Name Traianus Mucianus | ||
Traianus Mucianus was a Roman soldier of Thracian origins of the second half of the Third Century AD who rose from the lowest ranks of the army to senior commands. He was almost certainly a remarkable soldier. However, the successive promotions he secured in the latter part of his career are thought to owe much also to the favour shown him by men highly placed in the Imperial entourage whose patronage secured him advantageous postings in the Imperial comitatus, the mobile field force under the direct command of the Emperor, that was undergoing massive expansion at this time.
Contents
It seems likely that Mucianus's recorded career was passed entirely in military service. However, information relating to his later life is so fragmentary that it is not possible to be certain of this. The evidence can be construed as to read that, after achieving equestrian status (see Roman equestrian order), he was from time to time given gubernatorial postings in his home-province of Thracia and elsewhere.
Origins
Mucianus’s date of birth is not known. Like his presumed patrons, the Brothers Aurelii (see above) he was probably born in Augusta Traiana. Nothing is known of his family or their social circumstances.
Career
The text of the Mucianus Inscription - so far as it survives – lists the appointments he held and, often, the rank at which he held them. The Greek gives the equivalents in that language of the Latin terms that would have been used by the Roman Army. These last are listed below insofar as they can be read or deduced from the inscription.
... In the ranks ...
1. MILES, COH. I CONCORD... - i.e. served as an infantryman in a cohort of auxiliary infantry, Cohors I Concord...; 2. LEGIONARIUS, LEGIO II PARTHICA - served as a legionary (infantryman) in Legio II Parthica: 3. EQUES, COH. VII PRAETORIAE - served as a cavalryman in Cohors VII, Praetorian Guard; 4. EVOCATUS - had served out his time in Coh. VII of the Praetorians and had made a sufficiently favourable impression to be then invited to re-enlist.... in the centurionate ...
5. CENTURIO, LEGIO XIII GEMINA, PROTECTOR - promotion to the rank of Centurion in Legio XIII Gemina, with the additional title of Protector (Augusti Nostri) (i.e. designating him a member of Gallienus's newly created Imperial Bodyguard) 6. CENTURIO PROTECTOR VIGILUM; CENTURIO PROTECTOR URBANICIANUS, CENTURIO PROTECTOR COH. V PRAETORII - indicates three successive postings as a Centurio Protector, in: (i) the Vigiles; (ii) the Urbaniciani (i.e. the Cohortes Urbanae); and (iii) Coh. V, Praetorian Guard; 7. PRINCEPS PROTECT(ORUM) - appointment as the Principal Officer of the Centuriones Protectores;... Equestrian appointments ...
From this point on the listing of Mucianus's postings is based on reconstructions of the damaged inscription text which are often disputed;
Finale
The surviving inscription ends at this point and there is no further information relating to Mucianus’s career. However, it is assumed that he was in Thracia when his memorial was erected. It is possible that he was then governor of the province, but a military command as a Dux is also possible. The inscription can be read either way, but the weight of modern commentary favours Dux
It was at one time thought that Mucianus might be identified with the Aurelius Mucianus, who was Praeses (i.e. governor of equestrian rank) of the province of Raetia (coincides roughly with Switzerland) under Diocletian. Recent commentators have either specifically rejected this notion or ignored it.