO[LL AC SI EX DVOB CI-]
VIBVS ROMANI[S NATOS A D VII ID IAN)]
C BRVTTIO PRE[SENTE C ALLIO ALBINO COS]
COH II [PR PHILIPPIAN P V
...]
Reverse:
Marks resembling letters.
This interesting diploma was issued for a veteran of the Cohors II Praetoriana Philippiana. Philippi saw the establishment of a Roman colony by Mark Antony after the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, which was later refounded by Octavian in 30 BC. As such, the city had a strong military identity, with one of its coin issues even referring to the Praetorian cohorts settled there. The consul mentioned in our diploma, Gaius Bruttius Praesens, came from an old senatorial family, which, by his time, included several consuls amongst its ranks. He was probably also a relative of Crispina, the wife of Commodus, who may have been his great-aunt.