| Number | H006 |
| Title | Honors for Germanicus |
| Language | Latin |
| Trans | David Potter |
| Introduction | Three badly damaged bronze tablets from Siara in southern Spain preserve a decree of the senate concerning a letter to the emperor Tiberius asking him to help the senate provide adequate honors for Germanicus Caesar, Tiberius' nephew, who had died in Syria.
Portions of this decree are preserved on the first two tablets (translated here). The third tablet appears to contain part of the final decree in honor of Germanicus, portions of which are also known from a bronze tablet found at Heba in Italy. The text offers crucial evidence about the development of the concept of the imperial house and the ideology of the regime. |
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Fragment 1
[...]n[.....for the purpose of preserving the memory of Germanicus Caesar who] ought never [to have died....the senate decided that a decree of the senate should be passed concerning the d]eserved [honors of] Germanicus Caesar [....and moreover, it pleased the senate that it should act concerning] this matter with the advice of Tiberius Caesar Augustus [our] prin[ceps] and that a copy [of the opinions that had been written down] should be given to him and that he, with his accustomed [moderation] should choose [from amongst all those] honors, that the senate thought should be passed, [and whatever ones he wishes and] Augusta his mother, Drusus Caesar, and the mother of Germanicus Ca[esar and, if possible] bringing [his wife] into their deliberation, think are appropriate.
[It was decreed concerning this matter:] that it pleased the senate a marble arch be erected in the circus Flaminius [with public money, and pl]aced in the place where the statues to the Divine Augustus and the Augustan house [have already be]en erected by Gaius Norbanus Flaccus, with representations of conquered nations and with an [inscription in golden] letters on the front of this arch saying that the Roman senate and people dedicated this [marble] monum[ent] to the memory of Germanicus Caesar, since he, having conquered the Germans in war [and then] removed them from Gaul and recovered the military standards, avenged the treacher[ous massacre] of the army of the Roman people, and set Gaul in order, was sent as proconsul into the transmarine pro[vinces] to set the kingdoms of that region in order according to the instructions of Tiberius C<a>esar Au[gustus, imposing a ki]ng upon Armenia, and not ceasing from his labor before an [ovation] was [granted to him], died on behalf of the Republic. On top of this arch a statue [of] Ger[manicus Caesar] should be placed in a triumphal chariot, and around its sides statues [of] D[rusus Germanicus his father], the natural brother of Tiberius Caesar Augustus and of Antonia [his] mother [and of his wife Agrippina and] of [Li]via his sister and of Tiberius Germanicus his brother and of his sons and da[ughters].
Another arch should be placed on the slope of Mount Amanus, which is in {the province of Syria, or in wherever, if some] other spot should [seem] better to Tiberius Caesar Augustus our princeps [in those regions of which] the care and government came to Germanicus Caesar upon the authority [of Tiberius Caesar Augustus and of this order]. A statue should be placed upon it and an inscription appropriate [to the deeds of Germanicus Caesar] should be carved upon it.
A third arch should be erected either at [the winter camp of the army of the Roman people or next to the tumulus] which [the mourning army began] for Drusus, the brother of Tiberius Caesar Augustus [our princeps], and then [completed] with the permission of the divine Augustus, [and on top of that arch a statue of Germanicus Cae]ar should be placed, receiving [the standards recovered from the Germans, and the Ga]uls and Germans who [live] on this side of the Rhine, [the same states who were instructed by the Divine] Augustus [to make] sacrifice at the tumulus [of Drusus should be ordered to make a similar] sacrifice [at public expense in the same place] to the gods of the underworld [every year on the day that Germanicus Caesar died] and when [an army of the Roman people] should be in that region [it should offer sacrifice on that day, or on the birthday] of Germanicus Caesar [and it should march through the arch that is erected in accordance with this decree of the senate].
It is pleasing to the senate that a marble [sepulcher should be build in memory of Germanicus Caesar] in the forum of [Antioch where the body of Germanicus Caesar was cremated...and at Epidaphnae where Germanicus Caesar died, a tribunal should be erected].
Fragment 2 column a
[that every year, six days before the Ides of October at that altar] which is [before the tumulus of Germanicus Caesar public sacrifices should be made in his memory] to the gods of the underworld for his Manes [by the magistrate of the Augustan [brotherhood] wearing dark togas, as it is [right and proper for them to have] togas of that color on that day, and to sacrifice according to that rite by which [public sacrifices are made to the gods of the Underworld] on behalf of the Manes of Gaius and Lucius Caesar, and a bronze boundary marker should similarly be inscribed next to that [tumulus of Germanicus Caesar] so that the decrees of the senate that [pertain to his honors] should be inscribed upon it. And furthermore that it should not [be permitted for magistrates or those who administer justice in] a municipality or colony of Roman citizens or Latins to conduct any serious business in public, nor [may public banquets be given on that day ever afterwards] nor may weddings or engagements of Roman citizens take place nor [may someone] borrow or lend [money] nor should games take place [or be watched or anything be exhibited at games].
It pleases the senate the theatrical Augustan games [which] are ordinarily held [six days before the Ides of October in memory of the Divine Augustus] should be postponed to five days before the Calends of November, so that by this [delay of two nundinae after] that day upon which Germanicus Caesar died, the day of the theatrical games [will not be saddened by the funeral rite]
Fragment 2 column b
[six lines are too badly damaged for translation]
It is pleasing to the senate that the urban plebs erect statues ] of [Germa]nicus Caesar in triumph[al] dress [at public expense in those temples and on] those public altars on which the Dive Augu]tus and Augusta] placed [them for Drusus Caesar his father] with an inscription [of the thirty-five tribes] of the urban plebs.
[Also that the p]oem that Tiberius Caesar Augustus delivered to that body [about the dead Germanicus], be inscribed on bronze in a public place [that] pleases [his father]. Furthermore, the senate thinks that it would be even more just, because the intimate [communication of Tiberius] Caesar Augustus does not contain greater praise of his son Germanicus Caesar than was true testimony about the order of his life and virtue, and he himself said, in this same intimate communication that he did not dissimulate his desire to hand it on to eternal memory and he judged that it would be useful to the children of our children and posterity.
Also, so that the piety of Drusus Caesar should be better known, it pleases the senate that the communication, which he recited in the next meeting of the senate, should be inscribed on bronze and erected in the place that seems fitting to himself and his father.
Also that this decree of the senate should be inscribed on bronze with that decree of the senate that was passed seventeen days before the Calends of January, and that the bronze tablet be set up in the portico of the temple of Apollo on the Palatine, where the meeting of the senate was held.
Also, the senate wishes, and things that it is reasonable, so that the piety of all orders towards the Augustan house and the consensus of all citizens about honoring Germanicus Caesar should be plain, that the consuls should post this decree of the senate with their own edict, and order the magistrates and ambassadors of the colonies and municipalities to send a copy to the municipalities and colonies in Italy and to those colonies that are in the provinces, and that those who govern the provinces will be acting correctly and properly if they take care that this decree of the senate is displayed in as prominent a place as possible.
Also that when Marcus Messalla and Marcus Antonius Cotta Maximus, the consuls designate, take office, they should, on the first possible occasion that the auspicies permit, without a delay of two or three nundinae, bring the law concerning honors for the deceased Germanicus to a vote by the people.
It was so voted
There were 285 senators present
this decree of the senate was made one by a second vote
Fragment 2, column c
This is part of the final decree of the senate that became law
[13 lines too broken for translation, though they seem to have something to do with honors for Germanicus by different ordines]