Dedication to the imperial cult at Narbo (CIL XII, 4333) [ Marble ]

 Inscription: id 320
Title
Dedication to the imperial cult at Narbo (CIL XII, 4333)
Description
Two panels with inscriptions from a marble altar, set within an incised frame. The lettering is good, with hederae for punctuation. The remaining two sides of the altar have not yet been found, and may have been reused in a later monument. The anterior face of the altar (side A) contains the regulations of the cult, and the lateral side (side B) records the dedication and promise to maintain the monument. This is most likely a 2nd century CE copy of the original.
Typology
Honorific
Inscription category
Roman
Language
Latin
Language of entry
English
Material(s)
Marble
Measurements
Height: 110 cm
Width: 58 cm
Depth: 29 cm
Original location (text)
Forum of ancient Narbonensis, Gaul.
Actual location
Musée archéologique de Narbonne
Centuries (range of dating)
1st CE
Date CE / start of range
12
Publications
CIL XII, 4333
Edition
Side A:
 
        T(ito) Statilio Taur[o]
        L(ucio) Cassio Longino
        co(n)s(ulibus) X K(alendas) Octobr(es)
        numini Augusti votum
5      susceptum a plebe Narbo-
        nensium in perpetuom
        quod bonum faustum felixque sit Imp(eratori) Caesari
        divi f(ilio) Augusto p(atri) p(atriae) pontifici maximo trib(unicia) potest(ate)
        XXXIIII coniugi liberis   gentique   eius   senatui  
10    populoque Romano et colonis incolisque
        c(oloniae) I(uliae) P(aternae) N(arbonensis) M(artii) qui se numini eius in perpetuum
        colendo obligaverunt plebs Narbonen-
        sium aram Narbone in foro posuit ad   
        quam quot annis VIIII K(alendas) Octobr(es) qua die
15    eum saeculi felicitas orbi terrarum
        rectorem edidit tres equites Romani
        a plebe et tres libertini hostias singu-
        las inmolent et colonis et incolis ad
        supplicandum numini eius thus et vinum
20    de suo ea die praestent et VIII K(alendas) Octobr(es)
        thus et vinum prae-
        stent K(alendis) quoque Ianuar(iis) thus et vinum
        colonis et incolis praestent VII quoq(ue)
        Idus Ianuar(ias) qua die primum imperium
25    orbis terrarum auspicatus est thure
        vino   supplicent   et hostias singul(as) in-
        molent et colonis incolisque thus vi-
        num ea die praestent
        et pridie K(alendas) Iunias quod ea die T(ito) Statilio
30    Tauro M(anio) Aemilio Lepido co(n)s(ulibus) iudicia
        plebis decurionibus coniunxit hostias
        singul(as) inmolent et thus et vinum ad
        supplicandum numini eius colonis et  
        incolis praestent
35    exque iis tribus equitibus Roman[is tribusve]
        libertinis unu[s
 
 
Side B:
 
        [Plep]s Narbone(n)sis a[ram]  
        numinis Augusti de[di]
        cavit [---]  
        [------]
5      [---] legibus iis q(ae) i(nfra) s(criptae) s(unt)
        numen Caesaris Aug(usti) p(atris) p(atriae) quando tibi  
        hodie hanc aram dabo dedicabo-
        que his legibus hisque regioni-
        bus dabo dedicabo quas hic
10    hodie palam dixero uti infimum
        solum huiusque arae titulorum-
        que est si quis tergere ornare
        reficere volet quod beneficii
        causa fiat ius fasque esto sive
15    quis hostia sacrum faxit qui  
        magmentum nec protollat id-
        circo tamen probe factum esto si  
        quis huic arae donum dare   au-
        gereque   volet   liceto   eademq(ue)
20    lex  ei dono esto quae arae est
        ceterae leges huic arae titulisq(ue)
        eadem sunt quae sunt arae  
        Dianae in Aventino hisce legi-
        bus hisque regionibus sicuti
25    dixi hanc tibi aram pro Imp(eratore)
        Caesare Aug(usto) p(atre) p(atriae) pontifice maxi-
        mo tribunicia potestate XXXV
        coniuge liberis genteque eius
        senatu populoque R(omano) colonis
30    incolisque col(oniae) Iul(iae) Patern(ae) Narb(onensis)
        Mart(ii) qui se numini eius in per
        petuum colendo obligaverunt  
        doque dedicoque uti sies volens
        propitium
English translation

Translation taken from:

Lewis, Napthali and Meyer Reinhold, “CIL, Vol XII, no. 4,333,” Roman Civilization: Selected Readings: The Republic and the Augustan Age. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1990) 622-623. Used by permission of Columbia University Press.

 

Side A:

In the consulship of Titus Statilius Taurus and Lucius Cassius Longinus, September 22. Vow taken to the divine spirit of Augustus by the populace of the Narbonensians in perpetuity: “May it be good, favourable and auspicious to Emperor Caesar Augustus, son of a god, father of his country, pontifex maximus, holding the tribunician power for the thirty-fourth year; to his wife, children and house; to the Roman senate and people; to the colonists and residents of the Colonia Julia Paterna of Narbo Martius, who have bound themselves to worship his divine spirit in perpetuity!”

The populace of the Narbonensians has erected in the forum at Narbo an altar at which every year on September 23 – the day on which the good fortune of the age bore him to be ruler of the world – three Roman equites from the populace and three freedmen shall sacrifice one animal each and shall at their own expense on that day provide the colonists and residents with incense and wine for supplication to his divine spirit. And on September 24 they shall likewise provide incense and wine for the colonists and residents. Also on January 1 they shall provide incense and wine for the colonists and residents. Also on January 7, the day on which he first entered upon the command of the world, they shall make a supplication with incense and wine, and shall sacrifice one animal each, and shall provide incense and wine for the colonists and residents on that day. And on May 31, because on that day in the consulship of Titus Statilius Taurus and Manius Aemilius Lepidus he reconciled the populace to the decurions, they shall sacrifice one animal each and shall provide the colonists and residents with incense and wine for supplication to his divine spirit. And of these three Roman equites and three freedmen one… [the rest of the inscription is lost].

 

Side B:

The populace of Narbo has dedicated the altar of the divine spirit of Augustus…under the regulations recorded below.

“O divine spirit of Caesar Augustus, father of his country! When this day I give and dedicate this altar to you, I shall give and dedicate it under such regulations and such rules as I shall here this day publically declare to be the groundwork both of this altar and of its inscriptions: if anyone wishes to clean, decorate, or repair it as a voluntary service, it shall be lawful and permissible. If anyone sacrifices an animal without making the customary additional offering, it shall nevertheless be accounted properly done. If anyone wishes to donate a gift to this altar or honour it he shall be permitted, and the same regulation as applies to the altar shall apply to such gift. The other regulations for this altar and its inscriptions shall be the same as those for altar of Diana on the Aventine Hill. Under these regulations and these rules, just as I have stated, on behalf of the Emperor Caesar Augustus, father of his country, pontifex maximus, holding the tribunician power for the thirty-fifth year; of his wife, children and house; of the Roman senate and people; and of the colonists and residents of the Colonia Julia Paterna of Narbo Martius, who have bound themselves to worship his divine spirit in perpetuity, I give and dedicate this altar to you that you may be favourably and kindly disposed.”

Diplomatic
Side A:
T STATILIO TAVR[ ]
L CASSIO LONGINO
COS X K OCTOBR
NVMINI AVGVSTI VOTVM
5     SVSCEPTVM A PLEBE NARBO
NENSIVM IN PERPETVOM
QVOD BONVM FAVSTVM FELIXQVE SIT IMP CAESARI
DIVI F AVGVSTO P P PONTIFICI MAXIMO TRIB POTEST
XXXIIII CONIVGI LIBERIS GENTIQVE EIVS SENATVI
10   POPVLOQVE ROMANO ET COLONIS INCOLISQVE
C I P N M QVI SE NVMINI EIVS IN PERPETVVM
COLENDO OBLIGAVERVNT PLEPS NARBONEN
SIVM ARAM NARBONE IN FORO POSVIT AD
QVAM QVOT ANNIS VIIII K OCTOBR QVA DIE
15    EVM SAECVLI FELICITAS ORBI TERRARVM
RECTOREM EDIDIT TRES EQVITES ROMANI
A PLEBE ET TRES LIBERTINI HOSTIAS SINGV
LAS INMOLENT ET COLONIS ET INCOLIS AD
SVPPLICANDVM NVMINI EIVS THVS ET VINVM
20   DE SVO EA DIE PRAESTENT ET VIII K OCTOBR
THVS VINVM COLONIS ET INCOLIS ITEM PRAE
STENT K QVOQVE IANVAR THVS ET VINVM
COLONIS ET INCOLIS PRAESTENT VII QVOQ
IDVS IANVAR QVA DIE PRIMVM IMPERIVM
25   ORBIS TERRARVM AVSPICATVS EST THVRE
VINO SVPPLICENT ET HOSTIAS SINGVL IN
MOLENT ET COLONIS INCOLISQVE THVS VI
NVM EA DIE PRAESTENT
ET PRIDIE K IVNIAS QVOD EA DIE T STATILIO
30   TAVRO M AEMILIO LEPIDO COS IVDICIA
PLEBIS DECVRIONIBVS CONIVNXIT HOSTIAS
SINGVL INMOLENT ET THVS ET VINVM AD
SVPPLICANDVM NVMINI EIVS COLONIS ET
INCOLIS PRAESTENT
35   EXQVE IIS TRIBVS EQVITIBVS ROMA[ ]
LIBERTINIS VNV[
 
Side B:
[ ]S NARBONESIS A[ ] 
NVMINIS AVGVSTI DE[ ]
CAVIT [[ ]]
[[ ]]
5     [[ ]] LEGIBVS IIS Q I S S
NVMEN CAESARIS AVG P P QVANDO TIBI
HODIE HANC ARAM DABO DEDICABO 
QVE HIS LEGIBVS HISQVE REGIONI 
BVS DABO DEDICABO QVAS HIC 
10   HODIE PALAM DIXERO VTI INFIMVM 
SOLVM HVIVSQVE ARAE TITVLORVM
QVE EST SI QVIS TERGERE ORNARE 
REFICERE VOLET QVOD BENEFICII 
CAVSA FIAT IVS FASQVE ESTO SIVE 
15   QVIS HOSTIA SACRVM FAXIT QVI 
MAGMENTVM NEC PROTOLLAT ID 
CIRCO TAMEN PROBE FACTVM ESTO SI 
QVIS HVIC ARAE DONVM DARE AV 
GEREQVE VOLET LICETO EADEMQ 
20   LEX EI DONO ESTO QVAE ARAE EST 
CETERAE LEGES HVIC ARAE TITVLISQ 
EADEM SVNTO QVAE SVNT ARAE 
DIANAE IN AVENTINO HISCE LEGI 
BVS HISQVE REGIONIBVS SICVTI 
25   DIXI HANC TIBI ARAM PRO IMP 
CAESARE AVG P P PONTIFICE MAXI 
MO TRIBVNICIA POTESTATE XXXV 
CONIVGE LIBERIS GENTEQVE EIVS 
SENATV POPVLOQVE R COLONIS 
30   INCOLISQVE COL IVL PATERN NARB 
MART QVI SE NVMINI EIVS IN PER 
PETVVM COLENDO OBLIGAVERVNT 
DOQVE DEDICOQVE VTI SIES VOLENS 
PROPITIVM
Commentary

This altar from Narbo is one of the best examples of the proper organisation and conduct of Roman religion in the provinces. Dedicated in 12 CE, the marble altar was set up in the Forum of ancient Narbonne, where it provided the central focus for a public cult, modelled on the cults in Rome (Woolf, Becoming Roman, p. 222). There are two inscriptions from the altar: side A records the promise of, and statute for, a cult of the numen Augusti (the divinity of Augustus), which was vowed on 22nd September 11 CE, just five years after Tiberius had dedicated an altar for the worship of the numen Augusti in Rome in 6 CE (Fishwick, Imperial Cult, I.1, p. 146). Side B of the inscription records the dedicatory statement and regulations for rituals performed at the altar.

The inscription on side A of the altar begins with a vow to Augustus, his family and household, the senate and the people of Rome, that the “colonists and residents” (colonis incolisque) of Narbo have “bound themselves to worship his divine spirit in perpetuity!” (se numini eius in perpetuum / colendo obligaverunt). The independence of this statement is important; the construction of the altar is not in response to an official decree or central order, but an autonomous action originating amongst the inhabitants of the city. There follows a list of days on which ritual celebrations will be held: Augustus’s birthday – 23rd September – is given as the first date on which offerings will be made, in order to celebrate “the day on which the good fortune of the age bore him to be ruler of the world” (qua die / eum saeculi felicitas orbi terrarum / rectorem edidit). The offerings would continue into the next day, the 24th September, in a regular practice that saw Augustus’s birthday honoured by two days of celebrations across the Roman world. Those making the offerings are also listed here: three equites from the local populace and three freedmen (tres equites Romani / a plebe et tres libertini); an important distinction is being made here, which emphasises that the three equites are to be drawn from the populace(a plebe), rather than being members of the local senatorial elite, thus broadening the appeal and social inclusion of the cultic activity (see Nicolet, L’inscription de l’autel de Narbonne, p. 721-732). Three further dates for sacrifices and offerings are given by the text: 1st and 7th January, and the 31st May. This last date again speaks to the very locally specific context in which the altar was vowed and dedicated, as the text records it is in honour of the day on which Augustus himself resolved a dispute between the ordo decurionem (town council) and the people (plebis decurionibus coniunxit). Michel Gayraud has noted that all of the dates given for these offerings are linked to Augustus (his birthday) and his government, and particularly his exercise of power, both globally and locally, such as in Narbo itself (Gayraud, Narbonne Antique, p. 362). This is interesting in light of the inscription’s repetition of the extent of Augustus’s power; side A of the inscription twice records that Augustus is ‘ruler of the world’ (line 15-16: eum saeculi felicitas orbi terrarium rectorem edidit; lines 24-6: qua die primum imperium orbis terrarum auspicatus est), employing the rhetoric of universal rule to reinforce the state of Roman power. The reality that Augustus’s – and therefore Rome’s – power was not universal was irrelevant in pro-Roman imperial ideology, which sought rather to emphasise the extent of Rome’s dominion, irrespective of its precise geographical limits. For such a statement to be reiterated independently by a provincial audience demonstrates the successful dissemination of this message outside of Rome; the community of Narbo had engaged with the ideological impact of Augustus’s power and the extent to which it reached, and was able to reproduce the rhetoric of the discourse in language that directly imitated the statements and ideas emanating from the capital city.

Side A of the inscription breaks off abruptly, so it is not clear what further rituals or celebrations may also have been listed, but the regulations of the cult are described in the inscription from side B. Here, the altar is dedicated along with instructions for the proper form of worship and interaction. Firstly, we discover that the altar and the sacrifices at it are offered to the “divine power” of the emperor, the numen Augusti, which appears to exist separately and quite distinctly from the body of the emperor. As Duncan Fishwick has stated, the fact that the emperor’s numen can receive prayers and offerings as it appears to do here suggests that it “was conceived as a divinised abstraction to be treated in the same way as a traditional god” (Imperial Cult, p. 385; 388-96. See also Kneissl, Entstehung und Bedeutung der Augustalität, p. 296). The regulations of the cult, including its maintenance, are stated beneath this, with the qualifying declaration that they are the same as those listed for the altar to Diana on the Aventine Hill in Rome (eadem sunt quae sunt arae / Dianae in Aventino). This is in part a reminder to the inhabitants of Narbo that the cults of the colony were specifically Roman in character, the cults of Roman citizens, but it also “serves to insert this new cult into a genealogy of ritual” (Woolf, Becoming Roman, p. 223). This new cult in Narbo was not to be understood as an innovation specific to the colony itself, but rather an addition to a more ancient, cultic tradition, which saw each cult as the descendent of another from across Graeco-Roman antiquity (Woolf, Becoming Roman, p. 223). The regulations also firmly established the legality of the cult, in the sense that the individuals performing its activities were subject to the same propriety and order as any other group administered by the civic authorities (Woolf, Becoming Roman, p. 226). The inscription ends with a reiteration from side A’s text of the colony’s devotion to Augustus, his numen, and his family, including his wife and children, in a clear acknowledgement of the success of propagating the dynastic image of the Augustan household. The stability that a dynasty suggested was clearly attractive to the citizens of ancient Narbo.

The success of the imperial cult at Narbo is indicated by the longevity with which the regulations of its activities survived; the inscription is believed to be a 2nd century copy of the original, indicating that the rites and rituals were still in force in the Antonine period (Fishwick, Imperial Cult, p. 482; 610). Together with the altar believed to have been dedicated to Roma and Augustus at Tarraco in 26-25 BCE (Quintilian, Institutes of Oratory, VI.3.77), the altar at Narbo was the earliest known celebration of the imperial cult in the Latin West; the fact that it appears to have been motivated by the intervention of Augustus in some matter of local dispute is a good illustration of Duncan Fishwick’s point that colonies and municipia tended to establish cults spontaneously, and based on models understood from elsewhere, such as that of the altar of Diana in Rome mentioned explicitly in the text (Imperial Cult, p. 146). This easy adoption of cultic practice in Narbo should, therefore, be understood as evidence for the extent to which the Colonia Iulia Paterna Claudia Narbo Martius was integrated – and felt themselves integrated – into the Roman world; they demonstrated early loyalty to the emperor through the erection of an altar that directly imitated one instituted in Rome, and practiced devotion to his cult routinely and systematically, and seemingly well into the next century. The organisation of the cult – including members of the equestrian class and freedmen – indicates the broad social spectrum that the cult encompassed, and their active attachment to the principate and its institutions. 

Thematic keywords
Roman powerRoman SenateRoman peopleimperial cultloyaltysacrificecitizenfather of the fatherlanduniversal ruleuniversal happinesscolonyNarbonensisGaulAugustus
Keywords (original language)
coloniadedicodivusdivi filiusaraperpetuushostiasacrumincolalexDianaAventinuspater patriaesenatuspopulus romanusconiunxvinumdonumvolenspropitiumorbisfelicitasterranumendivus filius
Publication status
Yes
Realised by
Realised by (term)
Caroline Barron
Drupal Node ID
3192
Publishing diplomatic option
Yes
Publishing translation option
Yes
 
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