MS in Latin on bronze, Roma, 23 March 178, 2 tabellas (complete), 14,2x11,2 cm, single column, 31+7+22+9 lines in Latin capitals, 2 holes through each tablet for the original wire that still binds the two tablets together, originally secured with the seals of the 7 witnesses.

Binding: Barking, Essex, 1995, blue cloth gilt folding case, by Aquarius.

Context: There are 3 praetorian diplomas (MSS 1801, 1870, 2051/7) in The Schøyen Collection, further 11 auxiliary diplomas (MSS 1836, 1899, 2051/1-6, 2051/8, 2052, 2086), and 3 fleet diplomas (MSS 698, 1921, 2032).

Provenance: 1. Thia Timarchus f. Daco (of Thrace) (178 until his death); 2. Found at Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria (ca. 1990)

Commentary: The present diploma gives Thia Timarchus an honourable discharge from the army of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Roman citizenship for himself and his descendants, and the right of legal marriage. The diploma is exceptional in that the 2 tabellas still are bound together with the original wire. It is also of special British interest since it records for the first time that the Cohort II Hispanorum was stationed in Britain, and of historical significance for recording Ulpius Marcellus as governor of Britain in 178. It also states that the recipient Thia Timarchus from Thrace served in Cohort II Gallorum Veterana, stationed at the Roman Fort in Old Penrith, Cumbria. The present MS contains the unusual information, of both year, place and the exemplar copied. The exemplar, the bronze tablet set in the wall on Forum Romanum, in fact, still survives in fragments.

Published: M. Roxan & Paul Holder: Roman Military Diplomas, IV. Institute of Classical studies. London, 2003. no 293, pp. 547-551.

Exhibited: Kistefos-museet, Jevnaker: Romerske portretter i gull og marmor, 22 mai - 25 september 2005.

MS in in Latin on vellum, France, late 12th c., 12 ff., 39x22 cm, 2 columns, (23x14 cm), 52 lines in Romanesque book script of medium quality, 28 red 2- to 7-line initials, 4 red 4- to 11-line initials with penwork.

Context: There are 2 more leaves in private collections in France. Provenance: 1. Mirgodin Collection, Paris (-1988); 2. 2 ff.: Sotheby's 17.12.1991:10; 10 ff.: Sandra Hindman, Paris.

Commentary: The present part of Josephus' (37-63) famous work starts with the coming of Vespasian and Titus, continues with the factions and atrocities in Jerusalem, and ends with the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem.

Exhibited: 1. Oslo Katedralskole 850 år, Jubileumsutstilling 10. - 14. March 2003; 2. NorFa - Nordic network in Qumran studies. Symposium in Oslo 3-5. June 2004.

MS in Latin on vellum, Milano, Italy, 3rd quarter 15th c., 280 ff. (complete), 35x24 cm, single column, (23x15 cm), 27 lines in an elegant sloping humanist book script, first title and incipit in burnished gold capitals, marginal titles in pink, 16 large white-vine initials in gold and colours by the Ippolita Master, later vellum page-edge tabs at the opening of each text.

Binding: Milano, 3rd quarter 15th c., panelled goatskin with triple fillets bounding the zigzag border, blindstamped with rope-work and repeated Agnus Dei, sewn on 4 thongs, 4 brass clasps and repoussé catches, 2 with Agnus Dei, 2 with Virgin and Child.

Context: The present MS is attributed to the scribe who wrote the copy of Petrarch's De vita solitaria, made for Count Filippo Borromeo, Chicago: Newberry Lib. Ms f.95, and Servius' commentary on the Vergil written in 1465 for Ippolita, daughter of Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milano, Valencia: Bib. Univ., Ms 780.

Provenance: 1. Giovanfrancesco Marliani, Milano (ca. 1475); 2. Charles Harry St John Hornby, London, M. 93 (1935-1946); 3. Major J.R. Abbey, London, J.A. 3232 (1946-1947); 4. Sotheby's 18.2.1947:246; 5. Library of William Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey, Maldon, Essex (1947-1963), and heirs (-2000); Christie's 11.7.2000:82.

Commentary: The account of the campaigns in Gaul from 58-52 BC, and of the civil war against Pompeius 49-48 BC are the only works of Julius Caesar to survive intact. Although presented here as though they form part of Caesar's account of the civil war, the final 3 works were most likely written by soldiers who took part in the campaigns in Africa, Egypt and Spain between 48 and 45 BC. Aulius Hirtius wrote Book 8 of De bello Gallico, a continuation of Caesar's work.

The white-vine initials of this MS are closely comparable with work in a copy of Servius' commentary on Vergil made for Gian Galeazzo Sforza, Duke of Milano, between 1476 and 1481, which was the work of 2 artists, Ambrogio da Marliano and the Ippolita Master. It is the white-vine decoration of the opening folio, and the initials of identical forms and technique, painted by the Ippolita Master in Gian Galeazzo's Servius that match the initials of the present MS and enable its attribution to the same illuminator.

MS in Latin on paper, Austria, ca. 1470, 169 ff. (complete), 24x16 cm, single column, (16x10 cm), 30 lines in a square, slightly sloping humanistic book script, headings and sidenotes in pale red, 12 5- to 6-lines illuminated initials in highly burnished and punched gold, entwined with coloured leafy plantstems on blue, red or green grounds, heightened with tracery and clusters of dots, the first one with 3/4 scrolling border of coloured and gold plantstems including a bird.

Binding: France, before 1878, blue morocco gilt, sewn on 5 cords, gilt inner borders, marbled endleaves, green silk markers, by Lortic.

Provenance: 1. Ambroise Firmin-Didot (1790-1876); 2. Adolphe Labitte (Librairie Firmin-Didot & Cie), Paris, 6.6.1878:59; 3. Maggs Bros., London (1959); 4. Major J.R. Abbey (1959-1969), J.A.6963; 5. Sotheby's 1.12.1970:2885; 6. Sotheby's 21.6.1988:89.

Commentary: This classical text covers the period from Caesar (100-44 BC) to Domitian (81-96 AD). Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (ca. 70 – ca. 135) wrote the biographies of Caesar (100-44 BC) and Augustus (27 BC-14 AD) while he was secretary at the imperial palace, where he had access to the imperial archives. After he was dismissed by Hadrian in 122, he wrote the biographies of the 10 following emperors up to Domitian (81-96). Suetonius is the source of the well-known stories of Caesar crossing Rubicon, his assassination in the Senate, Tiberius’ atrocities at his villa in Capri, Nero singing while Roma was burning, Vespasian’s statement that money do not smell, etc. He also wrote the biographies of Terence, Vergil, Horace and Lucan. There are many mss surviving of this classical text, but this is the only ms written in Austria, and it has some text variants.