RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES EST CORNWALL. 251 



On a coin of the elder Tetricus, found at Caerhays, Mars is 

 represented marching boldly, without any other covering than 

 a helmet, wielding his spear and bearing off a trophy on his 

 shoulder, whilst around him is the legend " Mars Victor." On 

 a coin of Grallienus, found in the same collection, is a figure of 

 Mars standing fully equipped in armour, with weapons at rest, 

 and holding out an olive-branch, the legend being "Marti 

 Pacifero." "War we may suppose had secured peace with honor. 



The rites of lustration in the Bossens camp would doubtless 

 be performed by means of the little bowl. In the neighbour- 

 hood of the commanding officer's tent, towards the Praetorian 

 gate, the altars stood ready for public devotion and sacrifice. 

 Cato has preserved to us a formula in which the blessing of 

 Mars was invoked by his worshippers on themselves and on all 

 belonging to them, commencing: — "Mars, Pater, te precor 

 queesoque uti sies volens propitius mihi, domo, &c, &c." 

 Lustrations were originally purifications by ablution in water, 

 but were connected with sacrifices and fumes. The water was 

 sprinkled either with a branch or by means of an asperge, and 

 was carried round the person or object to be purified, generally 

 three times. Roman armies were lustrated, before they took the 

 field ; so was a fleet, about to sail. The Eomans also performed 

 lustration on many other occasions. The priests officiating were 

 accompanied by the principal persons able to be present. 



It is not easy to conjecture the meaning of the letter P which 

 is inscribed in the centre of the Bossens bowl, and around which 

 the other words run, but perhaps some light can be thrown on 

 the matter if attention be directed to it. If it should stand for 

 the concluding word of the inscription the legend must be read 

 thus : — 



AELITJS MODESTUS DEO MARTI R. 



With any part of the verb rogo, or case of the substantive 

 rogatio, something more than now appears would perhaps have to 

 be expressed. The P may stand for some title or description 

 applied to Mars. We might make many guesses without arriving 

 at a solution. R naturally suggests something Pomulian, some- 

 thin c connected with Rome or its people or armies. The legend 

 might simply be "JElius Modestus Deo Marti Pomanorum," 



