Titus Eppius Latinus

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Titus Eppius Latinus
Inscription in honor of Latinus
Born
Neviodunum (modern-day Drnovo)
CitizenshipRoman
EraRule of Emperor Trajan
Titleduumvir iure dicundo municipii Latobicorum
procurator ad census accipiendos
procurator familiarum gladiatoriarum provinciarum Hispaniarum trium
procurator IIII publicorum Africae
Parent
  • Titus (father)
Familygens Eppia

Titus Eppius Latinus (fl. during the reign of Trajan) was the first known Pannonian Roman member of the ordo equester.

Origin[edit]

Latinus was born in Neviodunum (officially municipium Flavium Latobicorum, modern-day Drnovo) in the province of Pannonia. He was in the Quirina tribe and his father was called Titus.[1] There are multiple theories on his ethnic origin. He may have come from a Northern Italic family moving from Aquileia[1][2]—or a Dalmatian.[1] Inscriptions set up by southern Gauls in the vicinity of his birthplace suggest that his ancestors lived in Southern Gaul.[3] Another possibility is that—like the majority of provincial equites—he was a member of the local aristocracy that gained citizenship.[1]

His nomen gentilicum could've been the Latinized version of the native Pannonian Epo or Eppo name present around Emona (modern-day Ljubljana) and Neviodunum,[4] however, Eppius was very rare in Pannonia. It was also rare but present in Northern Italy,[4][5] including Aquileia,[5] and much more common in Southern Gaul.[4][5] In Noricum it appears as Eppaeus.[4] On the other, his cognomen was widespread in Northern Italy and Noricum.[5] It asserts that he was of Roman origin but that may suggest he actually wasn't.[1]

Service[edit]

Unlike most equites, Latinus didn't start as a military officer.[1] Before getting admitted into the ordo equester, he was duumvir of Neviodunum.[1][6] Afterwards, he occupied multiple procurator posts under Trajan.[1] He was procurator ad census accipiendos of a province with the job of carrying out a census, then procurator familiarum gladiatoriarum provinciarum Hispaniarum trium charged with administrating the companies that recruit gladiators from Hispania.[1][6] Added up, these positions paid him 60,000 sestertii yearly.[6] Later, Latinus worked as procurator IIII publicorum Africae overseeing the finances of Africa.[1][6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Agócs 2017, p. 49.
  2. ^ Sólyom 2021, p. 276.
  3. ^ Mócsy 2014, p. 136.
  4. ^ a b c d Szabó 2003, p. 24.
  5. ^ a b c d Agócs 2014, p. 70.
  6. ^ a b c d Abascal 2011.

Sources[edit]