DiscussionBase for statue of the senator Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus, consul and praetorian prefect. Gortyna (Creta). 382-383 INSCRIPTIONIn ten lines: ivy leaf Πετρώνιον Πρόβον ivy leaf, / τὸν λαμπρότατον ivy leaf / ἀπὸ ὑπάτων καὶ ivy leaf / ἀπὸ ἐπάρχων πραιτωρίων /(5) ivy leaf γ’ivy leaf, δόγματι τῆς λαμπρᾶς / Γορτυνίων βουλῆς, / Οἰκουμένιος Δωσίθεος / Ἀσκληπιόδοτος ivy leaf /(9) ὁ λαμπρότατος ὑπατι/κὸς ἀνέστησεν ivy leaf 'Oecumenius Dositheus Asclepiodotus, the governor (consularis) of clarissimus rank set (this) up (to) the senator Petronius Probus, the former consul and former praetorian prefect thrice, by decision of the shining council of the Gortynians' Letter height 4-5 cm. DESCRIPTION (from Guarducci 1950, De Tommaso 2000, and the published images) Re-used rectangular limestone base without mouldings, H 106, W 59, D 49 cm. On the back, relative to our inscription, there is a late-2nd-century honorific inscription to Publius Septimius Geta, brother of the emperor Septimius Severus and quaestor of the province of Crete and Cyrene. The base was turned upside down to carve our inscription (see below, 'Provenance and Location'). PROVENANCE AND LOCATION The inscription was found in the praetorium in Gortyn. It is today standing on the Gortyn archaeological site, the first-use inscription upright and our inscription upside down (see above, 'Description') HONORAND, AWARDER AND DATE The honorand of the dedication Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus was a leading member of the senatorial aristocracy of Rome, the most prominent Christian senator of his time, consul in 371 and four times praetorian prefect (PLRE I, 736-40 Sex. Claudius Petronius Probus 5). His third praetorian prefecture was of Italia, Illyricum and Africa in 368-75, his fourth again of Italia, Illyricum and Africa from 383. The inscription styles him 'former consul' (ἀπὸ ὑπάτων) and 'former praetorian prefect thrice' (ἀπὸ ἐπάρχων πραιτωρίων γ’), providing a terminus post quem of 375, and a terminus ante quem of 383. He is called λαμπρότατος in our inscription, although his offices would have given him the highest senatorial rank of illustris - ἰλλούστριος. The other senators in this group from Gortyn (see below, 'Further Discussion') are similarily described, probably because the term is being used loosely to denote the rank of senator. The awarder, the governor (consularis) Oecumenius Dositheus Asclepiodotus, whose governorship is reliably datable to 382-3, is commemorated in no less than eleven honorific inscriptions in Crete (PLRE I, 115 Oecumenius Dositheus Asclepiodotus 2). He dedicated statue bases to Gratian, Valentinian II, and Theodosius I (LSA-472, LSA-770, LSA-950, though his name is missing on this latter) which were set up, together with his own statue (LSA-774), in front of the new praetorium built by him in Gortyn. He was also honoured with a statue in Olus (LSA-792). Our base belongs to a set of ten statue bases for leading members of the urban Roman aristocracy in Gortyn (LSA-773, LSA-775, LSA-776, LSA-777, LSA-778, LSA-779, LSA-780, LSA-781, LSA-782, LSA-783), on seven of which Asclepiodotus' name as awarder appears ( LSA-775, LSA-776, LSA-777, LSA-778, LSA-779, LSA-780, LSA-781). FURTHER DISCUSSION Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus was awarded another statue in Gortyn by the governor Flavius Fursidius Aristides, LSA-773. Main ReferenceGuarducci, M., Inscriptiones Creticae. Vol 4. Tituli Gortynii, Roma 1950, p. 347 no. 318Discussion ReferencesDe Tommaso, G., Nota su alcune Iscrizioni del Pretorio di Dositeo, Gortina V.1. Lo Scavo del Pretorio (1989-1995) - Vol. V. 1* - , 384-8, Padova 2000, 384 no. 1.1, 386 Guarducci, M., Le iscrizioni del pretorio di Gortina, Rivista del R. Istituto d'Archeologia e Storia dell'Arte I, 143-184, Roma 1929, 160-1 no. 9 Jones, A. H. M. et al., The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Vol. I 260-395, Cambridge et al. 1971 (1975), |
[Sleeker_special_clear]