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20 Religion As a Key Factor for Resilience: from Rome to Constantinople

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20 Religion As a Key Factor for Resilience: from Rome to Constantinople 20-II Religion as a Key Factor for Resilience: From Rome to Constantinople 11:50 - 13:20 Wednesday, 1st September, 2021 Giorgio Ferri 261 Notes on the Carmina Marciana and the Calendrical Position of the Ludi Apollinares Gianmarco Grantaliano Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain. Università "Sapienza", Roma, Italy Abstract In 212 BC, in the middle of the Second Punic War, the ludi Apollinares were established iby a prescription by the carmina Marciana. The two carmina, built post eventum after the battle of Cannae, set in competition with the official Roman religion, particularly with the priesthood of the decemviri sacris faciundis that consulted the libri Sybillini after an express order by the Senate. After the first celebration, the ludi became yearly in 208 BC and took place in July (Quintilis) 13th. The aim of my study is to try to discuss the calendrical position of the ludi and their relationship with the other festivities of the Roman calendar (e.g. dies Alliensis, transvectio equitum, nonae Caprotinae, etc.) and, consequently, with the history of the city. I will try to demonstrate how the calendrical position itself was a quick response that Rome was able to give in one of the worst moments of the war. Moreover, I will try to demonstrate some possible consequences of that resilience that necessarily altered the representation of the power relationships in Rome’s political and religious structures. 128 The End of Imperial Cult in Hispania: Religious Change and Transition Noelia Cases Mora Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain Abstract The chronology and development of the Imperial cult are one of the most valuable signals of political and religious change. This new cult was introduced by Augustus as guarantor of the ideological coherence of the Empire, that was composed of territories with diverse religious traditions. We know that while he was alive Augustus was the object of a cult in Hispania thanks to several epigraphic testimonies. In the same way we can track the latest epigraphical evidence of the worship of Roman emperors to determine how Hispanic society adapted to religious change. The latest testimonies of worship of the Emperor in Hispania show the end of a period and the cultural change that entails the dissolution of a political system. The religiosity of the communities, their expression through the performance of cults, ceremonies, and dedications, are a community cultural expression. In this sense, civic religion also implies adherence to a political system and the divinization of the ruler's power. The study of the final chronology of the Imperial cult supposes, therefore, the study of a time of transition towards something culturally different. The worship of Roman emperors is certainly witnessed in Hispania until 245 (CIL II2/7, 255). We can also mention inscriptions without absolute chronology in which an Imperial virtue is worshipped (CIL II2/5, 311). It is interesting to think about the causes and consequences of the end of the Imperial cult, particularly in the identity of citizens. Likewise, we want to talk about the new religious and social referents. The abandonment of civic religion and the acquisition of new religious behaviours undoubtedly constituted a dynamic process that would extend over time and space. 182 Resilience and Transformation: The Pontifical Law in Macrobius’ Saturnalia Elisa Migliore University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy Abstract The fourth and fifth centuries AD represent a troubled period for Roman paganism: Christianity becomes the religion of the State and triumphs over the ancient faith. Despite this, authors try to retrieve the pagan values through their works. Among these, we find Macrobius’ Saturnalia, in which the religious issues play a pivotal role: in particular, the dissertation concerning the college of Pontiffs and the Augurs represents crucial points within the work. However, Macrobius’ interest for the religious institutions was at first considered a sign of “committed paganism”, then of “sentimental antiquarianism”, namely a sense of nostalgia and idealization of the past. Nevertheless, these explanations are too simplistic. Given that pagan rituals are prohibited by the imperial edicts, the old religion must adapt to the new external circumstances to survive. Thus, Saturnalia’s religion is not that of the current practice, but a collection of antiquarian issues: and this transformation is evidence of the resilience of paganism. On this basis, the central aim of this paper is to study the college of Pontiffs as a resilient component in Macrobius’ Saturnalia. Firstly, a survey of Macrobius’ background and the structure of the Saturnalia will be carried out. Secondly, an insight into the pontifical law, especially the aspects analyzed by Macrobius, will be given. Then, the most remarkable passages from the text will be studied, in order to retrieve the literary issues about which Macrobius was interested, such as the origins of the cult, its practice, its ritual objects, and their meaning. In the end, a final evaluation on the pontifical law as a tool for the resilience of the religion in the Saturnalia will be provided. .
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