EVENTI DINASTICI E RISPOSTA DELLE CITTÀ NELLA LETTERA DI SETTIMIO SEVERO ALLA CITTÀ DI AEZANI

Abstract

Dynastic events and the response of the cities in the letter
of Septimius Severus to Aezani

The public proclamations of loyalty towards the emperor from the cities throughout the Roman empire were often a response to the news of dynastic events: the accession of a new emperor, the birth of an heir, the attribution of titles or tasks to members of the imperial family, victories, anniversaries, solemn announcements of various kind. In order to secure the favour or the forgiveness of the prince, the cities made sacrifices, proclaimed festal days, and sent embassies to him. As examples of this custom, the author quotes a papyrus from Apollonopolis Heptakomia in Egypt (P.Giss. 3) for the accession of Hadrian, an inscription from Aezani in Phrygia Epiktetos for the attribution of the title of Caesar to Caracalla (ILS, 8805), and a decree of Athens for the title of Augustus to Geta (IG, II-III2, 1077). A thorough analysis of the inscription from Aezani in its context allows the author to reconstruct the chronology of the second half of AD 195: Caracalla received the title of Caesar in full summer; as a response to this open provocation, Clodius Albinus was acclaimed emperor in Britain at the beginning of October, and was declared hostis publicus by Severus in Mesopotamia at the beginning of November, few days before the capitulation of Byzantium, which granted to Severus the 8th imperial acclamation; the decree of the Senate againstAlbinus followed on the 15th of December.