Base for gilded bronze statue of Lucius Aurelius Avianius Symmachus, consul and prefect of the City; commanded by the emperors. Rome, Forum of Trajan. 377
PROVENANCE AND LOCATION
City:
Roma
Province:
Roma
Region:
Rome (including Ostia and Portus)
Details:
Rome, Forum of Trajan
Current Location:
Vatican Museums, Cortile della Pigna (inv. n. 5173)
OBJECT
Object:
Base, for bronze statue
Material:
Marble
Re-Use?
Yes
Form:
Rectangular
Height(cm):
127
Width(cm):
76
Depth(cm):
44.5
Language:
Latin
Text Type:
Prose
SUBJECT
Honorand:
Lucius Aurelius Avianius Symmachus signo Phosphorius
Position:
Consuls
Gender:
Male
Awarder:
Gratian and Valens, emperors, at request of the Senate
Position:
Emperors
DATE
Earliest:
377
Latest :
377
MAIN REFERENCE
Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum; , VI, 1698 (+p. 4737)
INSCRIPTION
Text:
Phosphorii. / Lucio Aur(elio) Avianio Symmacho, v(iro) c(larissimo), / praefecto urbi, consuli, pro praefectis / praetorio in urbe Roma finitimisque /(5) provinciis, praefecto annonae ur/bis Romae, pontifici maiori, quinde/cemviro s(acris) f(aciundis), multis legat[io]nibus / pro amplissimi ordinis desideriis / apud divos principes functo, qui /(10) primus in senatu sententiam roga/ri solitus auctoritate, prudentia atq(ue) / eloquentia pro dignitate tanti ordi/nis magnitudinem loci eius inpleve/rit, auro inlustrem statuam quam /(15) a dominis Augustisq(ue) nostr(is) senatus / amplissimus decretis frequentib(us) in/petrabit idem triumfatores principes / nostri constitui, adposita oratione ius/serunt quae meritorum eius ordinem /(20) ac seriem contineret quorum perenne / iudicium tanto muneri hoc quoque ad/didit ut alteram statuam pari splen/dore etiam apud Constatinopolim /(24) conlocaret. // Dedicata III Kal(endas) Maias / d(omino) n(ostro) Gratiano IIII et Merobaude / co(n)s(ulibus).
Trans:
[Statue of] Phosphorius. To Lucius Aurelius Avianius Symmachus, of the senatorial order, urban prefect, consul, legate of the praetorian prefect in Rome and in the neighbouring provinces, prefect of the annona of the city of Rome, higher pontiff, member of the college of the quindecemviri sacris faciundis, responsible on many occasions for embassies to deified emperors following the wishes of the senatorial order, whose opinion in the Senate was usually the first to be asked, who enriched with authority, prudence, and eloquence the seat of this great order. The gilded statue that the great Senate obtained from our Lords Augusti through frequent petitions, and that our victorious emperors commanded to be set up with a list of his merits; and to this honour their [i.e., imperial] judgment also added that a further statue of equal splendour be placed in Constantinople. Dedicated on the III of the Kalends of May, during the fourth consulship of our lord Gratian and Merobaudes.
