A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

defeated the Astures in Spain, and took their chief town, Lancia, about B. C. 25; but in consequence of the cruelty and insolence of Carisius, the Astures took up arms again in B. C. 22. (Florus, 4.12.55, &c.; Oros. 6.21; D. C. 53.25, 54.5.) There are several coins bearing the name of Carisius upon them, two specimens of which are given below. The former has on the obverse the head of a woman, and on the reverse a sphinx, with the inscription T. CARISIVS III. VIR: the latter has on the obverse the head of Augustus, with the inscription IMP. CAESAR AVGVST., and on the reverse the gate of a city, over which is inscribed IMIRITA, and around it the words P. CARISIVS LEG. PROPR. There is nothing in the former coin except the praenomen Titus to identify it with the subject of this article; but the latter one would appear to have been struck by the conqueror of the Astures, and perhaps Dio Cassius has made a mistake in calling him Titus. The word IMIRITA, which is also written EMERITA and IIMIIRITA on some of the coins, seems to refer to the fact mentioned by Dio Cassius (53.26), that after the conquest of the Cantabri and Astures, Augustus dismissed many of his soldiers who had served their time (emeriti), and assigned them a town in Lusitania, to which he gave the name of Augusta Emerita. (Eckhel, v. p. 162, &c.)