The Middlewich Diploma

Date of Object:

105 AD

Find-spot:

King Street, Middlewich in 1939

Translation and reconstruction as follows:

The Emperor Caesar Nerva Traianus Augustus, conqueror of Germany, conqueror of Dacia, chief priest, in his ninth year of tribunician power, four times acclaimed victorious, five times consul, father of his country, has granted to the cavalrymen and infantrymen who are serving in…alae and …cohorts called; ala Gallorum et Thracum Classiana, Roman Citizens and …and who are stationed in Britain under…, who have served 25 or more years, and whose names are written below:

Citizenship for themselves, their children and descendants, and the right of legal marriage with the wives they had when the citizenship was granted to them or if any were unmarried, with those who they later marry, so long as it is only one each. Given this day (three or four days before…) in the consulships of Caius Julius Bassus and Gnaeus Afranius Dexter (AD 105, 4 May – 13 July). From …ala Classiana, Roman Citizens,  commander…nicius. To the cavalryman called…us, son of Rammus from…and Amabillis, daughter of Firmus, his wife. Copied and checked from the bronze tablet set up in Rome.

(Witnesses) Tiberius Julius Urbanus, Quintus Pompeius Homerous, Publius Caulius Restitutus, Publius Atinius Amerimnus, Marcus Julius Clemens, Tiberius Julius Euphemus, Publius Caulius Vitalis

Dimensions:

Width:   130mm

Length:  160mm

Location:

Held at Grosvenor Museum. 

The fragments of one side of a Bronze military discharge diploma