226 NOTES ON LATIN INSCRIPTIONS FOUND IN BRITAIN. 



EVINA. As to the first it is of but little moment and can never be 

 determined witb certainty or probability. It may have been Publius, 

 as in Gruter, civ. 9, but it must be borne in mind that in that inscrip- 

 tion ADIVTOR is more probably a cognomen and not the designation 

 of an Office. 



With reference to the word or words between PROCC and RVINA, 

 Dr. Bruce' s citation of the inscription given by Horsley, (Durham, n, 

 xii.) seems to remove all doubts on the point. I do not, however, 

 feel quite satisfied with the interpretation of the word principia, as 

 *' chief military quarters" or "officers' barracks;" or of ruina op- 

 pressa, as "which had fallen into ruin." 



The latter expression, (which is so rare that I have been 

 unable to find any other example in inscriptions,^ seems to me to 

 indicate that the principia, whatever they were, were destroyed by 

 the falling of something else, — either the building of which they 

 formed a part, or some adjacent edifice. It is certainly in this sense 

 that the words are used by Cicero, de Oratore, ii, 86. " ea ruina 

 ipsum oppressum cum suis periise. 



The ordinary form of expression, which is found in inscriptions, 

 relating to the falling of buildings, is vetustate collapsum. In 

 Steiner, Cod. Inscrip. Rom. Rhen. n. 852, we find the following 

 variety, approaching that in the text : — 



DIS. CONSER 

 VATORIBVS. Q- TAR 

 QVITIVS. CATVL 

 VS- LEG- AVG- 

 CVIVS- CVRA- PRAETOR 

 IVM- IN- RVINAM 

 CONLAPSVM- AD- NO 

 VAM- FACIEM- 

 RESTITVTVM. 

 But the principal and most interesting question relates to the em- 

 peror, whose names and titles are given. 



As there were three emperors, each of whom was commonly known 

 as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius, our only hope of determining to 

 which of them we should refer the inscription, is in the other epithets 

 Felix and Invictus. Now there is satisfactory evidence that Commodus 

 was the first Roman emperor to whom the epithet felix was given, 

 and consequently the question is limited to Caracallaand Elagabalus.* 



* There are one or two inscriptions, in which Commodus is styled M. Aurelius Antoninus 

 Pius Aug. Felix, and Invictus, but, however, the question in the present case_seems to be 

 properly limited to Caracalla and Elagabalus. 



