Page 31 - Pompeii n. 12 - The world of money at Pompeii

English version

Comment

The inscription placed on the funerary monument of Vestorius Priscus is
an exquisite example of the interaction that took place between public and
private in the tribute of honours to eminent people. In this case the death of a
young magistrate, an aedile, who probably died during the year of his office is
publicly honored by the citizenry via a resolution of the civic council with the
granting of public ground and a sum of two thousand sestertii for the funeral.
At the expense of the mother of the deceased, or with private family money,
the funeral monument was erected in which the valuable paintings recall the
funerary banquet celebrated in memory of the aedile.

The law assigned a strip of 100 feet, approx. 33 metres, all around the outside of
the city walls to the public domain. It is in this space that funerary monuments were
often found for people who had received public funerary honors, in that they had
performed public roles or were thought well-deserving by the citizenry. In this case a
young magistrate, who died at the beginning of his political career, was honored. The
magistrates were elected annually and formed an executive collegiate body made up of
two major magistrates, the duoviri iure dicund, similar to mayors, who officially
represented the city and administrated civil justice while criminal justice was reserved
for the magistrate of Rome. There were also two minor magistrates, the aediles, who
were like councilors responsible for the maintenance of the roads and public buildings,
food administrations and services. On finishing the year in office, magistrates remained
life members of the Municipal Council, the Ordo Decurionum, a deliberative body which
represented the continuation of the citizen’s political life. The duoviri elected at the end
of each five-year period also received censorial power which allowed them to
investigate the existence of the census and morality requirements of all the decurions.
The citizens with the right to vote directly elected the members of the executive
who received from this honors and benefits in addition to the status of elders, but in
exchange they were required to organize games or public works at their expense and
to pay all the expenses for the functioning of the municipal administrative system during
their year in office.

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