Roman Epigraphy
Assignment 3: Imperial Inscriptions
Name: _______________________________
This week’s assignment will acquaint you with various types of imperial inscriptions. Be
sure to have read Keppie’s chapter “The Emperor”. For next week, read chapter 10 in Keppie.
Review the senatorial cursus honorum.
Selected Inscriptions
Read the photocopy of selected imperial inscriptions and use the handout of emperors to
answer the following questions related to the selection. 2 points per blank unless otherwise
noted; 62 points total.
Determine the type and involvement of the emperor in the following inscriptions (1 point
per blank). Use the following codes:
Type: A) building dedication, B) funerary inscription, C) religious dedication, D) statue
base, E) Milestone
Imperial Involvement: 1) to the emperor (or a member of his family), 2) by the emperor
(or a member of his family), 3) at his orders, 4) votive on his behalf
Inscription
Type
Imperial
Involvement
Inscription
#3
#14
#4
#16
#5
#17
#6
#19a
#8
#28
#12
#45
#13
#47
2
Type
Imperial
Involvement
Questions on the reading
#2. What does “d.d.” stand for (use the ASGLE site listing abbreviations or some other list of
abbreviations to find out) _________________________________
http://www.case.edu/artsci/clsc/asgle/abbrev/latin/
#5. Does the date from Augustus’ titles match the consular date? __________________
Where did the money for the statue come from? ______________________________
#8. What happened to make the people put up this inscription?
________________________________________________________________________
#10. What is the significance of “Augusti” in inscription 8 and “divi Augusti” in inscription 9?
________________________________________________________________________
#11. How many tribes dedicated the inscription? ______________
#12. The Palazzo Conservatori was not the original location of this inscription. From where do
you think it originally came? ___________________________________________
#13. Who gave the order for this inscription to be put up? _______________________________
#16. Who was Valeria Messalina and why was her name erased?
________________________________________________________________________
#18. Why do you suppose the last two names are in the ablative case?
________________________________________________________________________
#22. On what emperor does the blame for the “neglegentia superioris temporis” rest?
________________________________________________________________________
#29. What had the emperor done to deserve the dedication of this inscription?
________________________________________________________________________
3
#32. To what kind of building was this inscription originally attached?
________________________________________________________________________
#36. Why was Concordia especially relevant for Marcus Aurelius?
#47. From what province does the person who dedicated the inscription come?
__________________________________________
#51. Where was the emperor campaigning when the inscription was put up?
________________________________________________________
#57. How many emperors are listed on this inscription? ____________
4
List of Emperors
Give the emperor’s name and the years of reign for the following inscriptions (2 points per line;
42 points total):
Inscription
Emperor
Dates of Reign
#4
#15
#18
#20
#22
#24
#25
#27
#29
#32
#36
#39
#40
#43
#45
#46
#47
#49
#53
#55
#58
5
Family Tree of Augustus
Scribonia = Augustus = Livia Drusilla (Augusta) = Ti. Claudius Drusus
_______
_________
__________
_______
Julia = Agrippa
______
Nero Claudius Drusus (Germanicus) = Antonia
_______
___________
C. Caesar
_________
L. Caesar
Julia
________ ______
Agrippa Postumus
_________
Nero Claudius
Agrippina == Germanicus
_________ (Germanicus Julius
Caesar)
___________
_______
Ti. Claudius Nero
Germanicus (Ti.
Cladusiu Caes. Aug.
Germanicus)
___________
(Claudia) Livilla
Julia
___________
Nero Julius
Caesar
__________
_
Drusus Julius
Caesar
(Germanicus)
___________
Tiberius
(Julius)
Caesar
_________
__
C. (Julius)
Caesar
_________
__
Julia
Julia
Agrippina
Drusilla
_________
_________
__
__
= Cn. Domitius
Ahenobarbus
___________
Ti. Claudius Nero
(Ti. Julius Caesar)
(Ti. Caesar Augustus)
___________
= Nero Claudius Drusus
(Drusus Julius Caesar)
___________
Julia
Livilla
_________
__
= L. Domitius Ahenobarbus
(Ti. Claudius Nero Caesar
Augustus Germanicus)
___________
Put the people appearing in numbers 7-19a of the selected inscriptions on the chart above (not everyone on the chart above has an inscription in
the list). (2 points each; 46 points total)