Cities, villages, fortresses - Valais (Wallis) - Massongex-Bex (Tarnaiae)

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Cities, villages, fortresses - Valais (Wallis) - Massongex-Bex (Tarnaiae) - Religion

Denis van Berchem explains the name of the settlement, Tarnaiae, through the worship of Jupiter in a Celtic guise, as Jupiter-Taranis. Jupiter is documented twice in Massongex. In 1931 a large part of a shallow stone basin was found. It is called a labrum in an inscription on the bottom of the basin. The inscription informs us that it was restored by a soldier of the 8th legion as a dedication to Jupiter. It may have been used for ritual ablutions.

I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo)

CASSIVS CARANTINVS MIL(es)

LEG(ionis) VIII AVG(ustae) LABRVM VETVSTATE

CO[nl]ABS(um) DE SVO RESTITVIT

[v(otum)] S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito)
To Jupiter Optimus Maximus.

Cassius Carantinus, soldier

of the 8th legion Augusta, the basin, from old age

fallen in ruins, restored.

He fulfilled his vow gladly, deservedly.

Stone basin, found in 1931. Restored diam. 2.68. Inscription: w. 0.59, h. 0.37. 70-187 AD. Photos: Collart 1941, Pl. 2,3 and EDCS-15500014.

Together with the basin an altar dedicated to Jupiter was found (nr. 4 on the general plan). It was set up by a man working for the Imperial administration: Daphnus, deputy of the steward Classicus. The name of Emperor Domitianus was erased. Above the inscription is a garland. On the back is the eagle of Jupiter standing on a globe, on the sides are bolts of lightning held by the hand of Jupiter.

I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) V(otum) S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito)
DAPHNVS CLASSI[ci]
I[mp ---] DO[mitiani Aug(usti)]
DISPENSATOR(is)
VICAR(ius) To Jupiter Optimus Maximus fulfilled his vow gladly, deservedly
Daphnus, of Classicus,
of Emperor Domitianus Augustus
steward,
deputy.

Altar, found in 1931. W. 0.575, h. 0.98, d. 0.27. EDCS-08401627. Photos: Bossert-Neukom 2004, Taf. 14.

There was also a military presence in the settlement. During the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus a soldier dedicated an altar to the Genius, the protective deity, of the building used by the soldiers, called statio.

[In h]ONOR(em) D(omus) D(ivinae)

GENIO STA

[t]IONIS VIRI

[u]S PROBVS

MILES LEG(ionis) XXII

[P(rimigeniae)] ALEXANDR

[ia]N(a)E P(iae) F(idelis) IMP(eratore) D(omino) N(ostro)

[Al]EXANDRO

[--- co(n)s(ulibus)

In honour of the divine house.

To the Genius of the

station. Virius

Probus,

soldier of the 22nd legion,

Primigenia Alexandriana

Pia Fidelis, when our Lord Emperor

Alexander [and ---]

were consuls.

Altar, found in 1820. W. 0.30, h. 0.56. 222-229 AD. Photo: EDCS-08400722.

A funerary inscription has been preserved of a man who was sevir Augustalis, involved with the Imperial cult.

SEX(to) VARENO
T(iti) FIL(io) SERG(ia)
PRISCO
VIVIRO AN(norum) LVII
VARENI FRATRI
OPTIMO To Sextus Varenus,
son of Titus, of the tribe Sergia,
Priscus,
sevir, 57 years old.
The Vareni, to their dearest
brother.

Inscription walled in in the facade of the church. W. 0.60, h. 0.95.
Limestone. EDCS-08400731. Photo: Wikimedia, Odrade123.

Introduction
Baths
Religion

[24-Jan-2024]


	I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) CASSIVS CARANTINVS MIL(es) LEG(ionis) VIII AVG(ustae) LABRVM VETVSTATE CO[nl]ABS(um) DE SVO RESTITVIT [v(otum)] S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito)
	To Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Cassius Carantinus, soldier of the 8th legion Augusta, the basin, from old age fallen in ruins, restored. He fulfilled his vow gladly, deservedly.
Stone basin, found in 1931. Restored diam. 2.68. Inscription: w. 0.59, h. 0.37. 70-187 AD. Photos: Collart 1941, Pl. 2,3 and EDCS-15500014.



I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) V(otum) S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito) DAPHNVS CLASSI[ci] I[mp ---] DO[mitiani Aug(usti)] DISPENSATOR(is) VICAR(ius)	To Jupiter Optimus Maximus fulfilled his vow gladly, deservedly Daphnus, of Classicus, of Emperor Domitianus Augustus steward, deputy.
Altar, found in 1931. W. 0.575, h. 0.98, d. 0.27. EDCS-08401627. Photos: Bossert-Neukom 2004, Taf. 14.

	[In h]ONOR(em) D(omus) D(ivinae) GENIO STA [t]IONIS VIRI [u]S PROBVS MILES LEG(ionis) XXII [P(rimigeniae)] ALEXANDR [ia]N(a)E P(iae) F(idelis) IMP(eratore) D(omino) N(ostro) [Al]EXANDRO [--- co(n)s(ulibus)
	In honour of the divine house. To the Genius of the station. Virius Probus, soldier of the 22nd legion, Primigenia Alexandriana Pia Fidelis, when our Lord Emperor Alexander [and ---] were consuls.
Altar, found in 1820. W. 0.30, h. 0.56. 222-229 AD. Photo: EDCS-08400722.


SEX(to) VARENO T(iti) FIL(io) SERG(ia) PRISCO VIVIRO AN(norum) LVII VARENI FRATRI OPTIMO	To Sextus Varenus, son of Titus, of the tribe Sergia, Priscus, sevir, 57 years old. The Vareni, to their dearest brother.
Inscription walled in in the facade of the church. W. 0.60, h. 0.95. Limestone. EDCS-08400731. Photo: Wikimedia, Odrade123.