DOI Artikel:
Mirković, Miroslava: The Legio VIII Augusta in the Balkans
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41276#0093
91
returns to the question with a new inscription from Burnum, dated from the first
century. With some reasons, he rejects the dating of bricks from Dalmatia to the
second century, but he supposed that the soldier ąuoted in the new inscription died
during the legion’s march to Italy in 69 and was buried in Dalmatia. Although he
accepts that some legion inscriptions in Dalmatia are older than the second century,
he nevertheless concludes that they do not prove that the VIII Augusta or part of
it had a permanent camp in the places mentioned; he supposes that the soldier
recorded in the new inscription could have belonged to a detachment marching
via Burnum to Italy in 69.9 This conclusion has been expanded by G. Alfóldy who
considered that the legio VIII Augusta passed through Dalmatia in 69 on its way
to northern Italy — a route marked by inscriptions from Burnum and Alvona — but
that it halted for several months in Burnum from late 69 to early 70, replacing the
absent legio XI Claudia.10
Stamped bricks discovered at various sites in the Dalmatian province are of
crucial importance to the discussion on the early history of the VIII Augusta; Find-
ing spots are:
Burnum and Smrdelji (south of Burnum): CIL III 10181, 1-2 and p. 2378, 178.
Cf. Patsch.
WMBH 7, 1900, 96, Fig. 1-2: LEG VIII...; p. 97: LEG VIII AVG.
Burnum and Smrdelji, south of Burnum: CIL, III p. 2378-178. Cf. Betz, 51: LEG
VIII AVG;
Asseria, west of Burnum: CIL III 10181,2 and 13339, 1. Buli. dalm. 26,1903,150:
LEG VIII AVG. Cf. Patsch, WMBH 7,96 and Betz, 51.
Bigeste, Gradćine near Ljubuśki, west ofNarona: CIL III 6435, cf. 10181, 1 and
13339, 2.
Patsch, WMBH 7, 1900; Betz, 51.
Ali these bricks are thought to have come from the brick workshop at Smrdelji,11
about 25 km from Asseria. When dating them the following points are to be taken
in consideration: bricks stamped with the seal of the unit cannot be dated in generał
to the earliest period, the reign of Augustus, because the custom goes back no fur-
ther than the middle of the First century.12 In addition, the workshop in Smrdelji,
which produced bricks bearing the seal of the legio III Flavia, are thought to have
closed down in 86, when it left Dalmatia.1' This would put serious obstacles in the
way of any assumption that bricks bearing the seal of the VIII Augusta were of the
later datę, the mid-second century or the Marcomannic Wars. On the other side, not
only bricks, but monuments which must datę from the first century confirm the
presence of the legion in Dalmatia before AD 69.14 If we adhere to the idea that the
VIII Augusta was in Burnum before 70 AD — the most convincing contention
to datę — setting an approximate datę will not present a problem.1'
Assuming a comparatively brief halt en route by the legion in Burnum from late
69 to early 70 does not explain the production of bricks and several inscriptions at
various sites in the province of Dalmatia. The further difficu lties stand in the way
returns to the question with a new inscription from Burnum, dated from the first
century. With some reasons, he rejects the dating of bricks from Dalmatia to the
second century, but he supposed that the soldier ąuoted in the new inscription died
during the legion’s march to Italy in 69 and was buried in Dalmatia. Although he
accepts that some legion inscriptions in Dalmatia are older than the second century,
he nevertheless concludes that they do not prove that the VIII Augusta or part of
it had a permanent camp in the places mentioned; he supposes that the soldier
recorded in the new inscription could have belonged to a detachment marching
via Burnum to Italy in 69.9 This conclusion has been expanded by G. Alfóldy who
considered that the legio VIII Augusta passed through Dalmatia in 69 on its way
to northern Italy — a route marked by inscriptions from Burnum and Alvona — but
that it halted for several months in Burnum from late 69 to early 70, replacing the
absent legio XI Claudia.10
Stamped bricks discovered at various sites in the Dalmatian province are of
crucial importance to the discussion on the early history of the VIII Augusta; Find-
ing spots are:
Burnum and Smrdelji (south of Burnum): CIL III 10181, 1-2 and p. 2378, 178.
Cf. Patsch.
WMBH 7, 1900, 96, Fig. 1-2: LEG VIII...; p. 97: LEG VIII AVG.
Burnum and Smrdelji, south of Burnum: CIL, III p. 2378-178. Cf. Betz, 51: LEG
VIII AVG;
Asseria, west of Burnum: CIL III 10181,2 and 13339, 1. Buli. dalm. 26,1903,150:
LEG VIII AVG. Cf. Patsch, WMBH 7,96 and Betz, 51.
Bigeste, Gradćine near Ljubuśki, west ofNarona: CIL III 6435, cf. 10181, 1 and
13339, 2.
Patsch, WMBH 7, 1900; Betz, 51.
Ali these bricks are thought to have come from the brick workshop at Smrdelji,11
about 25 km from Asseria. When dating them the following points are to be taken
in consideration: bricks stamped with the seal of the unit cannot be dated in generał
to the earliest period, the reign of Augustus, because the custom goes back no fur-
ther than the middle of the First century.12 In addition, the workshop in Smrdelji,
which produced bricks bearing the seal of the legio III Flavia, are thought to have
closed down in 86, when it left Dalmatia.1' This would put serious obstacles in the
way of any assumption that bricks bearing the seal of the VIII Augusta were of the
later datę, the mid-second century or the Marcomannic Wars. On the other side, not
only bricks, but monuments which must datę from the first century confirm the
presence of the legion in Dalmatia before AD 69.14 If we adhere to the idea that the
VIII Augusta was in Burnum before 70 AD — the most convincing contention
to datę — setting an approximate datę will not present a problem.1'
Assuming a comparatively brief halt en route by the legion in Burnum from late
69 to early 70 does not explain the production of bricks and several inscriptions at
various sites in the province of Dalmatia. The further difficu lties stand in the way