THE CONSTRUCTIONS OF MARCUS AGRIPPA IN THE WEST Geoffrey Mottershead Submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy March 2005 School of Art History, Cinema, Classics and Archaeology The University of Melbourne Dedicated to HILARY PATRICIA ANNE i ABSTRACT Marcus Agrippa was the chief supporter of Octavian, the heir of Julius Caesar, in his rise to prominence as the first Roman Emperor Augustus. He also played a central role in the Augustan establishment of the new order of Empire, which replaced the late Republic. Agrippa's land and sea victories were crucial for the success of Octavian, but it will be argued that his constructions were important instruments of change in this pivotal historical period. Consequently, all Agrippan works are investigated, whether for war or peace, and whether known from material remains or other evidence. Agrippan constructions in the West (Gaul and the Iberian Peninsula) are described in detail, and the others are described in more general terms. Previously, Agrippan constructions have either been included in biographies of Agrippa, and treated generally, or have been studied as particular works with detailed description, but little explanation. Also, constructions in towns with material remains or inscriptions have been extensively studied, but important works outside towns with fewer remains have been largely overlooked. Consequently, previous writers have represented Agrippa as a builder of monuments in towns and there has been little understanding of the nature or purpose of the totality of his works, and no proper account of them. The comprehensive analysis in this thesis shows that the principal Agrippan construction in the West was the road network, radiating from Lugdunum (Lyon) to the Atlantic, the English Channel and the Rhine. This constituted the first physical framework of Roman control outside the more settled south of Gaul. Agrippa's planning and part construction of a monumental town at Augusta Emerita (Mérida), and his probable foundation of Caesaraugusta (Zaragoza) were part and parcel of Roman expansion by colonisation into new parts of the Iberian Peninsula. These major works in Gaul and Hispania set a pattern of development for centuries to come and were, therefore, influential over a long period. This was not the case in the East, which was already Hellenised and under Roman hegemony. In the case of Rome, Agrippan works were subsumed in the building programme of Augustus and later works. Consequently, the Agrippan constructions in the West were, ultimately, more important than those elsewhere. The general review of Agrippa's works contained in this thesis leads, therefore, to conclusions which represent a new viewpoint on Agrippan constructions in the West. He was certainly a builder of monuments in towns in the region, as previously known, but it has been shown here that his constructions in the West were instruments of important regional change in a pivotal historical period. There is also a new and more detailed description of the works in the West. In addition, constructions elsewhere are explained and described generally in a new integrated study of all the works. ii This is to certify that: (i) the thesis comprises only my original work towards the PhD; (ii) due acknowledgement has been made in the text to all material used; (iii) the thesis is less than 100,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, maps, bibliographies and appendices. GEOFFREY MOTTERSHEAD iii PREFACE As a civil and structural engineer, who later studied Classical Archaeology, ancient structures were already of particular interest to the author. The idea of writing a thesis about the constructions of Agrippa arose from reading a comment about Agrippa in Reinhold's biography. He said: 'If Augustus was the architect of the Roman Empire, Marcus Agrippa was his superintendent of construction'1. Reinhold was referring to Agrippa's support of Octavian, the heir of Julius Caesar, in his rise to supreme power in the Roman world as Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, and to his continuing help in the Augustan shaping of the new Imperial Order replacing that of the Republic. He had in mind all the actions of Agrippa, including his land and sea victories, his general support, and, also, his important physical constructions. Reinhold's description of Agrippa as 'superintendent of construction' prompted consideration of a study of his actual physical constructions. In this, the constructions would be explained as part and parcel of Agrippa's activities. Consequently, all the constructions would be included, whether for war or peace, and whether they are identified as Agrippan from their materials remains, or from other evidence. The best possible description of the works was to be provided. It soon became clear that it would not be possible to explain all the Agrippan constructions and to also describe them in detail. A concentration on one particular region was necessary. Agrippan works at Rome were primarily intended to influence the citizens in favour of Octavian, and to introduce the New Order of Augustus. Those in Italy formed no cohesive corpus, and, in the East, the Agrippan works were not important agents of change. The remaining region of Agrippan construction was Gaul and the Iberian Peninsula, where the constructions were instruments of substantial change. It was, therefore, possible to develop hypotheses about their relationship to important historical development. Also, although there were substantial material remains of Agrippan works in the West, it was possible to describe the constructions there in detail in the space available. It was, therefore, decided to focus on the Agrippan constructions in the West. Yet it was not possible to fully account for these without also considering those elsewhere as part of the whole corpus of Agrippan works. These other constructions, were, therefore, to be not only explained, but, also, to be described to the extent that this cast light on those in the West. 1 Reinhold M., Marcus Agrippa, Rome, 1965. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful for the help given by Trinidad Nogales Basarrate of the Museo Nacionàl de Arte Romano at Mérida, who generously provided me with a great deal of information and gave me publications of which I was unaware. At Lyon, Armand Desbat kindly took me on a tour of his investigations at the 'Temple of Cybele' site and of other monuments. He also presented me with several publications which brought me up-to-date on archaeological investigations at Lyon. I would like to thank my supervisors, Professor Frank Sear and Professor Ron Ridley for their patient guidance through the many difficulties of research and writing, and for their encouragement throughout the entire period of investigation. Finally, any errors or omissions in the final text are mine rather than those of Vyvyian Ferguson-Sharp who prepared it. ` TABLE OF CONTENTS Vol. 1 Text PAGE § THE INVESTIGATION 1 § GAUL Figs. A and B 9, 10 Introduction 11 Chapter1: Agrippa's road system 14 " 2: Lugdunum (Lyon) 39 " 3: The Temple of Valetudo at Glanum 62 " 4: Nemausus (Nîmes) 84 " 5: Other Agrippan works in Gaul 98 Agrippan Works in Gaul : Conclusions 107 § HISPANIA Figs. C and D 109, 110 Introduction 111 Chapter 6: North-West Hispania 114 " 7: Agrippa at Augusta Emerita (Mérida) 128 " 8: The theatre at Augusta Emerita : Agrippan works 137 " 9: Possible Agrippan works at Augusta Emerita 162 Augusta Emerita : Conclusions 180 Chapter 10: Agrippan constructions at urban centres other than Augusta Emerita 182 Agrippan Works in Hispania : Conclusions 202 § OTHER REGIONS 207 Chapter 11: Agrippan works other than in the West 207 § AGRIPPAN CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE WEST : CONCLUSIONS 218 § ABBREVIATIONS 223 § BIBLIOGRAPHY 225 (1) Texts 225 (2) Modern Works 227 (3) Additional Items 246 Vol. 2 Illustrations of the chapters § ILLUSTRATIONS Chapter 1: Figs. 1.1 - 1.12 " 2: " 2.1 - 2.15 " 3: " 3.1 - 3.28 " 4: " 4.1 - 4.6 " 5: " 5.1 - 5.5 " 6: " 6.1 - 6.3 " 7: " 7.1 - 7.5 " 8: " 8.1 - 8.44 " 9: " 9.1 - 9.22 " 10: " 10.1 - 10.9 " 11: " 11.1 - 11.7 § SOURCES OF ILLUSTRATIONS - 1 - TTHHEE IINNVVEESSTTIIGGAATTIIOONN HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION The historical introduction is not fully documented by reference to footnotes since it is intended to provide only a general background for the detailed study of the Agrippan constructions. These are documented by reference to texts and modern works. Agrippa (Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa) was probably born in 63 B.C.1 and, therefore, in the same year as Octavius (the first Emperor Augustus). Julius Caesar sent both of them to Apollonia on the Adriatic coast of Epirus in 46-45 B.C. for education and military training2. Agrippa and the future Augustus formed a close association which was to be maintained until the untimely death of Agrippa in 12 B.C., some quarter of a century before the end of the principate of Augustus in A.D. 14. The relationship between Agrippa and Octavius was governed by their origins and natural talents. As the heir of Julius Caesar, Octavius was to become Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, generally referred to as Octavian. Octavian could advance his position as the heir to Caesar, and because he was from an appropriate social class3. Agrippa, whose background was humble 4, could advance with Octavian by using his talents as a military commander, organiser of practical affairs, and technician. On the assassination of Caesar in 44 B.C., Octavian, at the age of 18, travelled to Rome and the protracted struggle to take up his inheritance began. The 'Second Triumvirate' of Antony, Octavian and Lepidus (43 B.C.), the triumph of the Caesarian party at Philippi in 42 B.C., and the subsequent wars of Perusia need not be described, since there is no indication of any Agrippan works of this period5.