ClassicsTober 2024: Figures from Ancient History
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This year's ClassicsTober prompts are all Ancient History figures, chosen by classicists, archaeologists, historians, writers (and me!).
Minimus and Minima have picked out a few to tell Silvius about, and I'll be posting their versions on this page. Here's the link to the official ClassicsTober page, with all 31 prompts Here's a link to short biographies of all the figures |
October 1: Regina of Arbeia
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Regina of South Shields (‘Queenie’) (picked by Dr Cora Beth Fraser, Classical Association Prizewinner 2022)(2nd century CE ) A British woman, Regina from the tribe of the Catuvellauni, who married a man from Syria. She was a slave, and was freed by her Barates so that he could marry her. When she died, aged 30, he had an expensive tombstone made for her, currently on display at Arbeia South Shields Roman Fort. It is Roman in style, with Palmyrene elements in the details of the figure and her accountrements, and has a Latin inscription: ‘To the spirits of the departed (and to) Regina, his freedwoman and wife, a Catuvellaunian by tribe, aged 30, Barates of Palmyra (set this up)’. But also, uniquely in Britain, a second inscription in his own language, Palmyrene, reading ‘Regina, freedwoman of Barates, alas’.
Minima is dressed as Regina. Her underdress has a ruffled neckline, and the overdress is shorter. She has a necklace, bracelets and earrings. She's holding a distaff to show that she worked in wool, and there's a basket of spun wool by her feet. At her other side is a strongbox for jewellery or the household budget.
Photo of original tombstone from Roman Inscriptions of Britain
Photo of original tombstone from Roman Inscriptions of Britain
October 2: Eumachia
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Eumachia (picked by Dr Victoria Austen, Classicist and Art Historian)
(c. 1st Century AD) Roman priestess and business entrepreneur of Pompeii. Daughter of Lucius Eumachius, a wealthy manufacturer of building supplies and amphorae. Eumachia married into the Numistrii family, one of Pompeii’s oldest and most powerful families. She became public priestess (the only political office able to be held by a woman) of the city’s patron goddess, Venus Pompeiana. She was a patron of the Guild of Fullers, giving her name to the Building of Eumachia in Pompeii’s Forum where they met; a statue and inscription labelling it as of Eumachia stand in front of the building.
Silvius is watching the workers in a fullonica, a Roman laundry. Eumachia, as a statue, gazes down benevolently from her pedestal. The two slaves in the foreground are removing stains and grease from woollen clothes by treading them in tubs of urine. Silvius is helpfully offering his own chamberpot.
Photo of Eumachia from Wikipedia
(c. 1st Century AD) Roman priestess and business entrepreneur of Pompeii. Daughter of Lucius Eumachius, a wealthy manufacturer of building supplies and amphorae. Eumachia married into the Numistrii family, one of Pompeii’s oldest and most powerful families. She became public priestess (the only political office able to be held by a woman) of the city’s patron goddess, Venus Pompeiana. She was a patron of the Guild of Fullers, giving her name to the Building of Eumachia in Pompeii’s Forum where they met; a statue and inscription labelling it as of Eumachia stand in front of the building.
Silvius is watching the workers in a fullonica, a Roman laundry. Eumachia, as a statue, gazes down benevolently from her pedestal. The two slaves in the foreground are removing stains and grease from woollen clothes by treading them in tubs of urine. Silvius is helpfully offering his own chamberpot.
Photo of Eumachia from Wikipedia