M. Sattonius Iucundus

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M. Sattonius Iucundus, third century

During an excavation in the Roman Thermae of Heerlen a whinstone was found, pointing to M. Sattonius Iucundus (or Marcus Sattonius^[1], possibly also Marcus Sattonius Jucundus^[2]) as restorer of the Thermae in the 3rd century, the stone explains he did this as a debt to Fortuna ^[3].

At that moment Marcus was decurio in Colonia Ulpia Traiana, current Xanten.

It is possible that he was the Marcus Sattonius who, around 253, as a centurion of the third legion in Algiers, erected a statue of Mars in honour of the legion. If this is true, at least it is speculated, he might have returned home, to his birth grounds in Coriovallum (Heerlen), a rich man after his time in the legion was over. And as a rich citizen he was able to secure a place in the city council of Xanten, the capital of civitas Traianensis, the Roman district to which Coriovallum belonged, which had a council of a hundred big landowners^[4].

Some sources state the restoration took place around 175^[5].