Inscription for Constantine and Licinius celebrating the reconstruction of Tropaeum Traiani supervised by the praet. prefects Petronius Annianus and Iulius Iulianus
source date: 314/315 AD
edition published: 2020-03-27
availability: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)

Romanae securitatis libertatisque vindicibus, dominis nostris Flavio Valerio Constantino et , piis, felicibus, aeternis Augustis quorum virtute et providentia, edomitis ubique barbararum gentium populis ad confirmandam limitis tutelam, etiam Tropeensium civitas auspicato a fundamentis feliciter opere constructa est. Petronius Annianus, vir clarissimus, et Iulius Iulianus, vir eminentissimus, praefecti praetorio, numini eorum semper dicatissimi.

The edition is based on Popescu 2015, nr. 16 with a different integration at the l. 2.

“To the defenders of Roman security and liberty, our masters Flavius Valerius Constantinus and Valerius Licinianus Licinius, Pious Fortunate and eternal Augusti, by whose virtue and providence, having everywhere tamed the peoples of the barbarian tribes, in order to strengthen the defence of the frontier, the city of the Tropaeans has also been fortified, with work built auspiciously from the foundations; Petronius Annianus, of clarissimus rank, and Iulius Iulianus, of eminentissimus rank, praetorian prefects, always most devoted to their divine spirit.”

(Chastagnol 1969, p. 140)

“Aux vengeurs de la sécurité et de la liberté romaines, nos seigneurs Flavius Valerius Constantin et Valerius Licinianus, pieux, heureux, éternels Augustes, par la vertu et la prévoyance desquels, une fois domptés partout les peuples des nations barbares et pour renforcer la protection du limes, la cité de Tropaea a été reconstruite, les travaux ayant été heureusement entrepris depuis les fondations, Petronius Annianus, clarissime, et Julius Julianus, éminentissime, préfets du prétoire, toujours très dévoués à leur divinité.”

“Ai difensori della sicurezza e della libertà di Roma, i nostri signori Flavius Valerius Costantinus e Valerius Licinianus Licinius, Pii Felici eterni Augusti, per la cui virtù e provvidenza, con cui hanno domato ovunque i popoli delle tribù barbariche al fine di rafforzare la difesa dei confini, anche la città di Tropaeum Traiani è stata fortificata con costruzioni realizzate con successo fin dalle fondamenta; il chiarissimo Petronius Annianus e l’eminentissimo Iulius Iulianus, prefetti del pretorio sempre devoti al nume e alla maestà loro.”

This inscription was discovered in 1893 near the eastern gate of Tropaeum Traiani, in the province of Scythia; a tall limestone trophy (2.65 m) was found with it. Both originally formed part of the city’s gate. The trophy consists of a tree trunk, from which hang two greaves, a tunic, a cuirass and a sword belt (balteus), the latter decorated with coloured stones or glass, now lost (LSA 1120).

The epigraphic field, broken into two parts, is well preserved and carved within a tabula ansata and framed by a double moulding, while the spandrels are decorated with rosettes in the upper side and ivy leaves in the lower ones.

The prefectural college decreed this monument for the re-founding of the city of Tropaeum Traiani, during which they were appointed to strengthening the colony’s limes. Since the city was under Licinius’ control, the praetorian prefect Iulius Iulianus (for his career see below) was probably entrusted to supervise the work. The colony was created by Traianus as a fortified settlement and as such played a crucial role in the defence and supply of the eastern Danubian provinces. The refoundation was part of a wider building plan concerning the other Thracian and Danubian provinces that aimed to fortify their borders (ad confirmandam limitis tutelam) after they had been damaged during the Gothic raids. After this building work, Tropaeum Traiani became a bigger urban centre of monumental appearance with extended walls and towers, giving to the Augusti the occasion to celebrate not only their victories, but also their ability to protect this area from foreign incursions (cf. Rizos 2013, pp. 672-673; 2017, pp. 24-27; 2018, p. 212).

Our inscription attests the names of two prefects, the only ones to be in office in the empire at that time: Petronius Annianus (PLRE I, Annianus 2, pp. 68-69; cf. Barnes 1982, pp. 100, 127; Porena 2003, pp. 291-296, 313-316), prefect of Constantine, and Iulius Iulianus (PLRE I, Iulianus 35, pp. 478-479; cf. Barnes 1982, pp. 102-103, 128, 141; Porena 2003, pp. 296-299, 316-320), prefect of Licinius.

Petronius Annianus’ career is mostly unknown. Since he appears as vir clarissimus in our inscription, Chastagnol (1968, p. 325) identified him as a member of a senatorial family, more specifically the Petronii Probii. However, Porena (2003, pp. 295-296) has disagreed with this identification, arguing that Annianus conducted an equestrian career of bureaucratic or military type, typical of the prefects of the second half of the 3rd Century.

Annianus was ordinary consul together with C. Ceionius Rufius Volusianus in 314 AD (CLRE, pp. 162-163), and pretorian prefect, as our inscription attests (see also PPRET 09), in the western part of the empire. Since Egyptian papyri do not mention his prefecture (P. Cair. Isid. 16, 46; PSI 07 820, 31 and others: the list in Porena 2003, p. 293, nt. 227) which is only attested between 315-317 AD, it is possible that Annianus became prefect after the consulate. Nevertheless, Porena does not exclude that in 314 AD, he could already have been praetorian prefect and ordinary consul at the same time, since Egyptian sources often omitted the indication of the prefectural office (Porena 2003, pp. 293-294).

His role of responsibility in provincial administration is shown by an epistle addressed to the vicar of Africa, Domitius Celsus (dated April 28th 315 AD, see Optat. Milev., App. 08, CSEL 26, p. 212 Ziwsa), concerning administrative provisions during the Donatist debate: he was ordered to send back to Africa Donatist bishops and priests from the Council of Arles. It is possible to infer from this document, that the prefect also had jurisdiction over public transport, a prerogative attested for the first time and that will become standard only from the 4th Century onwards (Porena 2003, pp. 299-307).

Iulius Iulianus was a native of Syria and had a wide cultural education in rhetoric and jurisprudence. He belonged to the equestrian order and gained the highest administrative offices: agens vices praefectorum praetorio in the East probably under Galerius and Maximinus (see P. Oxy. 41, 2952 and Bowman 1976, p. 162, nt. 96), prefect of Egypt in 313-314 AD (for the date see P. Laur. 03, 484 and Pintaudi 1982, pp. 261-263), and finally pretorian prefect of Licinius, an office that lasted, according to literary sources, about ten years (314-324 AD, see Lib., Or. 18, 09; cf. Porena 2003, pp. 296-299).

The prefect was surely a trusted and appreciated administrator under Galerius, Maximinus and Licinius. Nevertheless, after Licinius’ defeat at Chrysopolis, Iulianus brilliantly continued his career under Constantine. Porena conjectures that he was not responsible for Licinius’ decisions or that maybe he contributed to his emperor’s downfall (Porena 2006, p. 347).

He even became part of the imperial family through the marriage between his daughter Basilina and Iulius Constantius, Constantine’s brother: their union would spawn the future Emperor Julian (Lib., Or. 18, 09 and Vanderspoel 1988, p. 420). According to Salway (2008, pp. 286-291; 2015, pp. 212-213) Iulius Iulianus became consul in 325 AD: the scholar identified him with a Ionius Iulianus mentioned in the Egyptian papyri (see CLRE, pp. 184-185), assuming that “Ionius” probably was his signum. If this identification is correct, it would be yet more evidence to support the brilliance of his career under Constantine.

Recently Vanderspoel identified one of the authors of the Emperor Julian’s epistolary as the grandfather of our prefect Iulius Iulianus (Vanderspoel 1999). This attribution is very important in understanding his tie with the Eastern elites, not to mention his success under Constantine. Indeed, these letters show a very cultured man, deeply connected with the philosopher Iamblicus and his circle of scholars in Syria (among them the philosopher and counselor of Constantine Sopratros).

He was certainly appreciated for his administrative, rhetorical and legal skills, but also his tie with the influential circle of Syrians, particularly appreciated by Constantine, probably determined Iulianus’ success (Porena 2003, pp. 316-320).

The chronology of the prefects’ mandates and also some other data in the text are useful in dating the monument.

Firstly, let us note an erasure at ll. 2-3: Licinius’ name was deleted probably after Constantine’s victory in 324 AD, so the monument has to be dated before the degeneration of Constantine and Licinius’ relationship. Indeed, since the Caesars’ names are not mentioned, this inscription was also made before March 317 AD. Our prefects are only attested in power as of 314 AD, allowing Porena to date this inscription to sometime between the end of 314 and 315 AD (Porena 2003, pp. 308-312).

Tocilescu 1894, p. 109, nr. 52 = AE 1894, 0111 Tocilescu 1900, pp. 56-57 CIL 03, 13734 ILS 8938 Popescu 1976, p. 184, nr. 170 Grünewald 1990, p. 242, nr. 402 Popescu 2015, nr. 16

EDCS 29601665 EDH 028858 LSA 1120 Ubi erat Lupa 22059 TM 191319

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v(ir) c(larissimus), v(ir) em(inentissimus)

praef(ecti) praet(orio)