Local Magistrates and Decurions in Mauretania Tingitana

Abstract

While the pre-Roman towns of Mauretania Tingitana were governed by sufetes, the colonies of Tingi and Babba in the period c. 38-19 BC had coin-issuing magistrates with Roman titles. Inscriptions of the imperial age provide prosopographical information on the magistrates and decurions of Banasa, Tingi, Sala and Volubilis. In addition to quaestores, aediles and duumuiri, some magistrates served as legati or flamines but most did not rise above local office-holding. A few families held multiple magistracies, particularly at Volubilis where the Caecilii predominated in the local senate. Inscriptions also record the honouring of magistrates with statues decreed by the ordo and paid for by grateful relatives.

Keywords

• Coinage
• colonies
• decurions
• élites
• families
• magistrates