The Latin Inscription in front of Hotel Aquincum

Budapest:

The Latin Inscription

in front of Hotel Aquincum

The first Roman army camp in Aquincum was established in AD 73 by a unit known as Ala Prima Tungrorum Frontiniana. The Latin word ala means a wing. In the Roman army the word sometimes denotes a cavalry unit, sometimes an auxiliary unit. In this case probably the latter. Ala Prima is the first unit. Tungrorum shows the name of the tribe where the unit was first recruited. The Tungri tribe is from the Belgian part of Gaul. The word Frontoniana is probably a reference to one of their commanding officers (Frontonius).

The camp was located on the western side of the river, and close to the river, just south of the modern Arpad bridge. The outline of the camp has been identified in excavations, but the camp is not visible today. During excavations around the northern gate (1937 and 1981), archaeologists discovered three pieces of a large stone block with a Latin inscription. Several sections were missing, but scholars have reconstructed the text of the missing sections.

[Here is a link to an epigraphic database: Manfred Clauss.]

Today this area is occupied by a hotel which has two names: Ramada Plaza and Aquincum.
A copy (a modern reconstruction) of the stone block is placed by the entrance of the hotel.






This picture shows the modern road running along the river and the Arpad bridge
crossing the river. To the right you have the river (not visible),
to the left you have the hotel (also not visible).

  



This picture shows the front of the hotel. A modern copy of the large stone block
is placed by the entrance to the hotel.

 

 

Ramada Plaza.

 

 

Hotel Aquincum.

 

Visitors to the hotel are greeted by the large stone block with the Latin inscription.
 

The Latin inscription (dated to AD 73) is written in seven lines.
Here is the Latin text (with some abbreviations):

 

IMP CAESARI VESPASIANO AUG PONTIF MAXIM //

TRIB POT IIII IMP X P [P] COS IIII DESIG V CENSORI //

T CAESARI VESPASIANO IMP IIII PONTIF COS II DES III //

CAESARI AUG F DOMITIANO COS II PRINCIP JUVENT //

C CALPETANO RANTIO QUIRINALE VALERIO FESTO LEG //

ALA PRIMA TUNGRORUM FRONTONIANA //

[? L ... ? ...ORE] PRAEFECTO.
 

The left section of the stone block. If you look closely, you can identify one of the three
original pieces (in the bottom left corner).

Here is an English translation of the Latin text (omitting some of the many titles given):

 

"The first auxiliary unit of the Tungri tribe, known as Frontoniana, [built this fort and dedicated it] to the Emperor Vespasian, to [his older son] Titus, to [his younger] son Domitianus, and to the provincial governor Gajus Calpetanus Rantius Quirinalis Valerius Festus."
 

The right section of the stone block. If you look closely, you can identify two of the
original three pieces (side by side in the bottom right corner).

The provincial governor (Legatus Augusti Pro Praetore) has two names. At first he was known as Publius Valerius Festus. Later he was adopted by Gajus Calpetanus Rantius Sedatus, and in order to mark this event he changed his name to Gajus Calpetanus Rantius Quirinalis Valerius Festus.

 

We do not know when Festus was born, perhaps around AD 30. He served as governor of Pannonia (73-78) as governor of Spain (Hispania Citerior) (79-81), and as governor of Asia Minor (82-83).
We know he died in 85 or 86. He is is mentioned in an epigram by Martial (1.78).
 

In line # 1 the name of the emperor appears: VESPASIANO. Vespasian  ruled 69-79. In line # 4 the name of the emperor's younger son appears: DOMITIANO. Domitian ruled 81-96.

The emperor's older son Titus ruled 79-81. Their family name is Flavius.

Together they constitute the Flavian dynasty.

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Below: this drawing shows the three original pieces and their positions within the large stone block.
As you can see, more than half of the Latin text is a modern reconstruction.
This drawing is borrowed from the German website Ubi Erat Lupa, # 10120.

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