The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient Rome Amber Gartrell Frontmatter More Information

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Cambridge University Press 978-1-108-47755-0 — The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient Rome Amber Gartrell Frontmatter More Information

The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient Rome

The Dioscuri ﬁrst appeared at the Battle of Lake Regillus in 496 bc to save the new Republic. Receiving a temple in the Forum in gratitude, the gods continued to play an important role in Roman life for centuries and took on new responsibilities as the needs of the society evolved. Protectors of elite horsemen, boxers and sailors, they also served as guarantors of the Republic’s continuation and, eventually, as models for potential future emperors. Over the course of centuries, the cult and its temples underwent many changes. In this book, Amber Gartrell explores the evolution of the cult. Drawing on a range of methodological approaches and a wide range of ancient evidence, she focuses on four key aspects: the gods’ two temples in Rome, their epiphanies, their protection of varied groups, and their role as divine parallels for imperial heirs, revealing how religion, politics and society interacted and inﬂuenced each other.

Amber Gartrell is an Associate Lecturer (Teaching) in Roman History at University College London. Previously, she was a Stipendiary Lecturer in Ancient History at St Hilda’s, St John’s and Merton Colleges at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses upon the interactions between religion and other facets of Roman life, including politics, historical events and social developments.

© in this web service Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-1-108-47755-0 — The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient Rome Amber Gartrell Frontmatter More Information

The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient Rome

AMBER GARTRELL

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Contents

List of Illustrations page vi Translations and Abbreviations ix Acknowledgements xi

Introduction 1 1 The Temples of Castor and Pollux 29 2 The Epiphanies of the Dioscuri 74 3 The Responsibilities of Castor and Pollux 113 4 Castor and Pollux as Parallels for Imperial Heirs 145 Conclusion 194

Bibliography 198 Index 221

Illustrations

All numismatic descriptions used for illustrations are taken from their respective CRRO and OCRE catalogue entries. 1. Statues of the Capitoline Dioscuri, Rome. Author’s photograph. page 7 2. Sixth-century bc dedication to the Dioscuri, Lavinium. Author’s photograph, reproduced by courtesy of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities – National Roman Museum, Terme di Diocleziano. Inv. no. 135931. 12 3. Temple of Castor and Pollux, Forum Romanum, Rome. Author’s photograph. 34 4. 1871 photograph of the Temple of Castor and Pollux, Forum Romanum, Rome. Reproduced with permission from Fototeca Unione, American Academy in Rome. FU.4747f. 41 5. Via Anicia plan fragment showing the temple of Castor and Pollux in the Circus Flaminius. Author’s photograph, reproduced by courtesy of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities – National Roman Museum, Terme di Diocleziano. Inv. no. 365105. 67 6. Anonymous denarius, Rome, 211 bc (RRC 44/5). Obverse: X, Helmeted head of Roma, right; behind, denominational mark. Border of dots. Reverse: ROMA, Dioscuri galloping, right; in linear frame, inscription. Line border. Image courtesy of the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford. 90 7. Denarius of Gaius Servilius, Rome, 136 bc (RRC 239/1). Obverse: X (crossed) ROMA, Helmeted head of Roma, right; behind, wreath and denominational mark. Border of

List of Illustrations vii

dots. Reverse: C·SERVEILI·M·F, Dioscuri riding apart, with spears reversed. Border of dots. Image courtesy of the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford. 91 8. Lacus Juturnae, Forum Romanum, Rome. Author’s photograph. 98 9. Denarius of Lucius Memmius, Rome, 109–108 bc (RRC 304/1). Obverse: X (crossed), Young male head (possibly Apollo) right, wearing oak-wreath. Border of dots. Reverse: L·MEMMI, Dioscuri standing facing between their horses, each holding a spear. Border of dots. Image courtesy of the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford. 101 10. Denarius of Aulus Postumius Albinus, Rome, 96 bc (RRC 335/10b). Obverse: ROMA X, Laureate head of Apollo right; behind, star with six rays. Border of dots. Reverse: A·ALBINV[S·S·F], Dioscuri watering horses at the Lacus Juturnae;infield, crescent. Border of dots. Image courtesy of the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford. 101 11. Denarius of Manius Fonteius, Rome, 108–107 bc (RRC 307/1a). Obverse: inscription [P P] [X (crossed)], Jugate, laureate heads of the Dioscuri right; below their chins, denominational mark. Border of dots. Reverse: MN·FONTEI I, Ship right, displaying doliolum in stern; below, control-mark. Border of dots. Image courtesy of the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford. 139 12. Denarius of Augustus, Lugdunum, 9bc(RIC 12 Augustus 199). Obverse: AVGVSTVS DIVI F, Head of Augustus, laureate, right. Reverse: C CAES AVGVS F, Gaius Caesar galloping right, holding sword and shield in left hand, aquila between two standards on ground. Image courtesy of the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford. 155 13. Aureus of Augustus, Lugdunum, 2bc–ad 4 (RIC 12 Augustus 205). Obverse: CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE: Head of Augustus, laureate, right. Reverse: C L CAESARES AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT. Gaius and Lucius Caesar standing, each, togate, resting hand on shield and spear, simpulum, right, and lituus, left, flanking, left and right respectively. Image courtesy of the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford. 157 14. Dupondius of Caligula, Rome, ad 37–38 (RIC 12 Gaius/Caligula 34). Obverse: NERO ET DRVSVS CAESARES: Nero and Drusus Caesar riding right cloaks flying. Reverse: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT: Legend surrounding S C. Image courtesy of the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford. 181

viii List of Illustrations

15. Aureus of Claudius, Rome, ad 50–54 (RIC 12 Claudius 78). Obverse: NERONI CLAVDIO DRVSO GERM COS DESIGN: Bust of Nero, bare-headed, draped, right. Reverse: EQVESTER ORDO PRINCIPI IVVENT: Legend in four lines on shield; behind, vertical spear. Image courtesy of the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford. 188

Translations and Abbreviations

For ancient authors and modern catalogues, I have used the standard abbreviations provided by the Oxford Classical Dictionary, third edition. All texts and translations are taken from the Loeb Classical Library volumes, published by Harvard University Press, unless otherwise noted.I use the following abbreviations:

BMCRE Mattingly, H. (1923), Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, Volume 1: Augustus to Vitellius, British Museum Press. CIL (1863–) Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, Berlin. CRRO Coinage of the Roman Republic Online: http://numismat ics.org/crro/ FUR (2002–2016) The Stanford Forma Urbis Romae Project: formaurbis.stanford.edu FRHist Cornell, T.J., Bispham, E., Rich, J., Smith, C.S. (eds.) (2013), Fragments of the Roman Historians, Oxford University Press. HN Italy Rutter, N.K. (ed.) (2001), Historia Numorum: Italy, The British Museum Press. LIMC Ackermann, H.C. and Gisler, J.-R. (eds.) (1981–), Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, Zurich. LSJ Lidell, H.G. and Scott, R. (eds.) (1996), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., rev. S. Robert, Clarendon Press. LTUR Steinby, E.M. (ed.) (1993–2000), Lexicon Topographicum Urbis Romae, Quasar. MAR Dumser, E.A. (ed.) (2002), Mapping Augustan Rome, Journal of Roman Archaeology Supplement 50.

x Translations and Abbreviations

OCD Hornblower, S. and Spawforth, A. (eds.) (1996), The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 3rd ed., Oxford University Press. OCRE Online Coins of the Roman Empire: http://numismatics.o rg/ocre/ OLD Glare, P.G.W. (ed.) (1968), Oxford Latin Dictionary, Clarendon Press. RIC Sutherland, C.H.V. and Carson, R.A.G. (eds.) (1984), Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume I: From 31 bc to ad 69, rev. ed., Spink and Son. RPC Burnett, A., Michel, A., Ripollés Alegre, P.P., and Spoerri, M. (1992–), Roman Provincial Coinage, British Museum Press. RRC Crawford, M.H. (1974), Roman Republican Coinage, Cambridge University Press.

Acknowledgements

From the beginning of the research to the culmination of this book’s completion, I owe great thanks to a number of people, more than I could possibly hope to name here. Many thanks are due to Ed Bispham, who supervised my doctoral thesis from which this book has developed and expanded; his guidance has been invaluable. Thanks are also owed to my thesis examiners, Anna Clark and Faye Glinister, whose new perspectives and advice helped me further clarify and hone my argument. My editor, Beatrice Rehl, and the anonymous peer reviewers for Cambridge University Press greatly aided the development of my research from a thesis to a book, and their advice improved the result immeasurably. Since completing my doctorate, I have been fortunate to work with wonderful colleagues at three Oxford colleges: St Hilda’s, St John’s and Merton. Katherine Clarke, Georgy Kantor and Jonathan Prag have been wonderful mentors for me throughout these posts and I offer my sincere thanks for their support. Furthermore, thanks also go to the many scholars, both at Oxford and elsewhere, who took the time to share their thoughts on my work, to answer my questions and to discuss their ideas with me. Thanks also to my generation of Oxford postgraduates and early career scholars, who have traced the development of this book across many papers and discussions with good humour. I also thank my students, who have found that the Dioscuri and their cult are surprisingly relevant to a wide range of subjects and have helped clarify my arguments through their questions. Last, but certainly not least, so many thanks go to my family and friends. To my parents, for their unfailing encouragement and

xii Acknowledgements

willingness to explore ancient remains, both with me and even without me at times. To my sisters, who I can rely upon to bring me back to the modern world when needed. To my nephew and niece, who were not here when I began this work, but who have provided so many fun distractions towards the end, and to my newest niece, who is yet to arrive and add to the fun. And to my grandparents, to whose support I owe much. This book is dedicated to you all, with love and with thanks.