Veranius Saturninus

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Holy stone on the occasion of the renovation of the Neckarburken thermal baths
( Römermuseum Osterburken ).
Consecrations of the genius of Veranius Saturninus from Osterburken (Römermuseum Osterburken).

Veranius Saturninus was a Roman officer of the 8th Legion stationed in Strasbourg ( Argentoratum ) . He lived in the 2nd century AD.

Saturninus was sent as a centurion by his troops, which were responsible for the defense of the province of Upper Germany (Germania Superior) together with the 22nd Legion stationed in Mainz ( Mogontiacum ) , to the Roman imperial border in the Odenwald to take command of those in Neckarburken Ostkastell to lead barracked auxiliary troop unit of the Elzbrittonen ( Numerus Brittonum Elantiensium ) . Under his supervision, the military bath there was renovated in 158 AD, as evidenced by a consul-dated consecration stone to Fortuna , which was found in 1982 in the tepidarium (Laubad).

Fortunae Britto-
nes Elantienses ba-
lineum vetustate
conlabsum (!) adiec-
ta concha et cama-
ris opere figlino res-
titutis item vasis
novis positis iubente
Calpurnio Agricola
leg (ato) Aug (usti) pr (o) pr (aetore) curam
agent Veranio Sa-
turnino | (centurione) leg (ionis) VIII Aug (ustae)
v (otum) s (olverunt) Tertullo
et Sacerdote co (n) s (ulibus)

Translation: “For Fortuna, the Elzbrittonen have restored the bathroom, which had collapsed due to reasons of age, by adding a round niche and a tiled ceiling, including a new (heating) boiler. On the orders of the governor Calpurnius Agricola, under the leadership of Veranius Saturnius, centurion of Legio VIII Augusta , redeeming their vows when Tertullus and Sacerdos were consuls. "

Some time later, Saturninus was probably responsible for relocating his unit to the new frontier, the "Front Limes", which was advanced further to the west. There the Elzbrittons were most likely quartered in the extension of the Osterburken fort, which was built “from scratch” by the Strasbourg Legion between 185 and 192 AD. An undated consecration stone with the name of Veranius Saturninus has also been preserved at this location:

Genio pr [aep-]
ositorum
et Genio con-
legi s (anctissimi) secutor-
um eorum sub cur (a)
Verani Saturnini
[| (centurionis)] leg (ionis) V [III A] u [g (ustae)]

Translation: "To the genius of the superiors and the genius of the most holy college of their companions, under the responsibility of Veranius Saturninus, centurion of the Legio VIII Augusta."

In research, Saturninus and its consecration stones are seen as important evidence of the more precise dating of the border shift from the Odenwald Limes to the Front Limes, along with many other factors. Leading scientists now assume that at least the Elzbrittonen and thus also Veranius Saturninus were only stationed in Osterburken some time after the main contingents of the Odenwald line. With such a comprehensive, general staff reorganization of a border section stretching from the Main to the Rems, it is quite conceivable that some units still had to complete long-term tasks at the former old border before they moved. The individual connections have not yet been researched. The context for the long-term investment in the Neckarburken bathroom, which was even enlarged at the time, is unclear.

A fragment of the inscription discovered near the headquarters building in Jagsthausen comes from the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius (138–161). This document is the oldest dated find so far on the "Vorderen Limes" between Main and Rems . In connection with the evaluation of the found inscriptions, the ancient historian Géza Alföldy speculated that this new Limes route was expanded “by 155” under the governor Gaius Popilius Carus Pedo (around 152–155).

literature

  • Egon Schallmayer : The Odenwald Limes. Along the Roman border between the Main and Neckar. Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-8062-2309-5 .
  • Britta Rabold: Elztal-Neckarburken. Castles, baths, fort vicus. In: Dieter Planck (Ed.): The Romans in Baden-Württemberg. Roman sites and museums from Aalen to Zwiefalten. Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3806215553 .
  • Géza Alföldy: Caius Popilius Carus Pedo and the advancement of the Upper Germanic Limes. In: Find reports from Baden-Württemberg 8. 1983, pp. 55-67, doi: 10.11588 / fbbw.1983.0.26572 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ AE 1986, 523 .
  2. ^ Philipp Filtzinger, Dieter Planck, Bernhard Cämmerer: The Romans in Baden-Württemberg. Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 1986. ISBN 3806202877 . P. 470.
  3. ↑ CIL 13, 06578 .
  4. ↑ CIL 13, 06578a .
  5. ↑ CIL 13, 11766
  6. ↑ Egon Schallmayer: The Odenwald Limes. Along the Roman border between the Main and Neckar. Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-8062-2309-5 , pp. 25-28.
  7. ↑ CIL 13, 06561
  8. ↑ Géza Alföldy: The linear demarcation of the front Limes in Upper Germany and the governorship of Gaius Popilius Carus Pedo . In: Egon Schallmayer (Ed.): Limes Imperii Romani. Contributions to the specialist colloquium “World Heritage Limes” November 2001 in Lich-Arnsburg . Saalburg Roman Fort, Archaeological Park, Bad Homburg vdH 2004, ISBN 3-931267-05-9 , (= Saalburg-Schriften, 6), pp. 7-20.
personal data
SURNAME Veranius Saturninus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Saturninus, Veranius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman public official
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd century
DATE OF DEATH 2nd century or 3rd century