Base for gilded bronze statue of Iulius Festus Hymetius, governor of Africa Proconsularis; erected by the provincials of Africa, with imperial permission. Rome. 376-378.
PROVENANCE AND LOCATION
City:
Roma
Province:
Roma
Region:
Rome (including Ostia and Portus)
Details:
Found in foundations of palazzo of the Savorelli, near SS. Apostoli; probably from Forum of Trajan
Current Location:
Vatican City, Musei Vaticani, Cortile della Pigna, inv. no. 22646
OBJECT
Object:
Base, for gilded statue
Material:
Marble
Re-Use?
Yes
Form:
Rectangular
Height(cm):
140
Width(cm):
84
Depth(cm):
75
Language:
Latin
Text Type:
Prose
SUBJECT
Honorand:
Iulius Festus Hymetius, governor of Africa Proconsularis
Position:
Provincial Governors
Gender:
Male
Awarder:
Province of Africa, with permission of emperors Valens, Gratian and Valentinian II
Position:
Provinces and provincial councils
DATE
Earliest:
376
Latest :
378
MAIN REFERENCE
Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum; , VI, 1736 (+p. 4747)
INSCRIPTION
Text:
Hymetii. / [---] Iulio Festo Hymetio, c(larissimo) v(iro), / correctori Tusciae et Umbriae, praetori urbano, / consulari Campaniae cum Samnio, /(5) vicario urbis Romae aeternae, proconsuli / provinciae Africae, ob insignia eius / in rem publicam merita et ob depulsam / ab eadem provincia famis et inopiae vastitatem / consiliis et provisionibus et quod caste /(10) in eadem provincia integreque versatus est, / [qu]od neque aequitati in cognoscendo / neque iustitiae defuerit, quod studium / sacerdotii provinciae restituerit / ut nunc a conpetitoribus adpetatur, /(15) quod antea formidini fuerit ob quae eadem / provincia Africa decretis ad divinos principes / dominos nostros missis / Valentem, Gratianum et Valentinianum, / perpetuos Augustos, /(20) statuam unam apud Carthaginem sub auro / alteram quoque Romae eidem sub auro / postulandam esse credidit, quod nulli / proconsulum vel ex proconsulibus / statuendam antea postularit. // DD(ominis) nn(ostris) Val[ente V et Valentiniano co(n)s(ulibus?)].
Trans:
(Statue) of Hymetius. To …Iulius Festus Hymetius, of clarissimus rank, governor (corrector of Tuscia et Umbria, urban praetor, governor (consularis) of Campania with Samnium, vicar of the eternal city of Rome, governor (proconsul) of the province of Africa. On account of his distinguished services towards the Commonwealth (res publica); and because the desolation of hunger and neediness was driven away from the same province by planning and provisions; and because he occupied himself in that same province with chaste and honest affairs; because he did not lack in the recogniton of fairness or justice; because he restored the rigour of priests to the province so that now what had been before dreaded is sought after by plaintifs; because of such things this same province of Africa with decrees having been sent to the divine princes our lords, Valens, Gratian, and Valentinian, perpetual Augusti, believed that for him a gilded statue at Carthage and another gilded one at Rome should be demanded since for no proconsul or ex-proconsul before had it requested a statue to be set up. [On the left side] In the consulship of our lords Valens, for the fifth time, and Valentinian (II)…
