Marcus Flavius Sabinus, the Limician Who Became a Priest of the Imperial Cult
Marcus Flavius Sabinus, of the Civitas Limicorum, was duumvir of his city and provincial flamen of Hispania Citerior in the 2nd century; he is known only from a statue pedestal at Tarraco.
Marcus Flavius Sabinus (Marcus Flavius Marci filius Quirina tribu Sabinus) is the only known inhabitant of the Civitas Limicorum, the Roman city of A Limia, to have had a complete public career: he was duumvir in his city and, afterwards, priest of the imperial cult of Hispania Citerior. He lived in the 2nd century [1].
What is known
We know of him only from a statue pedestal found at Tarraco (Tarragona), which, as the only geographical reference to his origin, declares him Limicus, that is, a Limician [1]. The Civitas Limicorum and its administrative centre, the Forum Limicorum, appear in the sources as the place of origin of several people, but only Sabinus proves that anyone held a municipal career [1].
According to the pedestal:
- He was duumvir of his city, meaning he held the highest local magistracy, jointly with another person [1].
- He was sent as the Civitas Limicorum’s representative to the concilium provinciae, the assembly of the cities of Hispania Citerior that met at Tarraco [1].
- There he was appointed provincial flamen (flamen provinciae Hispaniae citerioris), annual priest of the cult of the emperor; at the end of the year the statue was erected whose pedestal probably narrates his career [1].
The inscription mentions the conventus Bracari, which Abascal considers an error by the engraver for the Conventus Bracaraugustanus; in any case it confirms that the Limicians belonged to that judicial district, the westernmost of the seven districts of Hispania Citerior [1]. Géza Alföldy dated the text between the reign of Antoninus Pius (138-161) and the end of that of Marcus Aurelius (161-180) [1].
Why he matters for A Limia
Sabinus is the written proof that the Civitas Limicorum had civic institutions, a local aristocracy and representation in the provincial capital. He is, besides, one of the few personal names from Roman A Limia, together with Bishop Hidatius in the 5th century.
Links
- Municipality: Xinzo de Limia
- People of A Limia
- Civitas Limicorum
- History of A Limia
Sources
- Juan Manuel Abascal Palazón, «Flavio Sabino, Marco», Diccionario Biográfico electrónico of the Real Academia de la Historia, reproduced in Historia de Xinzo, 02/03/2023. https://historiadexinzo.wordpress.com/2023/03/02/marco-flavio-sabino-civitas-limicorum-cercanias-de-xinzo-de-limia-orense-pms-ii-fs-ii/
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