Laterculus Veronensis Explained

The Laterculus Veronensis or Verona List is a list of Roman provinces and barbarian peoples from the time of the emperors Diocletian and Constantine I, most likely from AD 314.

The list is transmitted only in a 7th-century manuscript preserved in the Chapter Library of Verona.[1] The most recent critical edition is that of Timothy Barnes (1982). Earlier editions include those by Theodor Mommsen (1862), Otto Seeck in his edition of the Notitia dignitatum (1876), and Alexander Riese in his Geographi Latini minores (1878).

Description

The document comprises a list of the names of all the provinces of the empire (c. 100 in total), organised according to the twelve newly created regional groupings called dioceses. Although the dioceses are presented in a single list, they are not ordered in a single geographical sequence but rather in two separate eastern and western groups, the eastern group (Oriens, Pontica, Asiana, Thraciae, Moesiae, Pannoniae) preceding the western (Britanniae, Galliae, Viennensis, Italiae, Hispaniae, Africa). The split is apparent from the discontinuity midway in the list between the dioceses of Pannoniae and Britanniae. The eastern half of the list circles the Mediterranean neatly anticlockwise from south to north or, in continental terms, from Africa, through Asia, to Europe. The arrangement of the western half is less tidy, though it is approximately anticlockwise from north to south, or from Europe to Africa.

The barbarian peoples listed may in some instance have lived outside of the provincial structure of the empire, but they are all clearly regarded as living within the empire. Even in the cases of those barbarians clearly living within provinces, however, the Laterculus suggests that a meaningful distinction was drawn between "civilized" and "uncivilized" areas.

Date

Theodor Mommsen had dated the provincial situation in the list to 297, but later research changed the estimate to 314–324 for the Eastern Half and 303–314 for the Western Half of the Roman empire. The most recent work by Timothy Barnes and Constantin Zuckerman concludes that the entire document belongs to a single moment, c. 314, the eastern and western parts corresponding to the respective spheres of responsibility of the emperors Licinius and Constantine during the period between Licinius' defeat of Maximinus Daza in 313 and his own defeat in his first civil war with Constantine in 316–317.

Text

The text on the left is the original Latin, divided into lines beginning with capital letters. The original text uses the interpunct (·) to separate entries and is mostly unicase.[2] The text on the right is an English translation.[3] Latin original

Latin: Incipit eiusdem nomina prouinciarum omnium.

Latin: Diocensis Orientis habet prouincias numero XVIII

Latin: Libia superior

Latin: Libia inferior

Latin: Thebais

Latin: Aegyptus iouia

Latin: Aegyptus herculea

Latin: Arabia

Latin: item Arabia

Latin: Augusta libanensis

Latin: Palestina

Latin: Fenicen

Latin: Syria ecohele

Latin: Augusta eupatenses

Latin: Cilicia

Latin: Isauria

Latin: Tupus

Latin: Mesopotamia

Latin: Osroaena

Latin: Diocensis Pontica habet prouincias numero VII

Latin: Bitinia

Latin: Cappadocia

Latin: Galatia

Latin: Pamplagonia, nunc in duas diuisa

Latin: Diospontus

Latin: Pontus polemiacus

Latin: Armenia minor, nunc et maior addita

Latin: Diocensis Asiana habet prouincias numero VIIII

Latin: Phanfilia

Latin: Frigia prima

Latin: Frigia secunda

Latin: Assa

Latin: Lidia

Latin: Caria

Latin: Insuluae

Latin: Fisidae

Latin: Ellespontus

Latin: Diocensis Tracoae habet prouincias numero VI

Latin: Europa

Latin: Rodope

Latin: Tracia

Latin: Emossanus

Latin: Scitia

Latin: Misia inferior

Latin: Diocensis Misiarum habet prouincias numero XI

Latin: Dacias

Latin: Misia superior margensis

Latin: Dardania

Latin: Macedonia

Latin: Tessalia

Latin: Priantina

Latin: Priualentina

Latin: Epiros noua

Latin: Epiros uetus

Latin: Creta

Latin: Diocensis Pannoniarum habet prouincias numero VII

Latin: Pannonia inferior

Latin: Fauensis

Latin: Dalmatia

Latin: Ualeria

Latin: Pannonia superior

Latin: Noricus pariensis

Latin: Noricus mediterranea

Latin: Diocensis Brittaniarum habet prouincias numero VI

Latin: Primam

Latin: Secundam

Latin: Maxime caesariensis

Latin: Aelauiae caesariensis

Latin: Diocensis Galliarum habet prouincias numero VIII

Latin: Betica prima

Latin: Betica secunda

Latin: Germania prima

Latin: Germania secunda

Latin: Sequania

Latin: Lubdunensis prima

Latin: Lubdunensis secunda

Latin: Alpes graiae et poeninae

Latin: Diocensis Biennensis habet prouincias numero VII

Latin: Biennensis

Latin: Narbonensis prima

Latin: Narbonensis secunda

Latin: Nouem populi

Latin: Aquitanica prima

Latin: Aquitanica secunda

Latin: Alpes maritimas

Latin: Diocensis Italiciana habet prouincias numero XVI

Latin: Beteiam histriam

Latin: Flaminiam picenum

Latin: Tusciam umbrenam

Latin: Apuliam calabriam

Latin: Licaoniam

Latin: Corsicam

Latin: Alpes cotias

Latin: Retica

Latin: Diocensis Hispaniarum habet prouincias numero VI

Latin: Beticam

Latin: Lusitaniam

Latin: Kartaginiensis

Latin: Gallecia

Latin: Tharraconensis

Latin: Mauritania tingitania

Latin: Diocensis Africae habet prouincias numero VII

Latin: Proconsularis

Latin: Bizacina

Latin: Zeugitana

Latin: Numidia cirtensis

Latin: Numidia miliciana

Latin: Mauritania caesariensis

Latin: Mauritania tabia insidiana

Latin: Felix saeculum.

Latin: Gentes barbarae, quae pullulauerunt sub imperatoribus

Latin: Scoti

Latin: Picti

Latin: Calidoni

Latin: Rugi

Latin: Heruli

Latin: Saxones

Latin: Camari

Latin: Crinsiani

Latin: Amsiuari

Latin: Angri angriuari

Latin: Fleui

Latin: Bructeri

Latin: Cati

Latin: Burgunziones

Latin: Alamanni

Latin: Sueui

Latin: Franci

Latin: Gallouari

Latin: Iotungi

Latin: Armilausini

Latin: Marcomanni

Latin: Quadi

Latin: Taifruli

Latin: Hermundubi

Latin: Uandali

Latin: Sarmatae

Latin: Sciri

Latin: Carpi

Latin: Scitae

Latin: Gothi

Latin: Indii

Latin: Armeni

Latin: Horro [ ]

Latin: Palmoerni

Latin: Mosoritae

Latin: Marmeritae

Latin: Theui

Latin: Isaur [ ]

Latin: Friges

Latin: Persae

Latin: Item gentes, quae in Mauretaniae sunt

Latin: Mauri gensani

Latin: Mauri mazazeses

Latin: Mauri baueres

Latin: Mauri bacautes

Latin: Celtitibari

Latin: Turini

Latin: Ausitani

Latin: Calpitani

Latin: Cantabri

Latin: Enantes

Latin: Nomina ciuitatum, trans Renum fluuium quae sunt

Latin: Usiphorum [{{lang|la|Usipiorum}}]

Latin: Tuuanium [{{lang|la|Tubantum}}]

Latin: Nictrensium

Latin: Nouarii

Latin: Casuariorum [{{lang|la|Chasuariorum}}]

Latin: Istae omnes ciuitates trans Renum in formulam Belgicae primae redactae. Trans castellum Montiacesenam LXXX leugas trans Renum Romani possederunt. Istae ciuitates sub Gallieno imperatore a barbaris occupatae sunt. Leuga una habet mille quingentos passus. Explicit.English translation

Here begins the names of all the provinces.

The diocese of the East has 18 provinces [only 17 listed]:

Libya Superior

Libya Inferior

Thebais

Aegyptus Iovia

Aegyptus Herculea

Arabia Nova

Arabia

Augusta Libanensis

Syria Palaestina

Phoenice

Syria Coele

Augusta Euphratensis

Cilicia

Isauria

Cyprus

Mesopotamia

Osroene

The diocese of Pontus has 7 provinces:

Bithynia

Cappadocia

Galatia

Paphlagonia, now [after 384] divided in two

Diospontus

Pontus Polemoniacus

Armenia Minor, now [after 381] greatly expanded

The diocese of Asia has 9 provinces:

Lycia et Pamphylia

Phrygia Prima

Phrygia Secunda

Asia

Lydia

Caria

the Islands

Pisidia

Hellespontus

The diocese of Thrace has 6 provinces:

Europa

Rhodope

Thracia

Haemimontus

Scythia

Moesia Inferior

The diocese of the Moesias has 11 provinces:

Dacia and Dacia Ripensis

Moesia Superior

Dardania

Macedonia

Thessalia

Achaea

Praevalitana

Epirus Nova

Epirus Vetus

Creta

The diocese of the Pannonias has 7 provinces:

Pannonia Inferior

Savensis

Dalmatia

Valeria

Pannonia Superior

Noricum Ripense

Noricum Mediterraneum

The diocese of the Britains has 6 provinces [only 4 listed]:

Britannia Prima

Britannia Secunda

Maxima Caesariensis

Flavia Caesariensis

The diocese of the Gauls has 8 provinces:

Belgica Prima

Belgica Secunda

Germania Prima

Germania Secunda

Sequania

Lugdunensis Prima

Lugdunensis Secunda

Alpes Graiae et Poeninae

The diocese of Viennensis has 7 provinces:

Viennensis

Narbonensis Prima

Narbonensis Secunda

Novem Populi

Aquitanica Prima

Aquitanica Secunda

Alpes Maritimae

The Italian diocese has 16 provinces [only 8 listed]:[4]

Venetia et Histria

Flaminia et Picenum

Tuscia et Umbria

Apulia et Calabria

Lucania et Bruttii

Corsica

Alpes Cottiae

Raetia

The diocese of the Spains has 6 provinces:

Baetica

Lusitania

Carthaginiensis

Gallaecia

Tarraconensis

Mauretania Tingitana

The diocese of Africa has 7 provinces:

Africa Proconsularis

Valeria Byzacena

Tripolitana

Numidia Cirtensis

Numidia Militiana

Mauretania Caesariensis

Mauretania Sitifensis[5]

A happy age.

Barbarian peoples who grew under the dominion of the emperors:[6]

Scoti

Picti

Caledonii

Rugii

Heruli

Saxones

Chamavi

?Frisiavi

Amsivarii

Angrivarii

?[7]

Bructeri

Chatti

Burgundiones

Alamanni

Suebi

Franci

Chattuarii

Iuthungi

Armilausini

Marcomanni

Quadi

Taifali

Hermunduri

Vandali

Sarmatae

Sciri

Carpi

Scythae

Gothi

?Venedi[8]

Armenii

Osrhoeni

Palmyreni

?[9]

Marmeridae

?Nabataeans[10]

Isauri

Phryges

Persae

The peoples that are in Mauretania:[11]

Quinquegentiani

Mazices

Barbares

Bacuates

Celtiberi

?Astures/?Turdetani

Ausetani

Carpetani

Cantabri

Edetani

The names of cities that are across the river Rhine:

[city] of the Usipetes

[city] of the Tubantes

[city] of the ?Tencteri[12]

[city] of the ?Novantae[13]

[city] of the Chasuarii

All these cities across the Rhine were received into the rule of Belgica Prima. Across from the fortress of Mogontiacum, the Romans possessed 80 leagues beyond the Rhine. Under the Emperor Gallienus, these cities were occupied by barbarians. One league has one thousand five hundred paces [i.e., 1.5 [[Roman mile]]s]. Explicit.

References

Notes and References

  1. Verona, Biblioteca Capitolare, MS II (2), at fol. 255 recto, line 14-fol. 256 recto, line 19; E. A. Lowe, Codices Latini Antiquiores 4 (Oxford, 1947), p. 21, No 477
  2. The text is drawn from, with punctuation removed and the spelling of provincial names corrected to better reflect the idiosyncrasies and errors of the original manuscript based on .
  3. The provincial names are from ; except where noted, those of the barbarian peoples and cities from, relying on Karl Müllenhoff.
  4. The discrepancy between the promised 16 and the listed 8 is the largest in the existing copy of the Laterculus., lists a further four Italian provinces that were probably in existence at the time of the document but are not listed: Aemilia et Liguria, Campania, Sicilia and Sardinia.
  5. , suggests Mauretania Tubusuctitana as a possible alternative name of the province.
  6. The translation of this line is from .
  7. Müllenhoff suggested a people named for the river Flevum (Latin Fleuus fluuius).
  8. It is unlikely that Indii refers to Indians. It was corrected to Vinidi by Müllenhoff, while, suggests Iudaei (Jews).
  9. The name is corrupted. Müllenhoff suggested it should read Bosoritae; Riese suggested Bostritae. See Kroll 1933 and .
  10. According to, Riese suggested reading Theui as a corruption of Nabathei.
  11. The translation of this line is from .
  12. , emends it to Nicirenses and takes it to mean "people of the Neckar".
  13. This emendation is suggested by .