Uncertain, circa 2nd-early 3rd centuries AD. Military Diploma (Bronze, 20x50 mm, 8.00 g), likely for a decurio in an ala or cohors equitata. Fragmentary, otherwise, very fine.


Obverse:
[...]CVRION[...]
[...]E[...]
[...]OSIS FIL[...]
[...]ET IVLIA[...]
[...]AE ET[...]
[...]ECOGNIT[...]
[...]ROMAE[...]
[...]O ADM[...]

Reverse:
[...]AVOR E[...]
[...]ITTO ETI[...]
[...]CIA POROLI[...]

From the surviving fragments of this Roman military diploma, a few key points can still be recovered. The text most likely refers to a decurio (…CVRION…), a cavalry troop leader of officer-grade standing within a mounted unit. The recipient is further identified by a patronymic (…OSIS FIL…), 'son of …osis.' A little further down, the diploma appears to have named his wife, Iulia (…ET IVLIA…), and probably also additional family members (liberi), although their individual names are lost.

The fragment then preserves the familiar closing formula (DESCRIPTUM ET R)ECOGNIT(UM) … ROMAE … (IN MUR)O … AD M(INERVAM), i.e. the standard statement that the text was 'copied and verified' against the officially displayed bronze tablet at Rome, 'on the wall … near Minerva.'

On the reverse, diplomas normally give the names of the (often seven) witnesses (testes) and/or notes relating to their seals. In this case, the broken lines may preserve traces of names such as …AVOR… (perhaps Favor(is)) and …ITTO… (perhaps Bitto or Vitto), but the identifications remain uncertain.