36 The Imperial Government
nus’judgementnorthenatureofthecommunicationsinvolvedcanbere-
constructed.What is evident from the inscription, however, is theway in
whichthedistantEmperor’sdecisionformstheframeworkforthehearing
ofthecaseinAchaea.
ThequiteextensivelegalevidencefromTrajan’sreignprovidesveryclear
parallelsforthat,aswellasofferingevidenceforothermediumsforimperial
decisionmaking,whichwillnotbediscussedhere.Themostprominentis
thelayingdownoflegalrulesbytheissuingofedicts(edicta).^40 Thereisalso
onereportwhichseemstoreflectatrial(cognitio)heldbyTrajan,alongwith
advisers.^41 Ulpianalsoquotesverbatimtheclause(caput)whichTrajancaused
tobeinsertedinthemandatawhichweregiventoprovincialgovernors,con-
cerningthemuchmoreliberalruleswhichweretoapplytothedrawing-up
ofvalidwillsbysoldiers:‘‘Followingthebenevolenceofmydispositionas
regardsmymostexcellentandmostloyalfellowsoldiers,Ihavethoughtit
rightthatconsiderationshouldbeexercisedinregardtotheirlackofknowl-
edge[simplicitas].’’^42 Though,asIhavesuggestedbefore,asystematictreat-
ment of themandatawould be invaluable,^43 the topic will not be pursued
furtherhere.
Instead,wecanmovedirectlytoTrajan’srescripts(rescripta)addressedto
recipientswhoareevidentlyprovincialgovernors,andwhoineachcasewill
(like Pliny) have taken the initiative in writing to consult him.The jurist
Florentinus,forinstance,quotestheextensiverescript(whichisaslongas
thefullestofTrajan’srepliestoPliny)inwhichtheEmperortriestoexplain
toStatiliusSeverusexactlyunderwhatconditionsasoldier’swill,underthe
terms of the privilege (privilegium) given in themandata, can be regarded
as valid.There is no doubt that the explanation arises from a case before
Severus:‘‘thereforethesoldier[miles],aboutwhosepropertyaquestionhas
been raised beforeyou...’’^44 The question of militarydiscipline, and the
needtokeepsoldiersattheirduties,isalsoconspicuous,justasitisinthe
exchangeswithPliny.ThusTrajanreplied(‘‘rescripsit’’)toMiniciusNatalis
that‘‘festivals[feriae]giveaholidayonlyfromlegaltransactions,butthose
- Asnotedabove,theevidenceispresentedbyGualandi(n.14).EdictaofTrajan:Frag.
de iure fisci6;Inst.3,7,4;Dig.34,9,5,20;47,11,6,1;49,14,13pr.-1,withfurtherreferences
tothefavour(beneficium)conferredbyTrajan(evidentlyinthissameedictum)in49,14,13,
6and8;15,3;16;42pr.(‘‘accordingtotheenactmentofthedivineTrajan’’);49.
41.Dig.37,12,5(mentioningtheadviceofNeratiusPriscusandAristo).
42.Dig.29,1,1pr. - Millar(n.20),641–43.
44.Inst.2,11,1.