Doctors of the Roman Garrison of Tyras: New Readings of Known Inscriptions
Ivantchik Askold I.
The article revises the readings of two inscriptions of Tyras which arguably contain information about the organization of medical service in the Roman garrison of that city in the second century AD. In the first of these (AE 1995, 1350) the re-examination confirms a mention of the medicus vexillationis, an otherwise unattested term; the inscription itself belongs to the very few testimonies of the existence of the vexillation doctor’s position. It confirms the existence of at least two doctors in the vexillation of Tyras, one of whom was a naval doctor. However, the inscription turns out to be of a different nature than its first editor P.O. Karyshkovsky suggested – it is not an inscription “for the success” of the garrison commander, but a dedication to Asclepius and Hygia on behalf not only of the two doctors, but also two legionaries, presumably privates. The text of the first three lines is restored differently: [D(eo) A]ṣclepio • et • Hygi(ae) | [e.g. T(itus) • Fl(avius) •] Ṣuccessus • M(arcus) • Ata|[eus? • P]ḷacid[(us) m(ilites)] ḷeg(ionis) • Ī • Ital(icae). In the second inscription (AE 1990, 869) the mention of the unique term valetudinarius, usually interpreted as referring to the personnel of hospital (valetudinarium), is not confirmed. In its place the cognomen of one of the dedicators Valens is to be restored and the term itself should be considered to be a “ghost”.
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