Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 31/1. (2011)
Articles
The Funerary Stelae from Porolissum. Typological, Iconographical and Epigraphic Aspects 199 1. In the category of honestiores we can include five persons, whose names are distributed on four monuments. The names of three members of the municipal elite appear on the stelae of Porolissum. Only in the case of two of them is the ethnic origin definable: Aelius Thema[...] (17) who is of Palmyran descent (Paki 1998, 223) and Livius Rufus (3) who, according to the name could be of Italic origin (Paki 1998, 221, no. 23) The wife of the latter, Iustina Eutychia, to whom he dedicates the monument is, based on her name probably of Celtic origin (Paki 1988, 223; Husar 1999, 54). Aelia Nice (13), as the mother of Aelius Vitalianus, an augur of Celtic origin (Paki 1988, 223; Husar 1999, 46) known from a different funerary monument from Porolissum (Gudea-Lucäcel 1975, 16-17, no. 17; Gudea 1989, 769, no. 39, pl. CCLXXVI), can also be included in the category of honestiores and be ascribed a Celtic origin, by virtue of her family relations described above. Finally, in the case of M. Cocceius Alexander (16), the ethnic origin cannot be determined. 2. In total we know the names of three members of the army, distributed on three stelae: Aelius Firmus (18), a centurion in the coh. I. Brittonum of Celtic origin (Paki 1988, 223), Salmas Rami (12), a soldier of undisclosed rank in the Numerus Palmirenorum, of Palmyran origin (Paki 1988, 223) and Aurelius Passer (15) who is a signifier of Celtic origin (Paki 1988, 223). The stelae belonging to the first two categories, due to their fragmentary state of preservation, and to the fact that a number of them have been lost, are less suitable for a correlated analysis as described above. 3. On the stela no. 4, the names of three members of the Familia Caesaris (i.e. Imperial slaves) are revealed: Eufemus, the person who is commemorated, and who, according to the inscription, was the vik(arius) of a certain Peregrinus, and thirdly Erastus who erected the monument for his fellow slave (conservus). The term vicarius (here appearing as vik(arius)) from the 1st century AD onward was applied to slaves employed as occupational replacements of ordinarii, i.e. imperial slaves who held important financial posts (Weaver 1964,119-120). The vicarii were part of the peculium of the ordinarii, in effect they were slave-owned slaves (Weaver 1964, 117). It is interesting to note that the privileged status and importance of these slave officials is also reflected in this case in the funerary commemoration, the monument in question being the most elaborate stela preserved at Porolissum.20 4. The category here referred to as humiliores with unknown occupation comprises four persons, distributed on three monuments. On stela no. 11, we find Iustina Afri, together with her husband Aurelius Iustinus, both being peregrini (Paki 1998, 129). Based on the name, Iustina Afri might be of African origin (Paki 1998, 129) while her husband, the dedicator of the monument has a Celtic name (Husar 1999, 54). HőúXoc; 0aa[ioc;?], on stela no. 9, also seems to be a peregrinus (Ruscu 2003,102), while Victoria Afra, also of possible African origin is, based on the inscription, a freedwoman (Paki 1988, 223). The stelae of Iustina Afri and Victoria Afra belong to the most rudimentary type of stelae found in Porolissum. *** The sculptural record shows that Porolissum was one of the most active stone carving centres from Dacia Porolissensis. Unfortunately the number of Roman funerary stelae found in a good state of preservation is smaller than we would expect. The influence of the aforementioned 20 For further monuments erected by imperial slaves (vilid) at Porolissum, see: Gudea 1996, 277-278; Petrut Et Al. 2010.
