Original scientific paper
Epigraphy of Ancient Argyruntum
Miroslav Glavičić
; Sveučilište u Zadru
Abstract
According to the known epigraphic material, Argyruntum made its greatest progress during the rule of Emperor Tiberius. From a reconstruction of the epigraph ILJug 2894 it is thought that Tiberius »gave wall and towers« (murum et turres dedit) to the settlement, the existence of them being confirmed by excavations conducted in 1908 in Starigrad Paklenica. Since it was walls that were the main attribute of an ancient city, their construction is directly connected with Argyruntum achieving municipal autonomy, dated to the reign of Tiberius, probably in AD 34-35. This dating is confirmed in the inscription CIL III, 14322, which symbolically marked the ending of some major public works that were financed by Emperor Tiberius. Both inscriptions also mention L. Volusius Saturninus, who at that time held the office of governor in the province of Dalmatia (legatus pro praetore, ca 29-40). As the eponymous magistrate in the province, Saturninus was also cited on epigraph CIL III 9972, in which honour is paid to Empress Livia, wife of Emperor Augustus and mother of Tiberius. This inscription was put up by C. Iulius Sulla to mark his election to the city council, which is also direct confirmation of the municipal status of Argyruntum. During the 1st and 2nd century the population of Argyruntum comprised the Metinii, Quinctii and Turcii, documented on epitaphs found during research into the necropolis. C. M. Severus was a cavalryman of the imperial guard and a member of the 9th Praetorian Cohort in Rome (ILJug 2895).
Although the epigraphic material adduced is modest, it nevertheless confirms that the inhabitants of Argyruntum had adopted Roman epigraphic practice, thus perpetuating basic information, partially deliberately pared down, about their personal or communal, ethnic, social (status, familial, professional) religious or some other identity. At the same time the epigraphic material tells of the high degree of Romanisation of the indigenous community, which was reflected in the urban planning and design, architecture, epigraphy, onomastics, municipalisation and material culture.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
240391
URI
Publication date:
29.6.2020.
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