DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45927#0100
98
8. THE INSCRIPTIONS (H. Taeuber)
8.5 Antoninus Pius, the Vedii and Ephesos
Even before he ruled the Roman Empire, Antoninus Pius was no stranger to the city of Artemis. Fifteen years
after his consulate, he became proconsul Asias in 135 A.D. His residence was Ephesos, and it was probably in
this time when close ties to the polis and in particular to Vedius (III) were forged. Ephesos celebrated his ac-
cession to the throne by declaring Antoninus’ birthday a five-day public holiday (IvE 21); in addition, each of
the eight phylai erected a statue for him (IvE 2050). Two of the phylai were named after him and his adoptive
father Hadrian, respectively. The emperor showed his gratitude by granting Ephesos the title “metropolis of
Asia”.352 There are also good reasons to perceive the so-called “Parthermonumenf ’ from Ephesos (now, for the
most part, in Vienna) as a symbol of Antoninus’ rule and to re-date it to the early 140s.353
Vedius (III) originated from an already prominent Ephesian family of equestrian rank which can be traced
over several generations.354 Apart from holding the highest civic and provincial honours, he advanced to sena-
torial status by grace of Antoninus Pius. By virtue of this position and of his incredible wealth he became the
leading political figure in his hometown, much to the dislike of his fellow aristocrats. A trace of their resentment
can be found in Antoninus’ letter (inscr. 7) where the emperor chastises the Ephesians for “not355 accept(ing) in
the right spirit what he (=Vedius) is trying to do” for them. To add insult to injury, Vedius carefully displayed
this reprimand right in front of the assembled civic elite, on the scaenae frons of the Bouleuterion.
Refurbishing this building was just one thing Vedius did for Ephesos. Besides presiding over agonistic fes-
tivals and gladiator fights,356 carrying out the duties of a provincial archpriest, and setting up several statues,
he built a luxurious gymnasium in the north of the city, overlooking the Kaystros plain.357 When he died, he
bequeathed his enormous wealth (the source of which is unclear) to his son M. Claudius P. Vedius Papianus
Antoninus who in turn left large parts of it to the city. But the rest was still sufficient to allow his brother-in-law
T. Flavius Damianus, the sophist,358 to supply large quantities of grain for the Roman army during their stay in
Ephesos in the course of the Parthian war in 166/167 A.D. (a duty which otherwise would have put great stress
on the city itself)359 and to build a covered way from the Roman town to the sanctuary of Artemis.360
8.6 The Role of the Bouleuterion in Public Life
Though in Imperial times the popular assembly was still held in the vast structures of the theater, and though
the secretary of the ekklesia was the most prestigious position one could aspire to in Ephesos,361 the issues of
everyday politics were mainly discussed and decided by the city council, the boule. Its 450 members,362 for the
most part representing influential families, convened in the Bouleuterion building, the sessions being presided
by a boularchos. Public finances and construction issues were on the agenda as well as election and scrutiny
of officials, at times even court procedures took place in this room. Consequentially, documents of importance
for the council came to be displayed on the front wall: letters designating new members of the boule (inscr. 4
and 5), a letter concerning the status of the pre-eminent cities of Asia (inscr. 6), and two letters supporting the
ambitions of P. Vedius Antoninus who put a new face on this very structure. Moreover, the Bouleuteria gener-
ally served as multi-functional indoor spaces in the high Imperial period, as lecture hall and stage for musical
or other performances.363
(H. Taeuber)
352 See, most recently, Chausson 2006, 57.
353 Taeuber 2006, 25-29; perhaps it formed part of Hadrian’s temple for the imperial cult, finished in the first years of Pius’ reign. Cf.
also the contributions of Chausson, Fittschen and Landskron in the same volume.
354 See the (not throughout reliable) stemma published in IvE after no. 3070 and Steskal - La Torre 2008, 303-308.
355 I do not agree with Kokkinia’s restoration (ov[v] instead of ov[k] in line 9, cf. Kokkinia 2003, 204, in her restoration line 12) be-
cause it does not comply with the overall tendency of the letter.
356 This can be inferred from the existence of an association called “4)iXopf|bioi 4)iX67tXoi” (for example, IvE 3055 and 3070).
357 Steskal - La Torre 2008; for Vedius’ achievements see especially 303-308.
358 Philostr. soph. 2, 23 gives a short biography.
359 IvE 672 and 3080; Kalinowski 2006, 53-59.
360 Thur 1999, 163-172, with references to the fundamental work by Dieter Knibbe on the subject.
361 Schulte 1994.
362 The figure is preserved in the text of the Salutaris foundation, IvE 27,11. 220-226.
363 Cf. Bier 2008, 161-163.
8. THE INSCRIPTIONS (H. Taeuber)
8.5 Antoninus Pius, the Vedii and Ephesos
Even before he ruled the Roman Empire, Antoninus Pius was no stranger to the city of Artemis. Fifteen years
after his consulate, he became proconsul Asias in 135 A.D. His residence was Ephesos, and it was probably in
this time when close ties to the polis and in particular to Vedius (III) were forged. Ephesos celebrated his ac-
cession to the throne by declaring Antoninus’ birthday a five-day public holiday (IvE 21); in addition, each of
the eight phylai erected a statue for him (IvE 2050). Two of the phylai were named after him and his adoptive
father Hadrian, respectively. The emperor showed his gratitude by granting Ephesos the title “metropolis of
Asia”.352 There are also good reasons to perceive the so-called “Parthermonumenf ’ from Ephesos (now, for the
most part, in Vienna) as a symbol of Antoninus’ rule and to re-date it to the early 140s.353
Vedius (III) originated from an already prominent Ephesian family of equestrian rank which can be traced
over several generations.354 Apart from holding the highest civic and provincial honours, he advanced to sena-
torial status by grace of Antoninus Pius. By virtue of this position and of his incredible wealth he became the
leading political figure in his hometown, much to the dislike of his fellow aristocrats. A trace of their resentment
can be found in Antoninus’ letter (inscr. 7) where the emperor chastises the Ephesians for “not355 accept(ing) in
the right spirit what he (=Vedius) is trying to do” for them. To add insult to injury, Vedius carefully displayed
this reprimand right in front of the assembled civic elite, on the scaenae frons of the Bouleuterion.
Refurbishing this building was just one thing Vedius did for Ephesos. Besides presiding over agonistic fes-
tivals and gladiator fights,356 carrying out the duties of a provincial archpriest, and setting up several statues,
he built a luxurious gymnasium in the north of the city, overlooking the Kaystros plain.357 When he died, he
bequeathed his enormous wealth (the source of which is unclear) to his son M. Claudius P. Vedius Papianus
Antoninus who in turn left large parts of it to the city. But the rest was still sufficient to allow his brother-in-law
T. Flavius Damianus, the sophist,358 to supply large quantities of grain for the Roman army during their stay in
Ephesos in the course of the Parthian war in 166/167 A.D. (a duty which otherwise would have put great stress
on the city itself)359 and to build a covered way from the Roman town to the sanctuary of Artemis.360
8.6 The Role of the Bouleuterion in Public Life
Though in Imperial times the popular assembly was still held in the vast structures of the theater, and though
the secretary of the ekklesia was the most prestigious position one could aspire to in Ephesos,361 the issues of
everyday politics were mainly discussed and decided by the city council, the boule. Its 450 members,362 for the
most part representing influential families, convened in the Bouleuterion building, the sessions being presided
by a boularchos. Public finances and construction issues were on the agenda as well as election and scrutiny
of officials, at times even court procedures took place in this room. Consequentially, documents of importance
for the council came to be displayed on the front wall: letters designating new members of the boule (inscr. 4
and 5), a letter concerning the status of the pre-eminent cities of Asia (inscr. 6), and two letters supporting the
ambitions of P. Vedius Antoninus who put a new face on this very structure. Moreover, the Bouleuteria gener-
ally served as multi-functional indoor spaces in the high Imperial period, as lecture hall and stage for musical
or other performances.363
(H. Taeuber)
352 See, most recently, Chausson 2006, 57.
353 Taeuber 2006, 25-29; perhaps it formed part of Hadrian’s temple for the imperial cult, finished in the first years of Pius’ reign. Cf.
also the contributions of Chausson, Fittschen and Landskron in the same volume.
354 See the (not throughout reliable) stemma published in IvE after no. 3070 and Steskal - La Torre 2008, 303-308.
355 I do not agree with Kokkinia’s restoration (ov[v] instead of ov[k] in line 9, cf. Kokkinia 2003, 204, in her restoration line 12) be-
cause it does not comply with the overall tendency of the letter.
356 This can be inferred from the existence of an association called “4)iXopf|bioi 4)iX67tXoi” (for example, IvE 3055 and 3070).
357 Steskal - La Torre 2008; for Vedius’ achievements see especially 303-308.
358 Philostr. soph. 2, 23 gives a short biography.
359 IvE 672 and 3080; Kalinowski 2006, 53-59.
360 Thur 1999, 163-172, with references to the fundamental work by Dieter Knibbe on the subject.
361 Schulte 1994.
362 The figure is preserved in the text of the Salutaris foundation, IvE 27,11. 220-226.
363 Cf. Bier 2008, 161-163.
