Since retirement, after over 30 years in IT, I have applied my research, analysis and synthesis skills to historical subjects. Living near Hadrian's Wall, my particular interest is in Roman studies.
This bibliography is being published in the fervent hope that it will finally resolve a long-stan... more This bibliography is being published in the fervent hope that it will finally resolve a long-standing debate in Roman studies by providing an overwhelming body of evidence in favour of the utricularii as raftsmen.
In order to illustrate the real capabilities of the inflated goatskin raft to navigate difficult ... more In order to illustrate the real capabilities of the inflated goatskin raft to navigate difficult river conditions this paper gives an abridged extract from a 19th century firsthand description of travelling on a raft carrying cargo on the Tigris.
An inscription from Lyon apparently shows a linen dealer as a member of the collegium utriculario... more An inscription from Lyon apparently shows a linen dealer as a member of the collegium utriculariorum. This paper gives an alternative interpretation, that the dedicatee was a raft-man.
This note identifies the only known textual reference to the use of animal skins by the utricular... more This note identifies the only known textual reference to the use of animal skins by the utricularii, inflated skin raft-men of South-East Gaul and Dacia.
A funerary monument from Dijon has had its original text removed and a new text inscribed. This p... more A funerary monument from Dijon has had its original text removed and a new text inscribed. This paper identifies the purpose for which the monument has been reused and identifies the occupation of the original dedicatee.
The muscularii, the men of the musculorum/musculariorum units, have been considered at times to b... more The muscularii, the men of the musculorum/musculariorum units, have been considered at times to be either siege engineers or marines in small boats. This paper examines all of what little is known about the units, and proposes for the muscularii a different function as "musclemen" that has a better fit with the established facts.
This paper shows how the find places of utricularii inscriptions in Dacia can be related to their... more This paper shows how the find places of utricularii inscriptions in Dacia can be related to their geographic positioning within the work cycle of the utricularii as inflated goatskin raft-men.
This paper resolves the debate over the occupation of the utricularii, whether they were raft-men... more This paper resolves the debate over the occupation of the utricularii, whether they were raft-men or muleteers. It also makes some proposals about the business of the collegia of the centonarii, dendrophori and fabri.
This bibliography is being published in the fervent hope that it will finally resolve a long-stan... more This bibliography is being published in the fervent hope that it will finally resolve a long-standing debate in Roman studies by providing an overwhelming body of evidence in favour of the utricularii as raftsmen.
In order to illustrate the real capabilities of the inflated goatskin raft to navigate difficult ... more In order to illustrate the real capabilities of the inflated goatskin raft to navigate difficult river conditions this paper gives an abridged extract from a 19th century firsthand description of travelling on a raft carrying cargo on the Tigris.
An inscription from Lyon apparently shows a linen dealer as a member of the collegium utriculario... more An inscription from Lyon apparently shows a linen dealer as a member of the collegium utriculariorum. This paper gives an alternative interpretation, that the dedicatee was a raft-man.
This note identifies the only known textual reference to the use of animal skins by the utricular... more This note identifies the only known textual reference to the use of animal skins by the utricularii, inflated skin raft-men of South-East Gaul and Dacia.
A funerary monument from Dijon has had its original text removed and a new text inscribed. This p... more A funerary monument from Dijon has had its original text removed and a new text inscribed. This paper identifies the purpose for which the monument has been reused and identifies the occupation of the original dedicatee.
The muscularii, the men of the musculorum/musculariorum units, have been considered at times to b... more The muscularii, the men of the musculorum/musculariorum units, have been considered at times to be either siege engineers or marines in small boats. This paper examines all of what little is known about the units, and proposes for the muscularii a different function as "musclemen" that has a better fit with the established facts.
This paper shows how the find places of utricularii inscriptions in Dacia can be related to their... more This paper shows how the find places of utricularii inscriptions in Dacia can be related to their geographic positioning within the work cycle of the utricularii as inflated goatskin raft-men.
This paper resolves the debate over the occupation of the utricularii, whether they were raft-men... more This paper resolves the debate over the occupation of the utricularii, whether they were raft-men or muleteers. It also makes some proposals about the business of the collegia of the centonarii, dendrophori and fabri.
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Papers by Geoffrey Piltz
geographic positioning within the work cycle of the utricularii as inflated goatskin raft-men.
geographic positioning within the work cycle of the utricularii as inflated goatskin raft-men.