La riscoperta della concorrenza: immagini di rituali e cerimonie nei sarcofagi urbani tardoantichi

The paper examines the presence of images of public ceremonies in Roman funerary art of the late 3rd and 4th centuries AD. Already in the mid-3rd century the Roman senatorial class had started to enlarge the possibilities of funerary self-representation, by adding to the traditional mythological repertoire depictions of public ceremonies presided over by the deceased as a magistrate. From the late 3rd century, however, the interest in these images, as well as in the old mythological scenes, seems to decline, in favour of a more direct aristocratic self-representation centred on the otium ideology and the related activities (hunting and banquets) taking place in the suburban villae, expressed through a set of standard iconographies. A detailed analysis is devoted to the scene depicting the journey to the villa on board of an open coach, which, although not a public ceremony strictly speaking, was nonetheless important as a means for aristocratic self-representation in the public space of the street. At the same time, the interest for the depiction of ceremonies by late Roman aristocrats shifts decisively towards religious scenes: a small but interesting group of sarcophagus lids are decorated with images of a pompa circensis, featuring ritual objects and statues connected with Rome’s traditional deities or the imperial cult. Through the choice of these themes, these late Roman aristocrats class could celebrate both their evergetic role as financial sponsors of public games and their subscription to a system of values closely linked to the of cial manifestations of pagan religion. The civic self-representation as magistrates is now taken over by members of the equestrian order, who after Diocletian’s administrative reforms are in charge of the main government posts