141 - Fully Preserved Tabella II of a Roman Military Diploma Granted by Antoninus Pius. The First Tablet of this Diploma is Stored at the National Museum of Scotland

Fully Preserved Tabella II of a Roman Military Diploma Granted by Antoninus Pius. The First Tablet of this Diploma is Stored at the National Museum of Scotland 158 A.D. A large rectangular tablet with traces of the capsula of the seals visible on the outer face, with three additional fragments of the capsula; text to the obverse: 'A(nte) d(iem) VIII id(us) Febr(uarias) Tertullo et Sacerdote co(n)s(ulibus). / Ex gregale Cn(aeo) Antonio Tuae f(ilio) Cnaeae Selinunt(o) ex Cilic(ia) et Antoniae Talli filiae Nani uxor(i) / eius Selinunt(o) et Saturnino f(ilio) eius et Capitoni f(ilio) eius. / Descript(um) et recognit(um) ex tabula aerea, quae fixa est Romae in muro post templ(um) divi Aug(usti) / ad Minervam.'; text to the reverse '// M(arci) Servili Getae / L(uci) Pulli Chresimi / M(arci) Sentili Iasi / Ti(beri) Iuli Felicis / C(ai) Belli Urbani / C(ai) Pomponi Statiani / P(ubli) Ocili Prisci'. See Hanel, N., Ein neues Diplom f r einen Angeh rigen der misenischen Flotte, Bonner Jahrb cher 185, 1985, 89 95, and Weiss, P., Die zweite Tabella des Milit rdiploms RMD III 171 f r die CLASSIS MISENENSIS, Zeitschrift f r Papyrologie und Epigraphik 208, 2018, 279 280; RMD III 171. 280 grams total, 12.7-19 cm (5 - 7 1/2 in.). [A video of this lot is available to view on TimeLine Auctions Website] German private collection, formed since the 1990s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13525-263654. Completely preserved tabula II of a Roman military diploma which was issued under Emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.). The owner was a Gnaeus Antonius Gnaea, who served 26 years in the classis praetoria Misenensis, the Praetorian fleet stationed at Misenum, and who was honourably discharged from military service. The emperor granted Roman citizenship to him, his wife and children on 6 February 158. Following the legal requirements of the time, it was signed by seven witnesses. Originally, tabella 1 and 2 had been bound together. Unique are the well-preserved bronze strips for closing the space between the rims of both tablets, which form part of this extraordinary lot. The first tablet of this diploma is stored at the National Museum of Scotland, inv. A.1987.133. TimeLine Auctions follows a rigorous vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists. See our website for more information.