210 The Imperial Government
Bythesecondcentury,itwaspossibleforsuchlibellitobeforwardedto
theemperorbyprovincialgovernors,accompaniedbyacoveringletter,both
carriedbymessengers.Suchanexchange,whichtookplaceinthereignof
MarcusAurelius,providesoneoftheveryfewglimpsesweevergetofthe
archivesoftheemperorsandhowtheyweremanaged.Onceagain,however,
theglimpseisindirect.Thesourceisagainaninscription,abronzetabletdis-
coveredatBanasa(Morocco),andevidentlyputupbythebeneficiariesofthe
imperialgrantsinquestion.Thetwoimperiallettersquotedareinresponse
tolettersfromtwosuccessivegovernorsoftheRomanprovinceofMaure-
taniaTingitana,eachforwardingalibellusaskingfortheRomancitizenship
forachiefofatribalpeopleinthatregion,theZegrenses,orformembers
ofhisfamily:
[c.a.d.168] Copyof a letterof our Emperors Antoninus and Verus,
Augusti, to Coiiedius Maximus: we have read thelibellus[petition]
of Julianus the Zegrensian attached to your letter, and although the
Romancitizenshipisnotnormallygrantedbyimperialindulgentiato
thosetribesmenunlessearnedbythehighestdeserts,yetsinceyouaf-
firmthatheisamongthemostprominentamongthosepeoplesofhis
andmostloyalinhispromptobedienceinourinterests(andwedonot
think that many households from among the Zegrenses will be able
to claim the same of their services) and since [?] wewish as manyas
possible to be aroused by the honourconferred by us on that house
toemulateJulianus,wedonothesitatetogivetheRomancitizenship,
withoutprejudicetothelawofthetribe,tohim,hiswifeZiddina,and
theirchildrenJulianus,Maximus,Maximinus,Diogenianus.[a.d.177]CopyofaletteroftheEmperorsAntoninusandCommodus,
Augusti,toValliusMaximianus:wehavereadthelibellusofthechief
ofthetribesoftheZegrensesandhavenotedthefavourwithwhichhe
isregardedbyyourpredecessorEpidiusQuadratus,andalsomovedby
the latter’s testimonies, and the services and evidence of his conduct
whichhehimselfputsforward,havegiventohiswifeandchildrenthe
Romancitizenship,withoutprejudicetothelawofthetribe.Inorder
thatthismayberecordedinourcommentarii[records]findoutwhatthe
ageofeachisandwritetous.
Copied down and checked from the record [commentarius] of those
giventheRomancitizenshipbytheDivineAugustus[namesofpre-
cedingemperors]...whichthefreedmanAsclepiodotusproduced,as
itiswrittenbelow: