Base for statue of Ragonius Vincentius Celsus, prefect of the annona; erected to their patron by the grain surveyors (mensores) of Portus. Rome. 389.
PROVENANCE AND LOCATION
City:
Roma
Province:
Roma
Region:
Rome (including Ostia and Portus)
Details:
Uncertain Provenance. First recorded as on Isola Tiberina, possibly from there
Current Location:
Musei Vaticani, Galleria Chiaramonti (inv. n. 2151)
OBJECT
Object:
Base
Material:
Marble
Re-Use?
Yes
Form:
Rectangular
Height(cm):
121
Width(cm):
71
Depth(cm):
66
Language:
Latin
Text Type:
Prose
SUBJECT
Honorand:
Ragonius Vincentius Celsus, prefect of the annona
Position:
Other Officials of Rome or Constantinople
Gender:
Male
Awarder:
The grain surveyors (mensores) of Portus
Position:
Guilds
DATE
Earliest:
389
Latest :
389
MAIN REFERENCE
Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum; , VI, 1759 (+p. 4753-4)
INSCRIPTION
Text:
Ragonio Vincentio Celso, v(iro) c(larissimo), / a primo aetatis introitu in actu / publico fideli exercitatione versato, / cuius primaevitas, officio sedis urbanae /(5) advocationis excercito (sic), fidem iuncxit ingenio, / prudentiae miscuit libertatem, ita ut nemo de / eius industria, nisi ille contra quem susceperat, / formidaret, cuius accessus aetatis amplissimi /(9) honoris et qui solet seniorib(us) provenire orna/menta promeruit; nam rexit annonariam potes/tatem urbis aerernae (sic, for ‘aeternae’) ea aequitate, ut inter omnes, / qui ad eum animo litigantis intrassent, parentem se / plerumq(ue) magis his quam iudicem praebuisset; / hinc etiam factum est ut mensores nos Portuenses, /(15) quib(us) vetus fuit cum caudicariis diuturnumq(ue) / luctamen, voti conpotes abiremus ut utrumq(ue) / corpus et beneficio se et victoria gratuletur; / adfectum nam ut hoc esset, indicio iam posito / magistratu, statuam patrono praestantis/simo testimonium gratulationis exsolvimus, /(20) cum res, non adulatione privato sed iudicio / posito in otio et quiete, reddatur. // [on the side] Dedicata VIII Kal(endas) / Sept(embres) Fl(avio) / Timasio et Fl(avio) Promoto / vv(iris) cc(larissimis) conss(ulibus).
Trans:
To Ragonius Vincentius Celsus, of clarissimus rank, who from the moment he entered public office at a very young age behaved with trustworthy skill, whose youth, in the office of an advocate at the seat of the City (ie, in the court of the prefect of the City), combined trust with intelligence, mingled freedom with prudence in such a way, that nobody need be afraid of his diligence, except that man against whom he would apply it; his accession to the highest honour for his age, by which he was preferred over his elders, indeed merited decoration; for he administered the office of the Annona of the Eternal City with such a justice, that, to all who had approached him with dispute in mind, he showed himself much more like a father than a judge. From this it came about that we, the grain measurers (mensores) of Portus, who had an ancient and lasting dispute with the bargees (caudiciarii), left with a decision, such that both guilds rejoiced over its gain and victory. Because of this, after announcing it to the magistrate, we fulfilled [our promise] and set up a statue to our most outstanding patron, as a witness to our joy, because the case was resolved not by private wheedling, but by a judgement made calmly and peaceably. [on the side] Dedicated on the eigth day before the kalends of September, on the consulship of Flavius Timasius and Flavius Promotus, of clarissimus rank.
