The date and circumstances of Quintus Iulius Vestalis

Journal article

A decree of Istros in honour of the Roman praefectus Q. Iulius Vestalis from the Museum of Constanţa, casting an important new light on the circumstances of Ovid’s exile at Tomi and the situation on the Lower Danube in the last years of Augustus and the beginning of the principate of Tiberius, has recently been published by Maria Bărbulescu and Livia Buzoianu. An improved text, English translation and some further commentary have already been produced by C.P. Jones, who rightly stresses the admirable speed with which this important inscription has been published. In this short note I would like to question the assumptions of the edd. pr. concerning the date and context of Vestalis’ mission in Lower Moesia and offer an alternative shorter chronology.

A decree of Istros in honour of the Roman praefectus Q. Iulius Vestalis from the Museum of Constanţa, casting an important new light on the circumstances of Ovid’s exile at Tomi and the situation on the Lower Danube in the last years of Augustus and the beginning of the principate of Tiberius, has recently been published by Maria Bărbulescu and Livia Buzoianu. An improved text, English translation and some further commentary have already been produced by C.P. Jones, who rightly stresses the admirable speed with which this important inscription has been published. In this short note I would like to question the assumptions of the edd. pr. concerning the date and context of Vestalis’ mission in Lower Moesia and offer an alternative shorter chronology.

Authors: Kantor, G

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: University of Cologne
• Journal: Zeitschrift fuer Papyrologie und Epigraphik
• Volume: 203
• Pages: 85-91
• Publication date: 2017-08-01
• Acceptance date: 2017-02-01
• ISSN: 0084-5388