ProQuest Dissertations - Historia Antigua

commander. 9The colonial colleges for Vibo Valentia and Copia both held at least onelieutenant, but the commission to supplement Aquileia had only one envoy and oneambassador legate. Perhaps the changing nature and interests of colonization at this timeor the lack of available magistrates influenced the relative lack of magisterial experienceon this commission, 10 or perhaps by this time it was enough that M. Cornelius Cethegus'legateship had involved a journey through Aquileia two years before the colony neededsupplementation. 11His experience with the territory might have made up for any lack ofmilitary experience.As for legates who were lieutenants of a legion, the precedent for their magistracybegan after the second Punic War or at least by the 190s during the Macedonian Wars. Atthat time, a commanding magistrate requested that the senate appoint one or more maturelegates of senatorial rank; these legates came on campaign with the legions. Thecommander could delegate part of his duties to the legates, whether it was ambassadorialduties or control over a portion of the troops and ships.This semi-independent controlover the troops and ships required much the same experience that commanding the entirearmy required, including arranging supplies and setting up marching camps. Thus, thecolleges to found Vibo Valentia and Copia were not without men experienced in how tomove troops, provide for them, and house them. Rather, they had men who had thisexperience, but not as much as other commanders. This was probably because of the8 There are numerous other legates on the commissions, but if the commissioner was also a consul or apraetor, the legateship fades in importance. See Appendix 3 for a list of commissioners and references, cf.Broughton MRR (1968 reprint) I and II for the magistracies held by the commissioners.9 Broughton, MRR (1951) I.x.10 Gargola (1995), p. 212 n. 64 on the lack of available magistrates.u Livy43.1.272