DiscussionBase with dedication to the 'Genius Herculei Augusti' (the tutelary 'God of Imperial Hercules'). Rome. 301-302. INSCRIPTION:In five lines. Genio Herculei Aug(usti), / Herculea porticu eius / a fundamentis absoluta / excultaque. / Aelius Dionysius, v(ir) c(larissimus), operi faciundo. 'To the Genius of the Imperial Hercules, with the porticus of Hercules having been completed and perfected. Aurelius Dionysius, of clarissimus rank, supervisor of public works.' The inscription is both a building inscription and the dedication of a statue to the genius of Hercules/Maximian. DESCRIPTION There is no description available. PROVENANCE AND CURRENT LOCATION The base was found in the area behind the Theatre of Pompey. The 'porticus Herculea' mentioned in the inscription is usually associated with the porticus adjacent to the theatre, destroyed by fire in 283 and restored and re-dedicated by our awarder (Platner and Ashby 1929, 428-429). Our inscription was a pendant to LSA-1506, dedicated to the 'Genius Herculei Augusti'. The base is now lost. HONORAND, AWARDER AND DATE The dedication was made in honour of the genius of the emperor, here referred to as the god Hercules. This is made clearer by the existence of an accompanying dedication to Jupiter/Diocletian (LSA-1506). Aelius Dionysius is certainly to be identified with Lucius Aelius Helvius Dionysius, curator operum publicorum under Diocletian and prefect of the City in 301-302 (PLRE I, 260 Dionysius 12). Main ReferenceCorpus Inscriptionum Latinarum; , VI, 256Discussion ReferencesJones, A. H. M. et al., The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Vol. I 260-395, Cambridge et al. 1971 (1975), p. 260 (Dionysius 12) Platner, S. and T. Ashby, A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome , Oxford 1929, pp. 428-429 (Porticus Pompei) |
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