Life and death of legionary soldiers in third-century Agypt. An interdisciplinary study of tomb monuments of Legio II Traiana Fortis.

This interdisciplinary project starts from funerary monuments of Legio II Traiana Fortis, originating from the necropolis of Nikopolis in the neighbourhood of Alexandria (third century). They belonged to legionary soldiers, their wives and children. The tomb stones have been dispersed over several collections: the major part is kept in Alexandria; the other tomb stones are now in Europe and the US. The project will result in two volumes. In a first volume the Latin and Greek texts will be edited and the reliefs will be described and interpreted. In a second volume a historical and iconographical analysis will be presented. The historical section aims at a better understanding of the military presence in third-century Egypt, the military and social life in and around the camp of Nikopolis and of the Roman soldiers and veterans in Egyptian society in general. In the iconographical section a typology of the reliefs will be presented, with particular attention for the military equipment. This section is under the supervision of dr. Jon Coulston of de University of St Andrews (Scotland).

Keywords:Roman army, Roman Egypt, Military tombstones, Epigraphy

Disciplines:Economic history, History, Historical theory and methodology