The Senatus Consultum from Larinum

Abstract

A bronze tablet found at Larinum (near modern Larino), in the territory of the Frentani, and published in 1978, carries part of an SC of A.D. 19 that embodies measures against public performance on stage or in the arena by members of the upper classes.This tablet poses a variety of interrelated problems which are the concern of this paper: it is itself incomplete; there are gaps in the history of the measures taken against public performance by members of the upper classes (the offence dealt with on the tablet); it is uncertain whether that was the only offence it dealt with or whether, as the testimony of Suetonius might suggest, it catered for the sexual misconduct of matrons; and there is a paradox about the penalty voluntarily incurred by would-be performers, in that it does not seem to have differed from the original penalty for performing. The solutions to each of the problems are mutually dependent, but I shall deal with them in the above order.

Tacitus, Tiberius and Augustus

“…8. Strabo 6.4.2 is widely taken as contemporary evidence supporting Tacitus' picture of Tiberius' reliance on Augustan precedent: Levick 1999Levick [1976Lassere 1983: 885-86, andDueck 2000: 105-106. In Strabo's words, Tiberius was a model for Tiberius' "administration and decrees": χαλεπ ν δ λλω̋[δι]οικε ν τ ν τηλικα την γεµον αν ν πιτρ ψαντα̋ π ατρ .…”

O. Hekster, Commodus: an Emperor at the Crossroads (Dutch Monographs on Ancient History and Archaeology 23). Amsterdam: Gieben, 2002. Pp. vi + 250, 19 pls. ISBN 90-5063-238-6. €68.00.

“…53 The question o f whether this wealth was, legally speaking, 'private' or 'public' property -a question with major repercussions for the mode o f transference o f possessions from one emperor to another -has been the cause o f heated debate, m ost prom inently between Fergus M illar and Peter Brunt.54 Ultimately it appears im possible to solve. However, even if the bulk o f the possessions may effectively have gone with the job, part o f them were also perceived to belong to the family.…”

“…In return, the Roman troops retreated from the occupied territory on the north side of the Danube. 53 The partial disarmament of Rome's former enemies, enough to ensure they would be no further threat to Rome, without making them overtly vulnerable to other potentially belligerent tribes, shows Rom e's desire to create a peaceful status quo at the Danube. The prohibition on attacking other tribes indicates the same, as does the settlement by C. Vettius Sabianus of 12,000 Dacians in the zone bordering the province, avoiding further warfare.54 The Roman side of the Danube was further strengthened, the riverbank fortified, and garrisons placed at easy crossings.55 The Danube frontier was meant to be safe again.…”

“…One of those heads was unmistakably Commodus.65 The other head o f the deity has been interpreted as Hercules. There is, however, no real reason to suppose Herculean connotations for this image.66 The 63 Szaivert,Münzprägung,[43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55] 64 Janus was a deity that was scarcely present on imperial coinage anyhow. Before Commodus, only Hadrian had him depicted on his aurei, and Antoninus Pius on sesterces and asses.…”

“…L. F. Pitts,'Relations between Rome and the German 'kings' on the Middle Danube in the first to fourth century A.D . ', JRS 79 (1989), [45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58]49. 15 SHA,Marc.…”