Tedo Dundua
Professor in History at Faculty of Humanities, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Abstract
Civil war of 69 reveals freedman Moschus as admiral of the Roman fleet subordinated to Emperor M. Salvius Otho. In the 1st - 2nd cc. the Roman citizenship was a prerequisite for enrolment in the legion but not for service in other units, such as the two Italian fleets. That is why Moschus found himself in his position. Romans used to give specific names to the slaves and freedmen, often connected with their original nationality. ex. Emperor Aulus Vitellius, rival of Otho, had Asiaticus, as a favourite, gradually alloting him with the Roman citizenship and nomen. Having on mind Meskheti (Graeco-Roman Moschicē), a province of Iberia (Eastern and Southern Georgia), one can suggest Iberia, as a motherland for Moschus or his parent. If so, he could also be called Iberian (Iber), like Gaios the Iberian, mentioned on the bronze plate from Platea in Greece.In the Roman World a slave or a freedman, Moschus by name could be only Georgian. Greek case is different, for Moschos is original Greek name with the Greek etimology, employed rather extensively. There are no chances if proving the Georgian origin for Moschos of Elis, philosopher, Moschos of Lampsacos, tragic poet, and Moschos of Syracuse, famous bucolic poet.But, if we have Moschos Moschu, then he must be Iberian, whose direct, or far ancestor had been taken away from the Iberian province of Meskheti. This duplicity in the name could mean nothing but stressing the ethnicity properly. Final step for those barbarian slaves and freedmen was a citizenship.Moschos Moschu occurs, at least, for three times – twice, on the coins, once – in inscription. Magistrate of Smyrna, perhaps, in the 2nd c. B.C., he put his name on the bronze coins of the city, the so-called Homereias (Apollo/Rev. Homer). Maybe, that was him again to issue Kybele/Rev. Aphrodite Stratonikis type bronze coins with the legend, and to be mentioned in the Greek inscription of the theatre in Halikarnassos (the 3rd - 2nd cc. B.C.).We are moving to declare one of the leading families of Smyrna in the 2nd c. B.C. to be of the Georgian origin.
