Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus
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| - | # In [[mythology]]: A [[feast]] or an [[orgy]] in honor of [[Bacchus]]. | + | '''''Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus''''' is a notable [[Old Latin]] inscription, dating to [[186 BC]]. It is a decree of the [[Roman Senate]] prohibiting the [[Bacchanalia]] throughout all Italy except in certain special cases which must be approved specifically by the Senate. In spite of the severe punishment inflicted on those found in violation of this decree (Livy claims there were more executions than imprisonment), the Bacchanalia survived in Southern Italy long past the repression. |
| - | # Hence: A [[drunken]] feast; drunken [[revel]]s; an [[orgy]]. | + | |
| - | The '''bacchanalia''' were [[wild]] and [[mystic]] [[festival]]s of the [[Roman mythology|Roman]] and Greek god [[Dionysus|Bacchus]]. Introduced into [[Rome]] from lower [[Italy]] by way of [[Etruria]] (c. [[200 BC]]), the bacchanalia were originally held in [[secret]] and [[women only|only attended by women]]. The festivals occurred on three days of the year in the grove of [[Simila]] near the [[Aventine Hill]], on [[March 16]] and [[March 17]]. Later, admission to the rites was extended to men and celebrations took place five times a month. According to [[Livy]], the extension happened in an era when the leader of the [[Dionysus|Bacchus]] cult was [[Paculla Annia]] - though it is now believed that some men had participated before that. | + | The surviving copy is inscribed on a bronze tablet discovered in [[Apulia]] in Southern Italy (1640), now at the [[Kunsthistorisches Museum]] in [[Vienna]]. |
| - | ==History== | + | |
| - | Introduced into [[Rome]] from lower [[Italy]] by way of [[Etruria]] (c. 200 BC), the bacchanalia were originally held in secret and only attended by women. The festivals occurred in the grove of [[Simila]] near the [[Aventine Hill]] on March 16 and March 17. Later, admission to the rites was extended to men, and celebrations took place five times a month. According to [[Livy]], the extension happened in an era when the leader of the Bacchus cult was [[Paculla Annia]] — though it is now believed that some men had participated before that. | + | |
| - | Livy informs us that the rapid spread of the cult, which he claims indulged in all kinds of crimes and political conspiracies at its nocturnal meetings, led in 186 BC to a decree of the [[Roman Senate|Senate]] — the so-called ''[[Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus]]'', inscribed on a bronze tablet discovered in [[Apulia]] in Southern Italy (1640], now at the [[Kunsthistorisches Museum]] in [[Vienna]] — by which the Bacchanalia were prohibited throughout all Italy except in certain special cases which must be approved specifically by the Senate. In spite of the severe punishment inflicted on those found in violation of this decree (Livy claims there were more executions than imprisonment), the Bacchanalia survived in Southern Italy long past the repression. | + | <blockquote> |
| + | <small> | ||
| + | Q MARCIUS L F S POSTUMIUS L F COS SENATUM CONSOLUERUNTT N OCTB APUD AEDEM | ||
| - | Modern scholars doubt Livy's account and argue that the Senate acted against the Bacchants for one of the following reasons: | + | DUELONAI SC ARF M CLAUDI M F L VALERI P F Q MINUCI C F DE BACANALIBUS QUEI FOEDERATE |
| - | *Women occupied leadership positions in the cult (contrary to the current patriarchical Roman values). | + | |
| - | *Slaves and the poor were the cult's members and were planning to overthrow the Roman government. | + | |
| - | *According to a theory proposed by [[Erich Gruen]], as a display of the Senate's supreme power to the Italian allies as well as competitors within the Roman political system, such as individual victorious generals whose popularity made them a threat to the Senate's collective authority. | + | |
| - | In ''Empires of Trust: How Rome Built -- And America Is Building -- A New World'' by [[Thomas Madden]], the author cites the words of the contemporary [[Roman Republic|Roman]] investigative [[consul]] in his report to the [[Roman Senate]]: <blockquote> | + | ESENT ITA EXDEICENDUM CENSUERE NEIQUIS EORUM SACANAL HABUISE VELET SEI QUES |
| - | there was no crime, no deed of shame, wanting. More uncleanness was committed by men with men than with women. Whoever would not submit to defilement, or shrank from violating others, was sacrificed as a victim. To regard nothing as impious or criminal was the sum total of their religion. The men, as though seized with madness and with frenzied distortions of their bodies, shrieked out prophecies; the matrons, dressed as [[Bacchae]], their hair disheveled, rushed down to the [[Tiber River]] with burning torches, plunged them into the water, and drew them out again, the flame undiminished because they were made of sulfur mixed with lime. Men were fastened to a machine and hurried off to hidden caves, and they were said to have been taken away by the gods. These were the men who refused to join their conspiracy or take part in their crimes or submit to their pollution. | + | |
| + | ESENT QUEI SIBEI DEICERENT NECESUS ESE BACANAL HABERE EEIS UTEI AD PR URBANUM | ||
| + | |||
| + | ROMAN VENIRENT DEQUE EEIS REBUS UBEI EORUM VTR A AUDITA ESENT UTEI SENATUS | ||
| + | |||
| + | NOSTER DECENERET DUM NE MINUS SENATORIBUS CADESENT A RES COSOLETUR BACAS VIR NEQUIS ADIESE VELET CEIVIS ROMANUS NEVE NOMINUS LATINI NEVE SOCIUM | ||
| + | |||
| + | QUISQUAM NISEI PR URBANUM ADIESENT ISQUE DESENATOUS SENTENTIAD DUM NE | ||
| + | |||
| + | MINUS SENATORIBUS CADESENT QUOM EA RES COSOLERETUR IOUSISENT CENSUERE | ||
| + | |||
| + | SACERDOS NEQUIS VIR ESET MAGISTER NEQUE MELIER QUISQUAM ESET NEVE PECUNIAM QUISQUAM EORUM COMOINEMHABUISE VELET NEVE MAGISTRATUR NEVE PRO MAGISTRATUO | ||
| + | |||
| + | NEQUE VIRUM NEQUE MULIEREM QUIQUAM FECISSE VELET | ||
| + | |||
| + | NEVE POST HAC INTER SED CONIOURA SE NEVE COMVOVISE NEVE CONSPONDISB | ||
| + | |||
| + | NEVE COMPROMESISE VELET NEVE QUISQUAM FIDEM INTER SED DEDISE VELET SACRA IN DOVOLTOD NE QUISQUAM FECISSE VELEI NEVE IN POPLICOD NEVE IN PREIVATOD NEVE EXTRAD URBEM SACRA QUISQUAM FECISE VELET NISEI | ||
| + | |||
| + | PR URBANUM ADIESET ISQUE DE SENATUOS SENTENTIAD DUM NE MINUS SENATORIBUS CADESENT QUOM EA RES COSOLERETUR IOUSISET CENSUERE HOMINES PLOUS V OINVORSEI VIREI ATQUE MULIERES SACRA NE QUISQUAM FECISE VELET NEVE INTER IBEI VIREI PLOUS DUOBUS MULIERIBUS PLOUS TRIBUS | ||
| + | |||
| + | ARFUISE VELENT NISEI DE PR URBANI SENATUOSQUE SENTENTIAD UTEI SUPRAD SCRIPUTUM EST HAICE UTEI IN CONVENTIONID EXDEICATIS NE MINUS TRINUM NOUNDINUM SENATUOSQUE SENTENTIAM UTEI SCIENTES ESETIS EORUM SENTENTIA ITA FUIT SEI QUES ESENT QUEI AVORSUM EAD FECISENT QUAM SUPRAD | ||
| + | |||
| + | SCRIPTUM EST ESIS REM CAPUTALEM FACIUNDAM CENSUERE ATQUE UTEI HOCE IN TABOLAM AHENAM INCEDERETIS ITA SENATUS AIQUOM CENSUIT UTEIQUE EAM FIGIER IOUBEATIS UBI FACILUMED GNOSCIER POTISIT ATQUE UTEI EA BACANALIA SEI QUA SUNT EXATRAD QUAM SEI QUID IBEI SACRI EST | ||
| + | |||
| + | ITA UTEI SUPRAD SCRIPTUM EST IN DIEBUS X QUIBUS VOBEIS TABELAI DATAI ERUNT FACIATIS UTEI DISMOTA SIEN IN AGRO TEURANO | ||
| + | </small> | ||
| </blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
| + | ==Translation into English== | ||
| + | The inscription was translated by Nina E. Weston as follows. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Quintus Marcius the son of Lucius, and Spurius Postumius, consulted the [[Roman senate|senate]] on the [[Nones (calendar)#Months|nones]] of October ''(7th)'', at the temple of the Bellonae. Marcus Claudius, son of Marcus, Lucius Valerius, son of Publius, and Quintus Minucius, son of Gaius, were the committee for drawing up the report. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Regarding the Bacchanalia it was resolved to give the following directions to those who are in alliance with us. | ||
| + | |||
| + | No one of them is to possess a place where the festivals of Bacchus are celebrated: if there are any who claim that it is necessary for them to have such a place, they are to come to Rome to the [[praetor urbanus|urban praetor]], and the senate is to decide on those matters, when their claims have been heard, provided that not less than 100 senators are present when the affair is discussed. No man is to be a Bacchantian, neither a [[Roman citizen]], nor one of the [[ius Latinum|Latin name]], nor any of our [[Socii|allies]] unless they come to the praetor urbanus, and he in accordance with the opinion of the senate expressed when not less than 100 senators are present at the discussion, shall have given leave. Carried. | ||
| + | |||
| + | No man is to be a priest; no one, either man or woman, is to be an officer (to manage the temporal affairs of the organization); nor is anyone of them to have charge of a common treasury; no one shall appoint either man or woman to be master or to act as master; henceforth they shall not form conspiracies among themselves, stir up any disorder, make mutual promises or agreements, or interchange pledges; no one shall observe the sacred rites either in public or private or outside the city, unless he comes to the praetor urbanus, and he, in accordance with the opinion of the senate, expressed when no less than 100 senators are present at the discussion, shall have given leave. Carried. | ||
| + | |||
| + | No one in a company of more than five persons altogether, men and women, shall observe the sacred rites, nor in that company shall there be present more than two men or three women, unless in accordance with the opinion of the praetor urbanus and the senate as written above. | ||
| + | |||
| + | See that you declare it in the [[Roman assemblies|assembly (''contio'')]] for not less than three market days; that you may know the opinion of the senate this was their judgment: if there are any who have acted contrary to what was written above, they have decided that a proceeding for a capital offense should be instituted against them; the senate has justly decreed that you should inscribe this on a brazen tablet, and that you should order it to be placed where it can be easiest read; see to it that the revelries of Bacchus, if there be any, except in case there be concerned in the matter something sacred, as was written above, be disbanded within ten days after this letter shall be delivered to you. | ||
| - | ==See also== | + | In the Teuranian field." |
| - | *[[Maenad]] - female worshippers of Dionysus | + | |
| - | *[[Dionysus]] - Another name for Bacchus in Greek | + | |
| - | *[[Thriambus]] - a hymn sung in processions in honour of Dionysus | + | |
| - | *[[Dionysian Mysteries]] | + | |
| - | *[[Roman Senate]] - political body responsible for suppressing the Bacchanalia | + | |
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | *Diehl, Ernst: Altlateinische Inschriften. 5th ed. Berlin (1964) | ||
| + | * L. Schumacher (ed.) Römische Inschriften, Stuttgart (1988) p. 79 | ||
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Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus is a notable Old Latin inscription, dating to 186 BC. It is a decree of the Roman Senate prohibiting the Bacchanalia throughout all Italy except in certain special cases which must be approved specifically by the Senate. In spite of the severe punishment inflicted on those found in violation of this decree (Livy claims there were more executions than imprisonment), the Bacchanalia survived in Southern Italy long past the repression.
The surviving copy is inscribed on a bronze tablet discovered in Apulia in Southern Italy (1640), now at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
Q MARCIUS L F S POSTUMIUS L F COS SENATUM CONSOLUERUNTT N OCTB APUD AEDEM DUELONAI SC ARF M CLAUDI M F L VALERI P F Q MINUCI C F DE BACANALIBUS QUEI FOEDERATE ESENT ITA EXDEICENDUM CENSUERE NEIQUIS EORUM SACANAL HABUISE VELET SEI QUES ESENT QUEI SIBEI DEICERENT NECESUS ESE BACANAL HABERE EEIS UTEI AD PR URBANUM ROMAN VENIRENT DEQUE EEIS REBUS UBEI EORUM VTR A AUDITA ESENT UTEI SENATUS NOSTER DECENERET DUM NE MINUS SENATORIBUS CADESENT A RES COSOLETUR BACAS VIR NEQUIS ADIESE VELET CEIVIS ROMANUS NEVE NOMINUS LATINI NEVE SOCIUM QUISQUAM NISEI PR URBANUM ADIESENT ISQUE DESENATOUS SENTENTIAD DUM NE MINUS SENATORIBUS CADESENT QUOM EA RES COSOLERETUR IOUSISENT CENSUERE SACERDOS NEQUIS VIR ESET MAGISTER NEQUE MELIER QUISQUAM ESET NEVE PECUNIAM QUISQUAM EORUM COMOINEMHABUISE VELET NEVE MAGISTRATUR NEVE PRO MAGISTRATUO NEQUE VIRUM NEQUE MULIEREM QUIQUAM FECISSE VELET NEVE POST HAC INTER SED CONIOURA SE NEVE COMVOVISE NEVE CONSPONDISB NEVE COMPROMESISE VELET NEVE QUISQUAM FIDEM INTER SED DEDISE VELET SACRA IN DOVOLTOD NE QUISQUAM FECISSE VELEI NEVE IN POPLICOD NEVE IN PREIVATOD NEVE EXTRAD URBEM SACRA QUISQUAM FECISE VELET NISEI PR URBANUM ADIESET ISQUE DE SENATUOS SENTENTIAD DUM NE MINUS SENATORIBUS CADESENT QUOM EA RES COSOLERETUR IOUSISET CENSUERE HOMINES PLOUS V OINVORSEI VIREI ATQUE MULIERES SACRA NE QUISQUAM FECISE VELET NEVE INTER IBEI VIREI PLOUS DUOBUS MULIERIBUS PLOUS TRIBUS ARFUISE VELENT NISEI DE PR URBANI SENATUOSQUE SENTENTIAD UTEI SUPRAD SCRIPUTUM EST HAICE UTEI IN CONVENTIONID EXDEICATIS NE MINUS TRINUM NOUNDINUM SENATUOSQUE SENTENTIAM UTEI SCIENTES ESETIS EORUM SENTENTIA ITA FUIT SEI QUES ESENT QUEI AVORSUM EAD FECISENT QUAM SUPRAD SCRIPTUM EST ESIS REM CAPUTALEM FACIUNDAM CENSUERE ATQUE UTEI HOCE IN TABOLAM AHENAM INCEDERETIS ITA SENATUS AIQUOM CENSUIT UTEIQUE EAM FIGIER IOUBEATIS UBI FACILUMED GNOSCIER POTISIT ATQUE UTEI EA BACANALIA SEI QUA SUNT EXATRAD QUAM SEI QUID IBEI SACRI EST ITA UTEI SUPRAD SCRIPTUM EST IN DIEBUS X QUIBUS VOBEIS TABELAI DATAI ERUNT FACIATIS UTEI DISMOTA SIEN IN AGRO TEURANO
Translation into English
The inscription was translated by Nina E. Weston as follows.
"Quintus Marcius the son of Lucius, and Spurius Postumius, consulted the senate on the nones of October (7th), at the temple of the Bellonae. Marcus Claudius, son of Marcus, Lucius Valerius, son of Publius, and Quintus Minucius, son of Gaius, were the committee for drawing up the report.
Regarding the Bacchanalia it was resolved to give the following directions to those who are in alliance with us.
No one of them is to possess a place where the festivals of Bacchus are celebrated: if there are any who claim that it is necessary for them to have such a place, they are to come to Rome to the urban praetor, and the senate is to decide on those matters, when their claims have been heard, provided that not less than 100 senators are present when the affair is discussed. No man is to be a Bacchantian, neither a Roman citizen, nor one of the Latin name, nor any of our allies unless they come to the praetor urbanus, and he in accordance with the opinion of the senate expressed when not less than 100 senators are present at the discussion, shall have given leave. Carried.
No man is to be a priest; no one, either man or woman, is to be an officer (to manage the temporal affairs of the organization); nor is anyone of them to have charge of a common treasury; no one shall appoint either man or woman to be master or to act as master; henceforth they shall not form conspiracies among themselves, stir up any disorder, make mutual promises or agreements, or interchange pledges; no one shall observe the sacred rites either in public or private or outside the city, unless he comes to the praetor urbanus, and he, in accordance with the opinion of the senate, expressed when no less than 100 senators are present at the discussion, shall have given leave. Carried.
No one in a company of more than five persons altogether, men and women, shall observe the sacred rites, nor in that company shall there be present more than two men or three women, unless in accordance with the opinion of the praetor urbanus and the senate as written above.
See that you declare it in the assembly (contio) for not less than three market days; that you may know the opinion of the senate this was their judgment: if there are any who have acted contrary to what was written above, they have decided that a proceeding for a capital offense should be instituted against them; the senate has justly decreed that you should inscribe this on a brazen tablet, and that you should order it to be placed where it can be easiest read; see to it that the revelries of Bacchus, if there be any, except in case there be concerned in the matter something sacred, as was written above, be disbanded within ten days after this letter shall be delivered to you.
In the Teuranian field."
References
- Diehl, Ernst: Altlateinische Inschriften. 5th ed. Berlin (1964)
- L. Schumacher (ed.) Römische Inschriften, Stuttgart (1988) p. 79
