Abstract

The involvement of emperors in boundary disputes in the Principate is unclear in many cases. Even less well understood are their judicial verdicts on such matters. The direct, judicial involvement of emperors in boundary matters was sporadic and occurred only in disputes between different provinces or jurisdictions, or when there was no governor holding jurisdiction, or such was ineffective. The cippus published in 2021 by H. Abid encourages us to look anew at the reasons and circumstances behind Antoninus Pius’ delivery of a verdict (sententia) in the establishment of the official boundary description (determinatio) for the public territory of Mustis (Municipium Iulium Aurelium Mustitanum) in Africa Proconsularis. I conclude that the intervention was determined by formal factors and the special status of that municipium