158 was Antistius Praetor, a legal position. Since this office was usually filled at the age of thirty or older, we can surmise that Antistius must have been born in 128, or perhaps 127 or 126, but no earlier.
Carpacotna (seen from Megiddo)
A praetor determined the further career. A praetor already had military experience, knew the legal and financial sectors, had traveled extensively, had built up his own network and was known to the emperor. Now one was ready for the really important tasks and for Antistius this meant the beginning of a military career.He was to command the Sixth Ferrata Legion at Carpacotna (in Galilee).
Apparently he did his job well, for in 162 he was commander of the Second Legion Adiutrix, which took part in the war that Emperor Lucius Verus was waging against the Parthians. Here Antistius was decorated, which means that he had gained combat experience. Immediately thereafter he was appointed governor of the province of Arabia. His residence was Bosra, south of Damascus, and he must have visited cities like Petra and Hegra.Lucius Verus
After a brief stay in Rome as custodian of public works, he was sent back to the front. The 160s were turbulent times: a huge epidemic was raging (possibly a smallpox-like disease) and many northern tribes were active on the Danube frontier, even reaching Aquileia on the Adriatic. Lucius Verus traveled to the front again and gave Antistius extraordinary powers to protect Italy and the Alpine region. He also had to raise two new legions, the Second and Third Italica. When Lucius succumbed to the plague in
and his co-emperor Marcus Aurelius took over, Antistius is said to have advised his new supreme commander.Perhaps that was when he received the priesthood: he was a fetialis. This office was primarily a recognition of services rendered.
Back north
Vechten inscription, illuminated
Antistius later became governor of Germania Inferior (around 170 AD). So the Kaiser trusted him completely, because sub-units of the two legions guarding the Rhine frontier, I Minervia near Bonn and XXX Ulpia Victrix near Xanten, had been transferred to the Danube front. Antistius could not therefore prevent a group of Chauci from bypassing the forts along the Rhine and attacking the Flemish coast.His colleague Didius Julian, governor of Belgium, took care of them.
note
In these years, between 170 and 173, Antistius must have visited the auxiliary fort Vechten, the ancient Fectio, and dedicated a stele to Jupiter.
A Brilliant Career
Shortly thereafter, Antistius moves from Cologne to London, where he is Governor of Great Britain. This is the last phase of his career that we know of.
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