![TOMBSTONE OF M. ULPIUS IANUARIUS, 130-150 CE. S. CATERINA DEI FUNARI
This rather lovely tombstone was turned face-down and reused as a paver in the C16 church of S. Caterina dei Funari in Rome. The top part, trimmed off, shows the deceased on a kline, banqueting. His epitaph is purely military: "Marcus Ulpius Ianuarius, sesquiplicarius [an offer who received pay-and-a-half] of the Emperor's horse guard, from the squadron of Valerius Bassus, a Pannonian by birth, lived 45 years and served 23 years. Marcus Ulpius Primus, from the same squadron, his heir, took care to have this set up for his well-deserving friend". Ianuarius was from the turbulent province of Pannonia in the Balkans, and took the family name of Trajan, along with Primus, his heir. Based on the epitaphs we have of these guards, many came from the Balkans: skilled cavalrymen, they were not from old Roman settlements sponsored by members of the court, but owed loyalty only to the emperor.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:y2ps7or6drwz3yuvelv6glai/bafkreietr3eclkalwdulsh5c4ralpcqrlx36aky3ppcebtdti3gr5v7z7u)
TOMBSTONE OF M. ULPIUS IANUARIUS, 130-150 CE. S. CATERINA DEI FUNARI This rather lovely tombstone was turned face-down and reused as a paver in the C16 church of S. Caterina dei Funari in Rome. The top part, trimmed off, shows the deceased on a kline, banqueting. His epitaph is purely military: "Marcus Ulpius Ianuarius, sesquiplicarius [an offer who received pay-and-a-half] of the Emperor's horse guard, from the squadron of Valerius Bassus, a Pannonian by birth, lived 45 years and served 23 years. Marcus Ulpius Primus, from the same squadron, his heir, took care to have this set up for his well-deserving friend". Ianuarius was from the turbulent province of Pannonia in the Balkans, and took the family name of Trajan, along with Primus, his heir. Based on the epitaphs we have of these guards, many came from the Balkans: skilled cavalrymen, they were not from old Roman settlements sponsored by members of the court, but owed loyalty only to the emperor.
The #tombstone of an imperial guard for #EpigraphyTuesday tells us quite a lot about the changing composition of the #Roman #empire in the C2 CE, and provides another splendid example of #Antonine #epigraphy. This slab was used as a paver for the church of S. Caterina dei Funari. #AncientBluesky 🏺
