The Ordo of Pompeii

Mary L. Gordon

doi:10.2307/296132

The Ordo of Pompeii

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 September 2012

Mary L. Gordon

Article contents

Extract
References

Rights & Permissions

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

When Vespasian sought to give new vitality to the decadent aristocracy of Rome by admitting the local gentry of the Italian towns to the senate, he was drawing upon a class which was destined to play an important part in the government and defence of the Empire. The municipal nobility, first of Italy and later of the provinces, not only managed the affairs of all the smaller communities, but also came to fill most positions of authority, both military and civil, in the imperial administration. To understand the Empire, therefore, we must know something of this aristocracy, and must study it in that local setting which our literary authorities despise. Here Pompeii affords valuable evidence, through the comparative abundance of the material presented, and through the tragic definiteness of its chronological lower limit. It is true that this evidence, for all its copiousness, is defective, since a large part of Pompeii remains unexcavated; and our lists of magistrates and of candidates for office are compiled from casual finds, not from official sources, so that negative evidence cannot safely be used. It is true also that Pompeii, owing to its unusually favourable economic conditions, is less representative of other Italian municipia than could be wished. Within these limits, however, a study of its ruling Ordo should throw some light upon the character of these bodies in and even beyond Italy.

Type: Research Article
Information: The Journal of Roman Studies , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , 1927 , pp. 165 - 183

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/296132 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © Mary L. Gordon 1927. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

References

^{page 165 note 1} Specially valuable evidence will be found in Professor Della Corte's recent series of articles, ‘Case e abitanti a Pompeii,’ in the Rivista Indo-Greco-Italica from 1919 onwards. The first two parts appeared in Neapolis, 1914. Within the limits of the. present study it has only been possible to make illustrative rather than exhaustive use of the evidence available.

^{page 165 note 2} Suet, , de Rhet. 4Google Scholar.

^{page 165 note 3} Satre was the Etruscan equivalent of the Roman Saturnus; P.-W. s.v. For a possible Satrius Saturninus at Pompeii, see below p. 167, note 5.

^{page 166 note 1} Conway, , Italic Dialects, nos. 52, 61, 53Google Scholar; Not. d. Sc. 1919 p. 242 (Popidii, Satrii, Trebii).

^{page 166 note 2} Della Corte, no. 254, Caesius Blandus, centurion of a praetorian cohort. Cf. also Helbig, Wanlgemälde, Indices, p. 479, Coelii.

^{page 166 note 3} e.g. Helbig, no. 1776. Cf. also praetorian emblems, e.g. Della Corte, no. 180, Popidius Priscus; and representations of magistrates, Helbig, nos. 1387, 1501.

^{page 166 note 4} C.I.L. iv, 879.

^{page 166 note 5} Conway, nos. 47, 53, 39, 48, 55, 74.

^{page 166 note 6} Caecilii, C.I.L. iv, 29, 30, 36; Popidii, C.I.L. X, 794, Conway, 45; Caesii, C.I.L. X, 819; Loreii, C.I.L. iv, Suppl. 4966; Herennii, Cic. de Div. i, 18.

^{page 167 note 1} Frank, Contrast Tenney, Econ. Hist. 2nd ed., ch. xiv, p. 245Google Scholar, and Rostovtzeff, , Social and Econ. Hist. ch. ii.p. 58Google Scholar.

^{page 167 note 2} Schulze, , Zur Gesch. lat. Eigennamen, passimGoogle Scholar.

^{page 167 note 3} In Atti d. Accad. d. Arch. N.S. viii, 1924, Sogliano argues unconvincingly that the Osco-Samnite equivalent of the Latin Quinctius is Pomptius, while Pompeius is an ethnicon derived from Pompeii, synonymous with Pompeianus.

^{page 167 note 4} Conway, no. 46, etc.

^{page 167 note 5} Della Corte, no. 130; Conway, , no. 53 : C.I.L. iv, 297Google Scholar.

^{page 167 note 6} C.I.L. iv, 2395Google Scholar.

^{page 167 note 7} See Conway, no. 60.

^{page 167 note 8} Mau, , Pompeii, its Life and Art, p. 204Google Scholar.

^{page 168 note 1} Caesii, , C.I.L. x, 819Google Scholar. For the praetorian, see above.

^{page 168 note 2} Della Corte, 136.

^{page 168 note 3} C.I.L. X, 895, iv, 1991, Aelius Magnus Plotillae suae, etc.

^{page 168 note 4} Della Corte, 334–5; Vell, ii, 120. For a possible allusion to this event, see above.

^{page 168 note 5} C.I.L. X, 884.

^{page 168 note 6} Della Corte, 151–2; C.I.L. X, 914 (Q. Ollius Ponti …, duumvir).

^{page 169 note 1} Compare, for example, M. Holconius Rufus, patronus coloniae; the Popidii Rufi, defensores colonorum; N. Popidius Rufus, patronus coloniae; Cn. Alleius Nigidius Maius, princeps coloniae; M. Epidius Sabinus, defensor coloniae, supported by the imperial commissioner and by the entire Ordo, ob merita eius et probitatem. C.I.L. iv, 768. Epidius seems to have been a distinguished jurisperitus, which was in accordance with the traditions of his family, judging from the famous rhetor Epidius in the time of Augustus. Suet, de Rbet. 4. See Della Corte, 354–8, and compare 417 (in an election notice on his behalf): Trebius cliens facit.

^{page 169 note 2} praefecti, C.I.L. X priscus, Della Corte 189; Sabinus, C.I.L. For the Cuspii, see C.I.L. iv, 1074, and P.-W. s.v.

^{page 169 note 3} Sogliano, loc. cit., traces the origin of the town to a Greek trading settlement.

^{page 170 note 1} Frank, Tenney, Economic History, 2nd ed., ch. XV, p. 291–3, xvi, p. 309Google Scholar.

^{page 170 note 2} Rostovtzeff, , Soc. and Econ. Hist. ch. ii note 21.Google Scholar

^{page 170 note 3} Pliny, N.H. 2, 6, §35.

^{page 170 note 4} Helbig, Indices, p. 842.

^{page 170 note 5} Della Corte, 155, 397; C.I.L. iv, 5521.

^{page 170 note 6} Della Corte, 410.

^{page 170 note 7} Vibii; for family traditions, compare cognomina Italus and Palaephatus. Metal industry, Della Corte, 192–4. Vibii in Histria, C.I.L. V, 3089.

^{page 171 note 1} P.-W., supplement, art. Epidiatia.

^{page 171 note 2} Della Corte, 493.

^{page 171 note 3} C.I.L. viii, p. 684.

^{page 171 note 4} Athen. xii, 543 a; Plut. Cato Min. 4.

^{page 172 note 1} C.I.L. iv, 1847.

^{page 172 note 2} Della Corte, 279.

^{page 172 note 3} For the Sittii, Laelii, Hordeonii and Lollii see P.-W. s.v.

^{page 173 note 1} Suet. Vit. i.

^{page 173 note 2} C.I.L. V, 1064, 1792, Aviani; Cic. ad Att. 6, 2, 3, etc.

^{page 173 note 3} Della Corte, 493.

^{page 173 note 4} Hor. Od. ii, 16, Ep. i, 12.

^{page 173 note 5} C.I.L. X, 812.

^{page 173 note 6} C.I.L. iv, 49, 72, etc., and 75.

^{page 173 note 7} C.I.L. X, 857, 827.

^{page 174 note 1} C.I.L. X, 1008, 1071.

^{page 174 note 2} Mau, Pompeii, Part iv, ch. 50.

^{page 174 note 3} e.g. M. Hordionius (sic) Oriens, C.I.L. xi, 583; cf. C. Mustius Oriens, creditor in the apocbae.

^{page 174 note 4} Sandon or Sandes was a native deity of Cilicia, from whose name various personal names were formed. See P.-W.

^{page 174 note 5} Perin, Onomasticon.

^{page 174 note 6} C.I.L. X, 8157; Della Corte, Addenda, 503. For the speculations of Sogliano on this personage, see his article on the Gens Pompeia. Holder, Altceltischer Sprachschatz, regards the name as Celtic, and gives other instances.

^{page note 7} Not. d. Sc. 1913, p. 146. Holder gives Celtic examples of Sula, Riginus and Gerus as cognomina.

^{page 174 note 8} C.I.L. iv, 31.

^{page 175 note 1} C.I.L. X, 885–6; cf. iv, 1243, L. Rocius Modestus. (Holder gives other examples of Rocius.)

^{page 175 note 2} For Casellius Marcellus, munerarius magnus, see Della Corte, 274. His small house contained a strong “safe,” and fugitives laden with jewels and money. Della Corte compares C. Casellius Vol. Pompeianus, who died at Nemausus—a striking indication of the connexion of Pompeii with Gaul. For the Celtic Casillos and Kasilos, see Holder, l.c.

^{page 175 note 3} Not. d. Sc. 1912, p. 408, Della Corte, 439, Placidus; Not. d. Sc. 1910, p. 486, Della Corte 221, Quintio.

^{page 175 note 4} C.I.L. iv, 1886; Gardthausen, Augustus, p. 183. Curtos, Gallic name from cortos, curtos, “squat.” See Malvezin, Dict. des racines celtiques, 2nd ed.s.v. COR.Google Scholar

^{page 176 note 1} C.I.L. iv, 1939.

^{page 176 note 2} Conway, no. 48; cf. also the insula Arriana, owned by Alleius Nigidius and leased to the Ollii; Della Corte, 124.

^{page 176 note 3} C.I.L. X, 1036; iv, 1179.

^{page 176 note 4} C.I.L. X, 851, 901; iv, 1084, 3884.

^{page 176 note 5} C.I.L. X, 810–13. Eumachia was the mother of M. Numistrius Fronto, duumvir in A.D. 3. For Eumachus of Naples, see P.-W. s.v.

^{page 177 note 1} Della Corte, 209–10; C.I.L. iv, 5374.

^{page 177 note 2} Caprasia was the name of a place in Bruttium, and of one of the mouths of the Po; several islands were also called Capraria or Caprasia (Perin Ontmasticon). For the German Caprasius see P.-W. Supplement.

^{page 177 note 3} C.I.L. X, 805, D. Caprasius; iv, 935 g, Syrticus 171, Firmus; 3687, Vettius Caprasius.

^{page 177 note 4} See Tenney Frank, Econ. Hist. 2nd ed., ch. xiv, p. 269.

^{page 177 note 5} Helbig, Wandgemälde der vom. Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens, ‘Casa delle Quadrighe’ and ‘Casa di Sirico.’

^{page 178 note 1} C.I.L. iv, 20, X, 874; Dio, 54, 23.

^{page 178 note 2} C.l.L. X, 1024. For Umbricius Scaurus, see Tenney Frank, Econ. Hist. 2nd ed. ch. xiv, p. 259. It seems possible that the fine-sounding hereditary cognomen; which the Umbricii assumed was suggested to them by the name of the fish— σκόμβρος —from which the sauce was manufactured, through the adjective σκαμβός, which is identical in meaning with Scaurus.

^{page 178 note 3} Della Corte, 298. Cic. ad. Fam. XV, 17, 2.

^{page 178 note 4} C.l.L. X, 827 (date uncertain), Gavius Pastor; iv, 103 and 753, Gavius Rufus. For the pastures near Pompeii and the clothing trade, see Tenney Frank loc. cit. ch. xiv, p. 260.

^{page 179 note 1} C.I.L. iv, 1122; Della Corte, 429 and 201; and J.R.S. XVI, pp. 145–154.

^{page 179 note 2} Della Corte, 201–2; C.I.L. X, 1019. For the Fabii, see above.

^{page 179 note 3} C.I.L. iv, 1136; Della Corte, 496.

^{page 179 note 4} For the tabulae ceratae, see C.I.L. iv, Suppl. Pt. I. The first, no. 3340, is that of Felix. Frank, Tenney discusses Jucundus in his Econ. Hist. 2nd ed. ch. xiv, p. 268Google Scholar; C.I.L. X, 891, min. Aug.

^{page 180 note 1} C.I.L. iv, 3433, 5788.

^{page 180 note 2} Salinator: Schulze, loc. cit. p. 413.

^{page 180 note 3} C.I.L. iv, Suppl. 7014. Otto, ‘Nomina propria hatina,’ etc., in Fleckeisen's Suppl. xxiv, p. 637. For Le Laecanii Bassi, see P.-W. s.v.

^{page 180 note 4} See Otto, loc. cit.

^{page 180 note 5} Pliny, N.H. xvii, 17 (26), §122.Google Scholar

^{page 180 note 6} C.I.L. X, 921, N. Popidius Amp. 846–8, Ampliatus, Celsa and celinus.

^{page 181 note 1} Della Corte, 361–2 and 383.

^{page 181 note 2} Not. d. Sc. 1919, p. 237 : Taedia. C.I.L. iv, 3380–83, Augustianus. Other Augustiani: 1330, Onesimus; 1379, 1385, Iucundus; 2413, Callistus; 1382–4, Aphrodite, Etias; 4754, Successa. Laudationes : 1012, 968, 720.

^{page 181 note 3} C.I.L. iv, 68, etc.; X, 841.

^{page 181 note 4} C.I.L. iv, 3775; Della Corte, 219.

^{page 182 note 1} Roby, , Roman Private Law, vol. i, book ii, ch. iii, p. 59Google Scholar.

^{page 183 note 1} Della Corte, 401.

^{page 183 note 2} The name Priscus occurs among the Holconii, Marii, Popidii, Poppaei, Terentii and Vestorii. M. Decidius Pauper is a witness in the apochae.

^{page 183 note 3} Helbig, , Indices, p. 475Google Scholar.

Article contents

The Ordo of Pompeii

Extract

References

Save article to Kindle

Save article to Dropbox

Save article to Google Drive

Reply to: Submit a response

Your details

You have entered the maximum number of contributors

Conflicting interests