Quintus Antonius Isauricus was a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

legatus legionis A ''legatus'' (; anglicised as legate) was a high-ranking Roman military officer in the Roman Army, equivalent to a modern high-ranking general officer. Initially used to delegate power, the term became formalised under Augustus as the office ...

'' commanding

Legio VI Victrix Legio VI Victrix ("Victorious Sixth Legion") was a legion of the Imperial Roman army founded in 41 BC by the general Octavian (who, as Augustus, later became Rome's first emperor). It was the twin legion of VI ''Ferrata'' and perhaps held vet ...

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

during the AD 130s under Hadrian. He is attested as later serving as suffect consul in May 140 under

Antoninus Pius Antoninus Pius ( Latin: ''Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius''; 19 September 86 – 7 March 161) was Roman emperor from 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors from the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. Born into a senatori ...

with Lucius Aurelius Flaccus as his colleague.Werner Eck, "Die Fasti consulares der Regierungszeit des Antoninus Pius, eine Bestandsaufnahme seit Géza Alföldys Konsulat und Senatorenstand" in ''Studia epigraphica in memoriam Géza Alföldy'', hg. W. Eck, B. Feher, and P. Kovács (Bonn, 2013), p. 73

Life

Anthony Birley makes several comments about Isauricus' name and likely family.Birley, ''The Fasti of Roman Britain'', (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981), p. 247 Birley notes Quinti Antonii are rare in all parts of the Roman Empire, and only one other senator is known. The ''

cognomen A ''cognomen'' (; plural ''cognomina''; from ''con-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became here ...

'' "Isauricus" is reminiscent of two consuls of the late

Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Ki ...

, Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus, consul 79 BC, and his son Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus, twice consul in 48 BC and 41 BC; their descendants can be traced into the second century AD. Birley speculates that Antonius Isauricus may be descended from these Republican consuls through the female side. Quintus Antonius Isauricus is named in an inscription from

Eboracum Eboracum () was a fort and later a city in the Roman province of Britannia. In its prime it was the largest town in northern Britain and a provincial capital. The site remained occupied after the decline of the Western Roman Empire and ultimat ...

(

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

). The inscription was dedicated to his wife, Sosia Juncina, whom Birley speculates may have been related to another consul,

Quintus Sosius Senecio Quintus Sosius Senecio ( 1st century AD) was a Roman senator who was favored by the emperors Domitian and Trajan. As a result of this relationship, he was twice ordinary consul, an unusual and prestigious honor: first in 99, with Aulus Cornelius P ...

, consul in 99 and 107. A fragment of the '' Fasti Feriarum Latinarum'' and a

military diploma A Roman military diploma was a document inscribed in bronze certifying that the holder was honourably discharged from the Roman armed forces and/or had received the grant of Roman citizenship from the emperor as reward for service. The diploma ...

provide evidence of his consulate.

Inscription at York

The Inscription which names Isauricus is an altar dedicated to

Fortuna Fortuna ( la, Fortūna, equivalent to the Greek goddess Tyche) is the goddess of fortune and the personification of luck in Roman religion who, largely thanks to the Late Antique author Boethius, remained popular through the Middle Ages until at ...

by his wife, Sosia Iuncina. It was found in 1839 at the site of the Old Railway Station, York and is associated with the Roman Baths nearby. Dedications to the Goddess of fortune are often associated with bath-houses. The stone, measuring 71 x 40 x 38 cm and made of limestone, is inscribed with seven lines of texts. The stone inscription reads: DEAE / FORTUNAE / SOSIA / IUNCINA / Q(uinti) ANTONI / ISAURICI / LEG(ati) AUG(usti)

To the Goddess Fortuna, Sosia Juncina, wife of Quintus Antonius Isauricus, Imperial Legate, built this.

References

External links

Altar to Fortuna
in the

Yorkshire Museum The Yorkshire Museum is a museum in York, England. It was opened in 1830, and has five permanent collections, covering biology, geology, archaeology, numismatics and astronomy. History The museum was founded by the Yorkshire Philosophical Soc ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Antonius Isauricus, Quintus 2nd-century Romans Roman legates Suffect consuls of Imperial Rome Isauricus