Cities, villages, fortresses - Solothurn - Solothurn (Salodurum) - Religion

Introduction Religion Tombs

Religion is documented quite well through inscriptions. In 1946 a block was found with an inscription in a tabula ansata. It had been reused in antiquity. It documents the construction of a temple of Jupiter, in honour of the Imperial house, by the inhabitants of the settlement (vicus). We hear that their leaders were called magistri, elected annually.

[In ho]NOREM DOMVS DIVI[na]E [I(ovi)] O(ptimo) M(aximo) [vicani] SALODVRENSES PVBL(ice) MAGIST(ris) VICI [---]IO VIKANO II T(ito) PED(io) MALLVSIO	In honour of the divine house, to Jupiter Optimus Maximus. the villagers of Salodurum, from public funds, when the leaders of the settlement were [---]ius Vikanus for the second time and Titus Pedius Mallusius.
Inscription found in 1946. Limestone. W. 2.43, h. 0.72, d. 0.42. Steinmuseum Solothurn. First half of the second century? Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 345. Photo: EDCS-13900607.

Another inscription, found in 1762 and also reused, documents a temple of Apollo, erected again in honour of the Imperial house. This was a private donation by a member of the family of the Crassicii: Titus Crassicius Pattusius. The gens Crassicia is documented primarily in Italy. One member is found in Africa Proconsularis (Tunisia), two are found in Augusta Vindelicorum (Augsburg, Germany).

IN HONOR(em) DOM(us) DIVIN(ae) APOLLINI AVG(usto) T(itus) CR(assicius) PATTV SIVS TEMPLVM D(e) S(uo) D(onum) DEDIT	In honour of the divine house, to Apollo Augustus, Titus Crassicius Pattusius donated the temple at his own expense.
Inscription found in 1762. Limestone. W. 0.75, h. 0.595, d. 0.08. Steinmuseum Solothurn. Middle of the second century? Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 341. Photo: EDCS-10800574.

Pattusius is found again in an inscription on an altar found in 1909. It was dedicated by him and another member of the family, Magius, to the Suleviae, Celtic goddesses.

	T(itus) CR(assicius) PATTVSI VS ET CR(assicius) MAGI VS SVLE(v)IS SVIS V(otum) S(olverunt) L(ibentes) M(erito)
	Titus Crassicius Pattusius and Crassicius Magius for their Suleviae fulfilled their vow gladly and deservedly.
	Altar found in 1909. Limestone. W. 0.51, h. 0.765, d. 0.385. Steinmuseum Solothurn. Middle of the second century? Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 347. Photo: EDCS-12200150.

Another dedication in honour of the Imperial house was found in 1762 on a reused base for a statue of the Genius, the protective deity, of the community. It was set up, together with an altar, in 219 AD, during the reign of Elagabalus.

	GENI[o p]VBLIC(o) IN HONOREM DOM(us) DIVIN(ae) ARAM CVM SI GN(o) SVECCONI DEMEGENVS DE SVO POSVI[t] IMP(eratore) D(omino) N(ostro) ANTO[n(ino) II] ET SACERDOT(e II) CO(n)S(ulibus)
	To the public Genius, In honour of the divine house, the altar with a statue, the (slave, freedman, son?) of Suecconius, Demegenus, placed from his own resources, when our Lord Emperor Antoninus for the second time and Sacerdos for the second time were consuls.
	Base found in 1762. Limestone. W. 0.475, h. 1.085, d. 0.415. Steinmuseum Solothurn. 219 AD. Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 343. Photo: EDCS-10800576.

From the same year, 219 AD, comes a reused statue base or altar that was seen for the first time in the 16th century. It is a dedication to Epona, protectress of horses, by a soldier named Marcus Aurelius Aprilius Restio. He belonged to the 22nd legion, stationed in Mogontiacum (Mainz, Germany). He had been sent to the vicus Salodurum as special envoy of the governor, to perform tasks that are not further specified.

DEAE EPONAE M(arcus) A(urelius) A[p] RILIVS RESTIO M[il(es)] LEG(ionis) XXII ANTONI[ni] ANAE P(rimigeniae) P(iae) F(idelis) IMMV[n] IS CO(n)S(ularis) CURAS A[ge] NS VICO SALOD[ur(o)] XIII KA[l(endas) SEPTEM(bres) I[mp(eratore)] D(omino) N(ostro) ANTONINO [Aug(usto)] II ET SACERDO[te] II CO(n)S(ulibus) V(otum) S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito)	For the goddess Epona, Marcus Aurelius Aprilius Restio, soldier of the 22nd Legion Antoniniana Primigenia Pia Fidelis, special envoy of the governor, in charge of the village of Salodurum, on August 20th, when Emperor our Lord Antoninus Augustus for the second time and Sacerdos for the second time were consuls, fulfilled his vow gladly and deservedly.
Base or altar found in the 16th century. Limestone. W. 0.555, h. 0.92, d. 0.45. Steinmuseum Solothurn. 219 AD. Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 342; EDCS-10800575. Photo: Kanton Solothurn.

A dedication to the Lares Augusti, the household gods of the Emperor, has been preserved only as a copy from 1647.

LARIBVS AVGVSTIS [M(arcus) Va]LERIVS M(arci) L(ibertus) ZETHVS L(ucius) MARIVS L(uci) L(ibertus) PRIVATVS [QQ(uinti)] VASSI Q(uinti) L(iberti) ZETHVS ET CLARVS D(e) S(uo) F(ecerunt)

To the Lares Augusti. Marcus Valerius Zethus, freedman of Marcus, Lucius Marius Privatus, freedman of Lucius, Quintus Vassius Zethus and Clarus, freedmen of Quintus, made it at their own expense.

Copy from 1647 of an inscription. Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 346; EDCS-10800578.

The text of a dedication to Mercurius Augustus was written down in 1679. It was made by Valerius Hispanus, a member of a guild related to the Imperial cult (sevir Augustalis) from Lyon, France.

MERCVR(io) AVG(usto) VALER(ius) HISPA NVS IIIIIIVIR AVG(ustalis) LVGVD(uni) EXS VOTO	To Mercurius Augustus. Valerius Hispanus, sevir Augustalis in Lugdunum, after a vow.
Copy from 1679 of an inscription. Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 351; EDCS-10800579.

Finally we can mention a small bronze axe, dedicated to Jupiter by a certain Decimanus. It was found in 1857 in mud from the river Aare. It seems to have disappeared.

DECIMAN(us) IOVI VOT(o)	Decimanus, to Jupiter, after a vow.
Small bronze axe found in 1857. L. 0.072. Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 344. Photo: EDCS-10800577.

Introduction Religion Tombs

[29-Dec-2023]