DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45608#0006
132
Division III Section A Part 3
The vallum mentioned in 1. 4 was supposed by Zangemeister to have been the
wall constructed along the frontier of the province as a means of protection against
the Bedawin. In defence of this supposition he cited two inscriptions from Britain
{C.I.L. vii 1135 and 1140), which refer to the wall of Antoninus Pius as a vallum.
However, as MM. Dussaud and Macler point out (llf.S.lkf. pp. 77 and 281), no traces
of any such wall have ever been found in Arabia, and there is no reason to believe
that there ever was a wall along the Limes Ar aliens. Furthermore, the word vallum
is frequently used to designate the wall of a permanent castra or castellum, regularly
provided with towers and gates, such as were built at intervals along the general line
of the limes·, see C.I.L. in 13796 (Dacia, 140 A. D.), 11965 (Regensburg, 179 a. d.),
143703 = Arch. Anz. 1899, p. 89 (Boehming in Raetia, 181 a. d.). The last two of
these inscriptions are of the same period as the stone from Umm idj-Djimal. It would
seem, therefore, that the word vallum in this inscription refers to the wall of a Roman
castra, which was built at Umm id-Djimal (already in existence as a Nabataean
settlement) in 177—180 a. d. Mr. Butler informs us that the gate in which this stone
was found, is clearly of second century workmanship. Accordingly, it must have been
the west gate of the original castra, which became the gate of the city when the walls
of the castra were demolished, and the fortifications extended so as to include the
whole settlement.
Unfortunately, the faint traces of letters at the end of 1. 4 give no clue to the
nomen of the legate. On the squeeze taken by MM. Dussaud and Macler there is
no trace of the name Valerio which Zangemeister read on Schumacher’s squeeze, and
the question as to the full name of this governor still remains unsettled; the suggestion
of Waddington (no. 2070 z) to read Ertccio Severo must still be regarded as unfounded.
233. Lintel. 371 a. d. On a lintel of the so-called “Cathedral” (see Div. II.
a. 3, p. 182), a church situated a short distance northeast of the so-called “Praetorium”.
The stone serves as the inner lintel of the southernmost portal on the west side of the
church. Length 1.54 m.; height 47 cm. Height of letters 4-6 cm. The letters contain
traces of red coloring-matter.
Waddington, no. 2058 = C.I.L. in 88.
£ WTyMETPPTJfTVMFABRI
C ATVSEmVRCWfeg XF VNDANEKTO MANoPEVo
FNCOMSVlAlVM^N^RMFANfPERPETVWG-ITiEXyM
Inscr. 233. Scale i : 20.
Salvis d(ominis) n(ostris) Valentiniano, Valente, et Gratiano,
victoriosissimis, semper Aug(ustis), dispositione lull,
v(iri) c(larissimi), com(itis), magistri equitum et peditum, fabri-
c(a)tus est burgufs] ex fundamento mano devo-
tissi[m]orum equitum ix Dalm(atarum), s(ub) c(ura) Vahali trib(uni),
in consulatum d(omini) n(ostri) Gratiani, perpetui Aug(usti) iterum
et Probi, v(iri) c(larissimi).
Division III Section A Part 3
The vallum mentioned in 1. 4 was supposed by Zangemeister to have been the
wall constructed along the frontier of the province as a means of protection against
the Bedawin. In defence of this supposition he cited two inscriptions from Britain
{C.I.L. vii 1135 and 1140), which refer to the wall of Antoninus Pius as a vallum.
However, as MM. Dussaud and Macler point out (llf.S.lkf. pp. 77 and 281), no traces
of any such wall have ever been found in Arabia, and there is no reason to believe
that there ever was a wall along the Limes Ar aliens. Furthermore, the word vallum
is frequently used to designate the wall of a permanent castra or castellum, regularly
provided with towers and gates, such as were built at intervals along the general line
of the limes·, see C.I.L. in 13796 (Dacia, 140 A. D.), 11965 (Regensburg, 179 a. d.),
143703 = Arch. Anz. 1899, p. 89 (Boehming in Raetia, 181 a. d.). The last two of
these inscriptions are of the same period as the stone from Umm idj-Djimal. It would
seem, therefore, that the word vallum in this inscription refers to the wall of a Roman
castra, which was built at Umm id-Djimal (already in existence as a Nabataean
settlement) in 177—180 a. d. Mr. Butler informs us that the gate in which this stone
was found, is clearly of second century workmanship. Accordingly, it must have been
the west gate of the original castra, which became the gate of the city when the walls
of the castra were demolished, and the fortifications extended so as to include the
whole settlement.
Unfortunately, the faint traces of letters at the end of 1. 4 give no clue to the
nomen of the legate. On the squeeze taken by MM. Dussaud and Macler there is
no trace of the name Valerio which Zangemeister read on Schumacher’s squeeze, and
the question as to the full name of this governor still remains unsettled; the suggestion
of Waddington (no. 2070 z) to read Ertccio Severo must still be regarded as unfounded.
233. Lintel. 371 a. d. On a lintel of the so-called “Cathedral” (see Div. II.
a. 3, p. 182), a church situated a short distance northeast of the so-called “Praetorium”.
The stone serves as the inner lintel of the southernmost portal on the west side of the
church. Length 1.54 m.; height 47 cm. Height of letters 4-6 cm. The letters contain
traces of red coloring-matter.
Waddington, no. 2058 = C.I.L. in 88.
£ WTyMETPPTJfTVMFABRI
C ATVSEmVRCWfeg XF VNDANEKTO MANoPEVo
FNCOMSVlAlVM^N^RMFANfPERPETVWG-ITiEXyM
Inscr. 233. Scale i : 20.
Salvis d(ominis) n(ostris) Valentiniano, Valente, et Gratiano,
victoriosissimis, semper Aug(ustis), dispositione lull,
v(iri) c(larissimi), com(itis), magistri equitum et peditum, fabri-
c(a)tus est burgufs] ex fundamento mano devo-
tissi[m]orum equitum ix Dalm(atarum), s(ub) c(ura) Vahali trib(uni),
in consulatum d(omini) n(ostri) Gratiani, perpetui Aug(usti) iterum
et Probi, v(iri) c(larissimi).