The Augustan Revolution
official dress only on entering their province, wore military uniform and
asword,and,irrespectiveofwhethertheywereex-praetorsorex-consuls,
wereassignedfivelictors.^8
Theseformaldistinctionsapart,itappearsthatalegate(legatus Augusti pro
praetore)exercisedafullimperium^9 withinhisprovincenolessthandidapro-
consul;‘‘tohimhadbeenentrustedtherods[fasces],symbolsofmagistracy,
thepraetorianjurisdiction,andthelegions,’’asDomitiusCelerobservedin
relationtoCn.Piso,legateofSyria.^10 Ulpianlaiddownthatanypraeses(gov-
ernor)had‘‘in[his]province...authoritygreaterthaneveryoneelseafter
theemperor.’’^11 Butweretheredifferencesinthecontactsoflegatesandpro-
consulswiththeEmperor?
MandatafromtheEmperor
DomitiusCeler,inhisremarksaboutPiso,continued:‘‘ifanactofhostility
occursintheprovince,whoismoreentitledtoopposeitwitharmsthanhe
who has the authorityof a legate and received personalmandata[codes of
instructions]?’’ThuslegatesreceivedmandatafromtheEmperor,asdidthe
prefect of Egypt,^12 theIdios Logos(the official in charge of the private ac-
countinEgypt)asweknowfromthepreambleoftheGnomon(ahandbook)
andprocuratorsinpublic^13 andimperialprovinces.Theearliestdetailedevi-
dence we have for the content of imperialmandatais given by the Greek
inscriptionfromHamainSyriawithanextractfromthemandataofDomi-
tian to the procuratorof Syria.^14 The extract concerns the use ofdiplomata
(certificates entitling the bearer to transport services), and the exaction of
servicesbysoldiersonthemarch.Thefirstdetailedevidenceformandatato
senatoriallegatescomesfromPliny’scorrespondencewithTrajan.Theman-
dataPlinyreceivedforhisgovernorshipofBithyniaincludedprovisionsfor
thedispositionofsoldiers,proceduresinrecruiting,thegrantingofpardon
. Dio,,–.
. Mommsen,StaatsrechtII^3 , : ‘‘The governors of the imperial provinces are also
holdersofanindependenthigherimperium.’’
. Tac.,Ann.,,.
.Dig.,,;,(Ulpian,Lib.ad edictum).
. Philo,In Flaccum,‘‘bythemandata[sent]toMagiusMaximus.’’Cf.Dig.,,,
‘‘andthisisstatedinhisinstructions.’’
. Tac.,Ann.,,,‘‘butifhehadusurpedthegovernor’sauthorityandusedmilitary
force,inthatmatterhis[Tiberius’]mandatahadbeenflouted.’’
.IGLSV,.FortheviewthattheprocuratorconcernedistheprocuratorofSyria,
seeJRS():.