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Remembering Trajan in Fourth-Century Rome: Memory and Identity in Spatial, Artistic, and Textual Narratives

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Remembering Trajan in Fourth-Century Rome: Memory and Identity in Spatial, Artistic, and Textual Narratives REMEMBERING TRAJAN IN FOURTH-CENTURY ROME: MEMORY AND IDENTITY IN SPATIAL, ARTISTIC, AND TEXTUAL NARRATIVES A dissertation presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School University of Missouri In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy By ERIC M. THIENES Dr. Dennis Trout Dissertation Supervisor MAY 2015 The undersigned, appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, have examined the dissertation entitled: REMEMBERING TRAJAN IN FOURTH-CENTURY ROME: MEMORY AND IDENTITY IN SPATIAL, ARTISTIC, AND TEXTUAL NARRATIVES Presented by Eric Thienes, a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, and hereby certify that, in their opinion, it is worthy of acceptance. Professor Dennis Trout, Chair Professor Raymond Marks Professor Barbara Wallach Professor Lawrence Okamura Professor Marcus Rautman I dedicate this work to my grandfather, John (Jack) R. Thienes, who taught me the art of storytelling and the importance of history. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My many thanks begin and end with my wife, Jessica, who encouraged me every step of the way. I could not have finished this project without her love and support. I would like to thank my advisor and head of my committee, Dennis Trout, for all of the guidance and advice on this project from its inception to final version. In numerous meetings in his office and via email, he helped me by talking through big issues, from organization of information to theoretical application, and small details from formatting to word choices. I am so very grateful. I also thank the remaining members of the committee for their input and support. In particular, I thank Larry Okamura for directing me to look at some interesting pieces of evidence, such as the contorniate medallions and the legacy of Trajan on the frontiers. I also thank Barbara Wallach for talking me through the genres of ancient rhetoric and panegyric. I would like to thank Marcus Rautman for his input on sculpture and Ray Marks for pressing me with good questions on theory in the oral defense. I also give much gratitude to the faculty of the department of Classical Studies at the University of Missouri for all of the preparation and instruction that led to this dissertation. I would like to give particular thanks to Professors Michael Barnes, Barbara Wallach, David Schenker, and the late John Miles Foley for helping me develop my skills in Greek. Thanks to Professors Ray Marks, Barbara Wallach, Dan Hooley, and Dennis Trout for help with my Latin. Similarly, thanks to the department for giving me the opportunity to teach Latin for several years, and special thanks to Barbara Wallach and Darcy Krasne for guidance on pedagogic matters. I want to acknowledge Dan Hooley iii and Anatole Mori for guiding me on the application of theory in classical studies through the respective Latin and Greek “Rough Guide” seminars. They were instrumental in helping me think critically about classical texts. I would like to acknowledge again Professors Dennis Trout and Marcus Rautman for instruction on the various sources of evidence for study in late antiquity through their phenomenal graduate seminars. Thanks to my fellow graduate students, both past and present, who endured the graduate-school grind with me. I give particular mention to Justin Arft, who was concurrently writing his dissertation. Over coffee or beer, our countless sessions consisting of discussing, thinking, commiserating, and writing tremendously helped me to work through issues and ideas. I could not have finished this project without his frequent input, support, and reassurance. I also gained a true and lifelong friend. Surely, the economic impact of our absence from our usual haunts will be felt. I would also like to extend gratitude to some important people from my previous institutions of study. I would like to thank the classics faculty at the University of Arizona and specifically thank Professors David Soren, Eleni Hasaki, Mary Voyatzis, Cynthia White, David Christenson, Jeffrey Spier, Al Leonard, Marilyn Skinner, and Alison Futrell for all of the training and introduction to graduate studies in classics, archaeology, and ancient history. I want to also thank Professors Philip Nordquist, Samuel Torvend, Eric Nelson, Doug Oakman, Gina Hames, and the late Stewart Govig at my alma mater, Pacific Lutheran University, for inspiring me and encouraging me to pursue my interests in iv historical inquiry. I would not have achieved this goal without a solid foundation of academic excellence and mentorship. I also want to acknowledge Professors David George and Linda Rulman at St. Anselm College and Dr. Claudio Bizzarri for having me as a member of their archaeological excavations in Italy. I cherish the opportunity to have been a part of such an interesting project for the last five years, and I look forward to a continued relationship. I am grateful for their support of my academic endeavors and their willingness to make the findings from this project a part of my own scholarship. Special thanks to all the members of my family and especially to my parents, Mike and Kathy for their enduring support and belief in my success. I am also grateful for Becky and Ken Jacroux for cheering me on through graduate school and for the help with moving from city to city to pursue my graduate education. I also thank Mal Kenney for giving me that book on Irish history, which helped initiate my interest in antiquity. I would also like to mention some of my closest friends, whose continued support aided me through graduate school and the dissertation project. I thank Reece Taylor, Matt Tabor, Erik Fulkerson, Jason Kittredge, Will Ramundt, and Kimbrough Taylor for believing in me, giving me words of encouragement, and listening to me. Their unrelenting encouragement is a mark of true friendship. Lastly, I again want to thank my wife, Jessica. Thanks for putting up with me through all of the stress and long hours of graduate school, studying for exams, and writing the dissertation. Thank you for believing in me. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ii Abbreviations viii List of Figures ix Abstract x CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1 1: Introduction 1 2: Review of scholarship on memory and Trajan 5 3: Defining key concepts 18 3A: Memory 18 3B: Memorialization 20 3C: Space 21 3D: Memory and Identity 22 4: The “Recoverable” Trajan: Historical background 29 4A: Ancient Sources for Trajan’s life 30 4B: Trajan the man and the emperor 32 4C: The Forum of Trajan: overview of form and function 46 4C1: Entrance, forum square, exedrae, and the Basilica Ulpia 49 4C2: The sacred precinct: the column, libraries, and temple 52 4D: Portus Augusti 56 4E: Conclusion 57 CHAPTER II: BUILDING MEMORIES: TRAJANIC SPACE AND LATE ROMAN TOPOGRAPHY 59 1: Trajan’s Forum: courtyard and Basilica Ulpia 60 1A: The courtyard and the equestrian statue 60 1B: The Basilica Ulpia and the routine operations of Rome 62 1C: The images of the clarissimi: Trajan’s Forum and the Senate 65 2: Trajan’s Forum: the sacred precinct and cultural center 72 2A: Column of Trajan 72 2B: Bibliotheca Ulpia: the library as power and memory 74 3: Trajan’s Markets 81 vi 4: The Thermae Traiani and bathing in the fourth century 84 5: Portus in late antiquity 87 6: Trajan and fourth-century imperial art 88 6A: Imperial portraits and inscriptions in the Forum of Trajan 89 6B: Arch of Constantine as new Trajanic space 94 6C: Nova Roma: Trajanic space in Constantinople 98 6D: Trajan in the hands of Romans: contorniate medallions 100 7: Conclusion 104 CHAPTER III: MELIOR TRAIANO: TRAJAN IN FOURTH-CENTURY HISTORIOGRAPHY, BIOGRAPHY, AND PANEGYRIC 105 1: Fourth-century histories 107 1A: Trajan as exemplar in Ammianus Marcellinus 108 1B: fourth-century Epitomes 118 1B1: Festus 120 1B2: Eutropius 121 2: Emperors’ Lives 124 2A: Historia Augusta 125 2B: Aurelius Victor 135 2C: Epitome de Caesaribus 137 3: Biographical themes in non-historical genres 139 3A: Caesares: Julian’s Satire 140 3B: Caesares: Ausonius’ Poetry 144 4: Imperial panegyric 145 4A: Pacatus and the Panegyrici Latini 146 4B: Claudian 151 4C: Sidonius Apollinaris 153 5: Conclusion 157 CHAPTER IV: FROM PERSECUTION TO SALVATION: THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO TRAJAN 159 1: Tertullian and the apologetic Tradition 161 1A: Introduction to early-Christian apologetics 161 1B: Tertullian 162 vii 2: New Christian narratives of the fourth century 169 3: Eusebius of Caesarea 171 3A: Eusebius’ Chronicle 173 3B: Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History 176 3C: Eusebius’ Life of Constantine 187 4: The successors to Eusebius 191 4A: Jerome 191 4A1: Jerome’s Chronicle 192 4A2: Jerome’s On Illustrious Men 194 4B: Sulpicius Severus and his Chronicle 195 4C: Orosius and his History against the Pagans 196 5: Competing Traditions: Trajan the tyrant 199 5A: The martyrdom of St. Ignatius of Antioch 200 5B: The martyrdom of St. Phocas 201 6: Gregory the Great and the salvation of Trajan 202 7: Conclusion 205 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION 207 Figures 213 Bibliography 228 Image Credits 256 Vita 257 viii ABBREVIATIONS All abbreviations follow the conventions set forth in Oxford Classical Dictionary (fourth edition) except those specified below, which are either not found in or differ from it: IV Cos. Hon Claudian, Panegyric on the fourth consulship of Honorius Eutr. Brev. Eutropius, Breviarium ab Urbe Condita Fest. Brev. Festus, Breviarium Rerum Gestarum Populi Romani HA Historia Augusta / Scriptores Historiae Augustae HE Eusebius of Caesarea, Historia Ecclesiastica In Ruf. Claudian, In Rufinum KG Kaisergeschichte VC Eusebius of Caesarea, Vita Constantini / Life of Constantine ix LIST OF FIGURES 1. Bust of Trajan from the Glyptothek, Munich (public domain). 213 2. Plan of Forum of Trajan in Rome (Packer 2001, 8 fig. 3). 214 3.
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