The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient Rome: Myth, Ritual, and Society

237 Pages·2021·3.45 MB·English

by  Amber Gartrell

TheCultofCastorandPolluxinAncientRome
TheDioscurifirstappearedattheBattleofLakeRegillusin496bc to
savethenewRepublic.ReceivingatempleintheForumingratitude,the
godscontinuedtoplayanimportantroleinRomanlifeforcenturiesand
took on new responsibilities as the needs of the society evolved.
Protectors of elite horsemen, boxers and sailors, they also served as
guarantorsoftheRepublic’scontinuationand,eventually,asmodelsfor
potentialfutureemperors.Overthecourseofcenturies,thecultandits
temples underwent many changes. In this book, Amber Gartrell
explores the evolution of the cult. Drawing on a range of
methodological approachesanda wide range ofancient 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
parallelsforimperialheirs,revealinghowreligion,politicsandsociety
interactedandinfluencedeachother.
AmberGartrellisanAssociateLecturer(Teaching)inRomanHistoryat
UniversityCollegeLondon.Previously,shewasaStipendiaryLecturer
inAncientHistoryatStHilda’s,StJohn’sandMertonCollegesatthe
University of Oxford. Her research focuses upon the interactions
between religion and other facets of Roman life, including politics,
historicaleventsandsocialdevelopments.
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The Cult of Castor and Pollux
in Ancient Rome
AMBER GARTRELL
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doi:10.1017/9781108763837
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Contents
ListofIllustrations pagevi
TranslationsandAbbreviations ix
Acknowledgements xi
Introduction 1
1TheTemplesofCastorandPollux 29
2TheEpiphaniesoftheDioscuri 74
3TheResponsibilitiesofCastorandPollux 113
4CastorandPolluxasParallelsforImperialHeirs 145
Conclusion 194
Bibliography 198
Index 221
v
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Illustrations
Allnumismaticdescriptionsusedforillustrationsaretakenfromtheir
respectiveCRROandOCREcatalogueentries.
1. StatuesoftheCapitolineDioscuri,Rome.Author’s
photograph. page7
2. Sixth-centurybc dedicationtotheDioscuri,Lavinium.
Author’sphotograph,reproducedbycourtesyofthe
MinistryofCulturalHeritageandActivities–National
RomanMuseum,TermediDiocleziano.Inv.no.135931. 12
3. TempleofCastorandPollux,ForumRomanum,Rome.
Author’sphotograph. 34
4. 1871photographoftheTempleofCastorandPollux,Forum
Romanum,Rome.Reproducedwithpermissionfrom
FototecaUnione,AmericanAcademyinRome.FU.4747f. 41
5. ViaAniciaplanfragmentshowingthetempleofCastorand
PolluxintheCircusFlaminius.Author’sphotograph,
reproducedbycourtesyoftheMinistryofCulturalHeritage
andActivities–NationalRomanMuseum,Termedi
Diocleziano.Inv.no.365105. 67
6. Anonymousdenarius,Rome,211bc (RRC44/5).Obverse:X,
HelmetedheadofRoma,right;behind,denominational
mark.Borderofdots.Reverse:ROMA,Dioscurigalloping,
right;inlinearframe,inscription.Lineborder.Image
courtesyoftheAshmoleanMuseum,theUniversityof
Oxford. 90
7. DenariusofGaiusServilius,Rome,136bc (RRC239/1).
Obverse:X(crossed)ROMA,HelmetedheadofRoma,
right;behind,wreathanddenominationalmark.Borderof
vi
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ListofIllustrations vii
dots.Reverse:C·SERVEILI·M·F,Dioscuriridingapart,with
spearsreversed.Borderofdots.Imagecourtesyofthe
AshmoleanMuseum,theUniversityofOxford. 91
8. LacusJuturnae,ForumRomanum,Rome.Author’sphotograph. 98
9. DenariusofLuciusMemmius,Rome,109–108bc (RRC304/1).
Obverse:X(crossed),Youngmalehead(possiblyApollo)
right,wearingoak-wreath.Borderofdots.Reverse:
L·MEMMI,Dioscuristandingfacingbetweentheirhorses,
eachholdingaspear.Borderofdots.Imagecourtesyofthe
AshmoleanMuseum,theUniversityofOxford. 101
10. DenariusofAulusPostumiusAlbinus,Rome,96bc
(RRC335/10b).Obverse:ROMAX,LaureateheadofApollo
right;behind,starwithsixrays.Borderofdots.Reverse:
A·ALBINV[S·S·F],DioscuriwateringhorsesattheLacus
Juturnae;infield,crescent.Borderofdots.Imagecourtesyof
theAshmoleanMuseum,theUniversityofOxford. 101
11. DenariusofManiusFonteius,Rome,108–107bc
(RRC307/1a).Obverse:inscription[PP][X(crossed)],
Jugate,laureateheadsoftheDioscuriright;belowtheir
chins,denominationalmark.Borderofdots.Reverse:
MN·FONTEII,Shipright,displayingdolioluminstern;
below,control-mark.Borderofdots.Imagecourtesyofthe
AshmoleanMuseum,theUniversityofOxford. 139
12. DenariusofAugustus,Lugdunum,9bc (RIC12
Augustus199).Obverse:AVGVSTVSDIVIF,Headof
Augustus,laureate,right.Reverse:CCAESAVGVSF,Gaius
Caesargallopingright,holdingswordandshieldinlefthand,
aquilabetweentwostandardsonground.Imagecourtesyof
theAshmoleanMuseum,theUniversityofOxford. 155
13. AureusofAugustus,Lugdunum,2bc–ad 4(RIC12
Augustus205).Obverse:CAESARAVGVSTVSDIVIF
PATERPATRIAE:HeadofAugustus,laureate,right.
Reverse:CLCAESARESAVGVSTIFCOSDESIGPRINC
IVVENT.GaiusandLuciusCaesarstanding,each,togate,
restinghandonshieldandspear,simpulum,right,andlituus,
left,flanking,leftandrightrespectively.Imagecourtesyofthe
AshmoleanMuseum,theUniversityofOxford. 157
14. DupondiusofCaligula,Rome,ad 37–38(RIC12
Gaius/Caligula34).Obverse:NEROETDRVSVS
CAESARES:NeroandDrususCaesarridingrightcloaks
flying.Reverse:CCAESARAVGGERMANICVSPONM
TRPOT:LegendsurroundingSC.Imagecourtesyofthe
AshmoleanMuseum,theUniversityofOxford. 181
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viii ListofIllustrations
15. AureusofClaudius,Rome,ad 50–54(RIC12Claudius78).
Obverse:NERONICLAVDIODRVSOGERMCOS
DESIGN:BustofNero,bare-headed,draped,right.Reverse:
EQVESTERORDOPRINCIPIIVVENT:Legendinfourlines
onshield;behind,verticalspear.Imagecourtesyofthe
AshmoleanMuseum,theUniversityofOxford. 188
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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
otherwisenoted.Iusethefollowingabbreviations:
BMCRE Mattingly, H. (1923), Coins of the Roman Empire in the
British Museum, Volume 1: Augustus to Vitellius, British
MuseumPress.
CIL (1863–)CorpusInscriptionumLatinarum,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
UniversityPress.
HNItaly Rutter, N.K. (ed.) (2001), Historia Numorum: Italy, The
BritishMuseumPress.
LIMC Ackermann,H.C.andGisler,J.-R.(eds.)(1981–),Lexicon
IconographicumMythologiaeClassicae,Zurich.
LSJ Lidell, H.G. and Scott, R. (eds.) (1996), A Greek-English
Lexicon,9thed.,rev.S.Robert,ClarendonPress.
LTUR Steinby,E.M.(ed.)(1993–2000),LexiconTopographicum
UrbisRomae,Quasar.
MAR Dumser, E.A. (ed.) (2002), Mapping Augustan Rome,
JournalofRomanArchaeologySupplement50.
ix
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