Titus Flavius Norbanus

Titus Flavius Norbanus was a Roman equites who was active during the reign of Domitian. He is known for his activities while holding two imperial posts: governor of Raetia, and Praetorian prefect.

Norbanus' identity has posed a problem. Until recently he was mentioned only three times in the primary sources: as "Norbanus Lappius" in the Epitome de Caesaribus; and twice as simply "Norbanus", once in a poem addressed to him by Martial, the second time by Dio Cassius in his history. A name ("Lappius Maximus") in a letter quoted by Pliny the Younger in one of his letters, was thought to apply to him. Thus he had been surmised to be Lucius Appius Maximus Norbanus, a composite identity with Aulus Bucius Lappius Maximus. Then a military diploma from Bulgaria was published in the late 1950s showing "Lappius" was likely a different person from Norbanus. That they were two different people was definitely proven by another military diploma published by Werner Eck and Andreas Pangerl in 2007, giving both his praenomen and gentilicium: "Titus Flavius". It was now clear that the author or a copyist of de Caesaribus had muddled the two men into one. In addition, Eck and Pangerl drew attention to one implication of Norbanus' complete name: these two elements imply that Norbanus was a relation to emperor Vespasian and his sons, for we find "Titus Flavius" is a common element in the names of many of their relatives.