DiscussionSlab from base for statue of Rufius Praetextatus Postumianus, consul and prefect of the City. From Rome. 448. INSCRIPTIONIn 13 lines. Letter height 4.5 cm. [[Rufius Praetextatus]] / Postumianus, v(ir) c(larissimus), filius / magnifici viri Mariniani, / praefecti praetorio /(5) et consulis ordinarii, / quaestor candidatus, / praetor urbanus, tribunus / et notarius praetorianus, / praefectus urbi secundo, /(10) consul ordinarius, quos / tantos ac tales honores / primo aetatis suae flore / promeruit. 'Rufius Praetextatus Postumianus, of clarissimus rank, son of the distinguished man Marinianus, praetorian prefect and consul ordinarius, quaestor(quaestor candidatus), urban praetor, pratorian tribune and notary , prefect of the City for the second time, consul ordinarius, who deserved so many and such important honours at his early youth.' The name of the honorand appears in the nominative case, and there is no reference to an awarder. The inscription mentions the two most important offices of our honorand's father, and the (possibly complete) cursus honorum of Postumianus in ascending order of importance. DESCRIPTION (From Granino Cerere) Front of marble base, 95.5 x 75 x 9 cm. The epigraphic field is framed by moulding, slightly damaged on the right side. There is a small round hole on the lower part. Although the content of the inscription does not mention a statue, its support clearly indicates a statue-monument. PROVENANCE AND CURRENT LOCATION The provenance of our base is unknown. It is now in Florence, Museo Archeologico, Villa Corsini a Castello, Inv. n. 87835. HONORAND, AWARDER AND DATE The career of Rufius Praetextatus Postumianus cannot be precisely dated, with the exception of the consulship, which we know that was held in 448, when this statue was probably dedicated (PLRE II, 901-902 Postumianus 4). He was a son of Flavius Avitus Marinianus and, through his mother Anastasia, a descendant of the emperor Constantius I, father of Constantine (Chausson 2002, 146). The identity of the awarder is not recorded. FURTHER DISCUSSION The inscription emphasizes the familial link of Postumianus, as well as the young age at which he reached the summit of his political career. In this respect, the fact that the text does not record an awarder could be seen as an indication that this was a private monument, dedicated in a private space (such as LSA-1628, dedicated in a private villa). However, the importance of the honorand, and the position that he and his family occupied in late Roman society, does not allow us to exclude the possibility of a statue displayed in a public setting. Main ReferenceCorpus Inscriptionum Latinarum; , VI, 1761 (+p. 4754)Granino Cerere, M. G., Supplementa Italica - Imagines. Roma (CIL VI) 3, Collezioni Fiorentine, Rome 2008, n. 3505 Discussion ReferencesChausson, F., "Une soeur de Constantin: Anastasia", in R. Lizzi Testa and J.-M. Carrié (eds.), Humana Sapit. Mélanges en l'honneur de Lellia Cracco Ruggini (Bibliothéque de l'Antiquité Tardive 3), Turnhout 2002, pp. 131-155 Martindale, J. R., The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Vol. II A.D. 395-527, Cambridge 1980, pp. 901-902 (Postumianus 4) |
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