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Order to set up posthumous gilded bronze statues of Flavius Philippus, praetorian prefect, in cities of Asia Minor. Mid fourth century

SOURCE
Copy of a decree by Constantius II (337-61) set up in Ephesus:

...ergo qui tantis eius inlustribus meritis [r]espondere nitimur, cum placemus et decet tanti viri in opimis urbibus [mo]numenta devotionis extare, Marine carissime ac iucundissime, statuas inauratas eidem locari decernimus efficacia sinceritatis tuae; [qui p]opulorum omnium diversarumque nation(um) ore celebratur, singulorum quoque oculis incurrat sitque eius in re publica [nost]ra memoria sempiterna, qui laboribus suis rei publicae nostrae semper gloriam iuvit

'. . . and therefore, since we intend to respond to his brilliant merits, and because it is both our pleasure and is suitable to set up monuments of devotion in the most splendid cities (in opimis urbibus) to such a great man, we decree that gilded statues be set up to him by the efficiency of your pure governance, most dear and pleasing Marinus. He who is celebrated by the mouth of all peoples and all different nations shall [now] strike the eyes of every single person, and there shall be eternal rememberance in our state (in re publica nostra) of him who with his toils advanced the glory of our state.'

Our source is the copy of an imperial letter by Constantius II to Marinus, governor (proconsul) of Asia.

The imperial letter instructs the governor of the province of Asia, Marinus, to set up gilded statues to the praetorian prefect Flavius Philippus (see below, 'Honorand, Awarder and Date'). It is likely that this letter which was published at an exposed public space of Ephesus was accompanied by a statue to Philippus; nothing, however, is preserved of such a statue, neither in Ephesus nor in any other of the 'most splendid' cities of the province of Asia or elsewhere. Only the small and remote city of Chytri in Cyprus preserves an inscription belonging to a statue to Philippus as demanded by the imperial decree (LSA-863).


HONORAND, AWARDER AND DATE
Philippus held office 351-354. He received a gilded statue in Chytri (Cyprus), LSA-863.

Ulrich Gehn

Main Reference

Wankel, H. (ed.), Die Inschriftn von Ephesos. Teil Ia. Nr. 1-47 (Texte), Bonn 1979, no. 41