Who was L. Licinius Sura, Hispanus, on a curse tablet from Siscia?

Abstract

A lead tablet found in the Kupa River at Siscia (Pannonia, present-day Sisak) is a unique judicial curse tablet, in which the river god Savus was invoked to harm the adversaries of the authors of the text. The inner side bears the names of their opponents involved in a lawsuit. Three adversaries are listed first: G. Domitius Secundus, Lucius Larcius, and Valerius Secundus, probably all from Cibalae (Pannonia, present-day Vinkovci). Other names include P. Caetronius and G. Corellius from Narbo (Narbonne) in Gallia and L. Licinius Sura from Hispania, as well as Lucilius Valens, who was very likely from Siscia, where the Lucilii are well documented. It is argued in the article that L. Licinius Sura should not be identified with the Roman senator from Tarraco and Trajan’s adviser and friend, but should rather be regarded as a homonymous person of a lower social standing, whose parents gave him the name Sura, considering it to be a good omen.