Private religion - deities at the crossroads: inscriptions

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Deities at the crossroads: inscriptions

In Rome the Lares Compitales were venerated at crossroads, called in Latin compita. The shrines of these Lares were also called compita. Augustus added his own Lares to this cult. The cult was linked to the districts, vici, into which the fourteen regiones of Rome were divided. Pliny the Elder says that there were 265 of such shrines in 73 AD, and the number increased over time. In Ostia there were similar shrines. Inscriptions inform us that there were five or more regiones in the city (not the same as the five regions into which the city was divided by the excavators) and (an unknown number of) vici. For the Romans the cult was part of public religion, the sacra publica, but we discuss the shrines anyway, because of the worship of Lares and the relationship of each shrine to a small part of the city. Small groups of magistri and ministri vici were in charge of the cult. They were respectively freedmen and slaves. As such they could not be state officials, but as private people they were entrusted with the cult.

The oldest inscription pertaining to the cult in Ostia has been dated to 20 BC:

PO[st]VMVS PLOTIVS M(arci) F(ilius) QVARTO
A(ulus) GENVCIVS A(uli) F(ilius) ITER(um) DVOVIRI
LOCVM DEDERVNT COMPITI AEDIFICANDI
C(aius) CARTILIVS C(ai) F(ilius) POPLICOL(a) DVOVIR VII
CENS(or) III COMPITVM TRANSTVLIT
D(ecimus) CAECILIVS DD(ecimorum) L(ibertus) NICIA MEDICVS
L(ucius) MARCIVS L(uci) L(ibertus) STEPHANVS
P(ublius) NAEVIVS P(ubli) L(ibertus) HERACLIDA
MAG(ISTRI) VICI MACERIEM
ET COLVMNAM DE SVO FECERVNT
C(aius) CARTILIVS C(ai) L(ibertus) HERA[cleo]
[-----] Postumus Plotius, son of Marcus, for the 4th time,
and Aulus Genucius, son of Aulus, for the 2nd time duovir,
assigned the place to build a compitum.
Caius Cartilius Poplicola, son of Caius, duovir for the 7th time,
censor for the 3rd time, transferred the compitum.
Decimus Caecilius Nicia, freedman of the Decimi, physician,
Lucius Marcius Stephanus, freedman of Lucius,
Publius Naevius Heraclida, freedman of Publius,
magistri of the vicus, made the enclosure
and the column at their expense.
Caius Cartilius Hera[cleo], freedman of Caius,
[-----]

Marble slab. Found near the Palazzo Imperiale, on the left bank of the Tiber.
20 BC. EDR106925. Photo: EDCS.

The column that is mentioned in the inscription may imply that a sundial was installed. In the Temple of the Ship Carpenters an inscription was reused that may well belong to the same shrine. It was set up by one of the magistri mentioned in the first inscription and mentions a horologium:

[C(aius) Car]TILIVS C(ai) L(ibertus)
[He]RACLEO
[mag(ister)] VEICI
[horo]LOGIVM
[de suo?] POSVIT Caius Cartilius, freedman of Gaius,
Heracleo
magister of the vicus
installed
the sundial (at his own expense?).

Marble inscription, reused in the Temple of the Ship Carpenters.
EDR172851.

To another compitum belongs a whole group of inscriptions (some of these can nowadays be seen in the Small Market, behind metal fences). From these inscriptions can be deduced that the cult at the crossroads was reorganized in 51 AD, during the reign of Claudius: only now were the Lares of the Emperor added, much later than in Rome. Most likely it was an initiative by the Emperor himself, who built the first new harbour basin of Portus. It has been suggested that these inscriptions belong to a circular structure on the Forum, that has been called Sacello dei Lares Augusti. This is not the case however, the structure was a nymphaeum.

TI(berio) CL[audio Caesa]R(e) AVGVS[t(o)] GERMANICO
PONT(ifice) [max(imo) tr(ibunicia) pot(estate) XI co(n)s(ule) V cens(ore) p(atre)] P(atriae)
     LARIBVS AUGVSTIS S[ac(rum)] MAGIS[t]RI PRIMI D(e) S(ua) P(ecunia) F(ecerunt)

Under Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus,
Pontifex Maximus, invested with tribunician power for the 11th time, consul for the 5th time, censor, father of the fatherland,
     consecrated to the August Lares. The first magistri made (this) at their own expense.

Marble architrave. Fragments found in the House of the Harbour Mosaic and the Hall of the Altars.
51 AD. EDR074407. Photo: Bloch 1962, fig. 4.

[Ti(berio) Claudio Caesar(e) Au]G(usto) GERMANICO PO[nt]IF(ice) [m]AX(imo) TRIB(unicia) P[ot(estate) XI]
     CO(n)S(ule) V CENS(ore) P(atre) P(atriae) [---]VS [---]S [sac?]RVM

Under Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, invested with tribunician power for the 11th time,
     consul for the 5th time, censor, father of the fatherland, consecrated to? [---].

Marble architrave. Fragments found in front of the Temple of Hercules.
51 AD. EDR074408.

MAGISTR[i] ANNI PRIMI S(ua) P(ecunia) F(ecerunt)
[L(ucius) S]EIV[s ---] HERM[e]ROS
[L(ucius) S]EIVS [He]R[me]ROTIS L(ibertus) [Pr]IMUS
[L(ucius) Sei]VS [--- l(ibertus)] DIOM[e]DES The magistri of the first year made it at their own expense.
Lucius Seius Hermeros,
Lucius Seius Primus, freedman of Hermeros,
Lucius Seius Diomedes, freedman of [---]

Curved marble inscription imitating opus quadratum. Fragments found in a wall near the Temple of Hercules.
51 AD. EDR074409. Photo: Bloch 1962, fig. 6.

L[u]STRATIO VI K(alendas) IVLIAS
DEDICATA K(alendis) IANVARIS
TI(berio) CLAVDIO CAISARE AVGVSTO [V]
SER(vio) CORNELIO O[r]FITO [co(n)s(ulibus)] The purification (was performed) on June 26.
(The shrine) was dedicated on January 1,
when Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus for the 5th time
and Servius Cornelius Orfitus were consuls.

Curved marble inscription imitating opus quadratum. Fragments found in a wall near the Temple of Hercules.
June 26, 50 AD; January 1, 51 AD. EDR074410. Photo: Bloch 1962, fig. 7.

LARIBVS A[ugustis sacrum]
L(ucius) SEIVS HERMEROS [L(ucius) Seius Primus]
L(ucius) SEIVS DIOMEDES [magistri primi s(ua) p(ecunia) f(ecerunt)] Dedicated to the August Lares.
Lucius Seius Hermeros, Lucius Seius Primus,
Lucius Seius Diomedes, first magistri, made it at their own expense.

Marble base. Found in a wall near the Temple of Hercules.
51 AD. EDR074411.

M[a]GISTRI ANNI
PRIMI S(ua) P(ecunia) F(ecerunt) The magistri of the first
year made it at their own expense.

Marble slab. Found in a drain below the Road of the River Mouth
near the Decumanus. The total height and the height of the
inscribed surface are identical to those of the preceding inscription.
A second, almost identical inscription was found in front of the
Temple of Hercules.
51 AD. EDR074412.

An aedicula of the Lares Augusti is mentioned in a mutilated inscription of which the precise place of discovery is unknown:

[---]AVR[---]PA[---]
[---]RITAN[---]ONII F(---) M(---) AV[---]
[aedic]VLAM LARVM AV[g(ustorum)]
[---]INPENSA SVA BL[---]
[---]F(---) SOSIVS [---] L(---) SOSIANVS M(---) L(---)
[---]AEMILIA[---]
[---]TIO CRISPI[---]

Place of discovery unknown, disappeared.
EDR151079.

In this context we can also mention a small marble altar with horn-shaped protuberances on the top that was found to the east of the Baths of Mithras. It was erected as redemption of a vow and dedicated to the Deae Triviae and the Locus Divinus, the goddesses of the three-way intersection and the divine place. The Deae Triviae are Hecate and Proserpina. Hecate, the goddess of ghosts, magic and the underworld, has here as so often been associated with a crossroads. Her association with Proserpina, goddess of the underworld, was common. The Locus Divinus is obviously the trivium, the crossroads itself.

EDR107504. Drawing: Bloch 1953, fig. 7.

A funerary inscription from the Isola Sacra necropolis mentions worshippers of Lares of the harbour, the cultores Larum Portus Augusti:

D(is) M(anibus)
M(arcus) ANTONIVS VITALIS ET
M(arcus) ANTONIVS M(arci) FILIVS VERVS FECERVNT SIB(i)
ET SVIS LIBERTIS LIBERTABVSQUE POSTERISQVAE
EORVM
QVOD SI QVIS IN HOC MVNIMENTVM VEL INTRA MACERIAM
QVAM EIVS POST EXCESSVM M(arci) ANTONI VITALIS VENDERE VEL
DONARE ALIOVE QVO GENERE ABALIENARE VOLET AVT CORPVS
OSSVAVE ALIENIGERI NOMINIS QVAM TITVLO S(upra) S(cripto) CONTINETVR
INTVLERIT TVNC POENAE NOM[in]E IN SINGVLA CORPORA
CVLTORIBVS LARVM PORTVS [Augu]STI (sestertium) III M(ilia) N(ummum)
H(oc) M(onumentum) H(eredem) E(xterum) [n(on)] S(equetur) To the spirits of the underworld.
Marcus Antonius Vitalis and
Marcus Antonius Verus, sons of Marcus, made this for themselves
and for their freedmen and freedwomen and for the descendants
of them.
And if anyone, in this monument or its precinct,
after the death of Marcus Antonius Vitalis, wants to sell
or give away or otherwise alienate any part, or introduces a body
or bones of persons bearing a name other than that inscribed above,
then he shall pay, for each body, a fine
to the devotees of the Lares of the Port of Augustus of 3000 sesterces.
This monument does not follow the foreign heir.

Funerary inscription mentioning the cultores Larum Portus Augusti.
Hadrianic. EDR101488. Photo: EDCS.


PO[st]VMVS PLOTIVS M(arci) F(ilius) QVARTO A(ulus) GENVCIVS A(uli) F(ilius) ITER(um) DVOVIRI LOCVM DEDERVNT COMPITI AEDIFICANDI C(aius) CARTILIVS C(ai) F(ilius) POPLICOL(a) DVOVIR VII CENS(or) III COMPITVM TRANSTVLIT D(ecimus) CAECILIVS DD(ecimorum) L(ibertus) NICIA MEDICVS L(ucius) MARCIVS L(uci) L(ibertus) STEPHANVS P(ublius) NAEVIVS P(ubli) L(ibertus) HERACLIDA MAG(ISTRI) VICI MACERIEM ET COLVMNAM DE SVO FECERVNT C(aius) CARTILIVS C(ai) L(ibertus) HERA[cleo] [-----]	Postumus Plotius, son of Marcus, for the 4th time, and Aulus Genucius, son of Aulus, for the 2nd time duovir, assigned the place to build a compitum. Caius Cartilius Poplicola, son of Caius, duovir for the 7th time, censor for the 3rd time, transferred the compitum. Decimus Caecilius Nicia, freedman of the Decimi, physician, Lucius Marcius Stephanus, freedman of Lucius, Publius Naevius Heraclida, freedman of Publius, magistri of the vicus, made the enclosure and the column at their expense. Caius Cartilius Hera[cleo], freedman of Caius, [-----]
Marble slab. Found near the Palazzo Imperiale, on the left bank of the Tiber. 20 BC. EDR106925. Photo: EDCS.

[C(aius) Car]TILIVS C(ai) L(ibertus) [He]RACLEO [mag(ister)] VEICI [horo]LOGIVM [de suo?] POSVIT	Caius Cartilius, freedman of Gaius, Heracleo magister of the vicus installed the sundial (at his own expense?).
Marble inscription, reused in the Temple of the Ship Carpenters. EDR172851.


TI(berio) CL[audio Caesa]R(e) AVGVS[t(o)] GERMANICO PONT(ifice) [max(imo) tr(ibunicia) pot(estate) XI co(n)s(ule) V cens(ore) p(atre)] P(atriae) LARIBVS AUGVSTIS S[ac(rum)] MAGIS[t]RI PRIMI D(e) S(ua) P(ecunia) F(ecerunt)
Under Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex Maximus, invested with tribunician power for the 11th time, consul for the 5th time, censor, father of the fatherland, consecrated to the August Lares. The first magistri made (this) at their own expense.
Marble architrave. Fragments found in the House of the Harbour Mosaic and the Hall of the Altars. 51 AD. EDR074407. Photo: Bloch 1962, fig. 4.


MAGISTR[i] ANNI PRIMI S(ua) P(ecunia) F(ecerunt) [L(ucius) S]EIV[s ---] HERM[e]ROS [L(ucius) S]EIVS [He]R[me]ROTIS L(ibertus) [Pr]IMUS [L(ucius) Sei]VS [--- l(ibertus)] DIOM[e]DES	The magistri of the first year made it at their own expense. Lucius Seius Hermeros, Lucius Seius Primus, freedman of Hermeros, Lucius Seius Diomedes, freedman of [---]
Curved marble inscription imitating opus quadratum. Fragments found in a wall near the Temple of Hercules. 51 AD. EDR074409. Photo: Bloch 1962, fig. 6.


L[u]STRATIO VI K(alendas) IVLIAS DEDICATA K(alendis) IANVARIS TI(berio) CLAVDIO CAISARE AVGVSTO [V] SER(vio) CORNELIO O[r]FITO [co(n)s(ulibus)]	The purification (was performed) on June 26. (The shrine) was dedicated on January 1, when Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus for the 5th time and Servius Cornelius Orfitus were consuls.
Curved marble inscription imitating opus quadratum. Fragments found in a wall near the Temple of Hercules. June 26, 50 AD; January 1, 51 AD. EDR074410. Photo: Bloch 1962, fig. 7.

LARIBVS A[ugustis sacrum] L(ucius) SEIVS HERMEROS [L(ucius) Seius Primus] L(ucius) SEIVS DIOMEDES [magistri primi s(ua) p(ecunia) f(ecerunt)]	Dedicated to the August Lares. Lucius Seius Hermeros, Lucius Seius Primus, Lucius Seius Diomedes, first magistri, made it at their own expense.
Marble base. Found in a wall near the Temple of Hercules. 51 AD. EDR074411.

M[a]GISTRI ANNI PRIMI S(ua) P(ecunia) F(ecerunt)	The magistri of the first year made it at their own expense.
Marble slab. Found in a drain below the Road of the River Mouth near the Decumanus. The total height and the height of the inscribed surface are identical to those of the preceding inscription. A second, almost identical inscription was found in front of the Temple of Hercules. 51 AD. EDR074412.


D(is) M(anibus) M(arcus) ANTONIVS VITALIS ET M(arcus) ANTONIVS M(arci) FILIVS VERVS FECERVNT SIB(i) ET SVIS LIBERTIS LIBERTABVSQUE POSTERISQVAE EORVM QVOD SI QVIS IN HOC MVNIMENTVM VEL INTRA MACERIAM QVAM EIVS POST EXCESSVM M(arci) ANTONI VITALIS VENDERE VEL DONARE ALIOVE QVO GENERE ABALIENARE VOLET AVT CORPVS OSSVAVE ALIENIGERI NOMINIS QVAM TITVLO S(upra) S(cripto) CONTINETVR INTVLERIT TVNC POENAE NOM[in]E IN SINGVLA CORPORA CVLTORIBVS LARVM PORTVS [Augu]STI (sestertium) III M(ilia) N(ummum) H(oc) M(onumentum) H(eredem) E(xterum) [n(on)] S(equetur)	To the spirits of the underworld. Marcus Antonius Vitalis and Marcus Antonius Verus, sons of Marcus, made this for themselves and for their freedmen and freedwomen and for the descendants of them. And if anyone, in this monument or its precinct, after the death of Marcus Antonius Vitalis, wants to sell or give away or otherwise alienate any part, or introduces a body or bones of persons bearing a name other than that inscribed above, then he shall pay, for each body, a fine to the devotees of the Lares of the Port of Augustus of 3000 sesterces. This monument does not follow the foreign heir.
Funerary inscription mentioning the cultores Larum Portus Augusti. Hadrianic. EDR101488. Photo: EDCS.