The Edict of El Bierzo (the Bronze of Bembibre) — Augustus to the Paemeiobrigenses (15 BC) — edition Imperator Caesar diui filius Augustus tribunicia potestate VIIII et proconsul dicit Imperator Caesar diui filius Augustus tribunicia potestate VIIII et proconsul dicit: Castellanos Paemeiobrigenses ex gente Susarrorum desciscentibus ceteris permansisse in officio cog- noui ex omnibus legatis meis, qui Transdurianae prouinciae prae- fuerunt, itaque eos uniuersos im- munitate perpetua dono; quosque agros et quibus finibus possede- runt Lucio Sestio Quirinale legato meo eam prouinciam optinentem eos agros sine controuersia possi- dere iubeo. Castellanis Paemeiobrigensibus ex gente Susarrorum, quibus ante ea<m> immunitatem omnium rerum dede- ram, eorum loco restituo castellanos Allobrigiaecinos ex gente Gigurro- rum uolente ipsa ciuitate, eosque castellanos Allobrigiaecinos om- ni munere fungi iubeo cum Susarris. Actum Narbone Martio XVI et XV Kalendas Martias, Marco Druso Li- bone Lucio Calpurnio Pisone consulibus.

English translation

Heading The Emperor Caesar Augustus, son of the deified (Julius), in his ninth year of tribunician power and proconsul, declares — an edict of 15 BC granting immunity to the loyal Paemeiobrigenses of NW Hispania (Bronze of Bembibre, AE 2000, 760).

§I. Protocol and the grant of immunity to the Paemeiobrigenses The Emperor Caesar Augustus, son of the deified (Julius), in his ninth year of tribunician power and proconsul, declares: I have learned from all my legates who have been in charge of the Transdurian province that the castellani Paemeiobrigenses, of the people (gens) of the Susarri, remained loyal while the rest were in revolt. I therefore grant them all perpetual immunity; and whatever fields, and within whatever boundaries, they possessed when my legate Lucius Sestius Quirinalis held that province, I order that they possess those fields without dispute.

§II. The substitution of the Aiiobrigiaecini In place of the castellani Paemeiobrigenses, of the people of the Susarri — to whom I had before this given immunity from all things — I substitute the castellani Aiiobrigiaecini, of the people of the Gigurri, the community itself being willing; and I order that these castellani Aiiobrigiaecini discharge every obligation together with the Susarri.

§III. Place and date Done at Narbo, on the sixteenth and fifteenth day before the Kalends of March (14-15 February), in the consulship of Marcus Drusus Libo and Lucius Calpurnius Piso (15 BC).

Critical apparatus optinente{m} — The bronze engraves OPTINENTEM; the final -m is surplus — the syntax requires the ablative absolute optinente ('while my legate L. Sestius Quirinalis was holding that province'). ea<m> — The bronze omits the final -m; editors supply eam ('to whom I had before given immunity from all things'). Allobrigiaecinos — The reading of the substituted community-name is debated: the bronze's letters admit both Allobrigiaecini (with -ll-) and Aiiobrigiaecini (with -ii-), the latter now widely preferred as the genuine local name (so e.g. Rodríguez Morales; cf. López Melero 2002). The same form recurs at l.21.