![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 🏺
![STATUE BASE, 112 CE. FORUM OF TRAJAN
This inscription dedicates a statue in front of the Basilica Ulpia to the emperor Trajan, thanking him for the construction of his forum from his own portion of the spoils from the victorious campaign in Dacia. It gives his titles, including "Dacicus", and the number of times he has held various high offices of state, from which we can identify the date as 112 CE. The text says "The Senate and the People of Rome. To Emperor Caesar, son of the divine Nerva, Nerva Trajan Augustus, Germanicus, Dacicus, Pontifex Maximus, [invested] with the tribunician power for the 16th time, acclaimed Imperator 6 times, Consul 6 times, Father of the Fatherland. To the Best Prince, because he has enhanced the Republic [the state] and the private interests of its citizens with the works of the Forum." The perfection of the letterforms in this forum arguably defined the highest development of classic Roman epigraphy.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:y2ps7or6drwz3yuvelv6glai/bafkreidvqj22g7xguyydrkrjqlk27ywadhz3mche4m2qq7wyoduxvvzfuy)
