ONORARE MATER MAGNA A ROMA: L’USO DEL GRECO

Abstract

Among 48 sacred dedications to Mater Magna from Rome we distinguish 23 altars erected in connection
with the taurobolium/criobolium. Most of them were found in the Vatican area, where the
Cataloghi Regionari locate the Phrygianum. All have an inscription in Latin except four which, in
addition to being metrical, are in Greek or Greek/Latin. They were republished by L. Moretti in
IGUR, I 126-129 but they deserve now specific treatment, as a separate group, not attempted to date.
We will try to show how Greek was used not only as a language of ‘mysteries’ but above all to claim
a family identity within an aristocratic group, the gens C(a)eionia of the Fourth century, to build and
communicate an elite culture in an age of transition.

Keywords: Mater Magna; taurobolium; late paganism; C(a)eionii.