Grave relief of Publius Aiedius and Aiedia
The grave relief of Publius Aiedius and Aiedia is an ancient Roman grave relief from the first half of the 1st century and is now in the Pergamon Museum / Antikensammlung Berlin (inventory number SK 840 (R 7)).
The inscription under the relief reads:
- P (ublius) Aiedius P (ubli) l (ibertus) / Amphio // Aiedia P (ubli) l (iberta) / Fausta Melior
- “Publius Aiedius Amphio, Publius' freedman; Aiedia Fausta Melior, Freedmen of Publius ”.
Publius Aiedius Amphio is identified by the L in the inscription as libertus , as the freedman of a Publius Aiedius. His slavish nickname, a Greek name typical of Roman slaves, Amphio is mentioned last. The woman's nickname was Fausta Melior . She is also referred to as the freedman of Publius Aiedius. With this the social status of the couple is clear. The two former slaves received Roman citizenship after their release, but for them it was only a second-class right that they were still obliged to their previous owner, who was now their patron . However, among other things, they now had the freedom to marry, and children from such marriages became normal Roman citizens.
The imagery of the relief deepens this fact. Both people were portrayed in an almost cold, realistic way. No sign of intimate connection or even love can be seen. In the lower center of the picture, the two shake hands and so soberly show their bond and their status as married couples. The rigid fingers of the woman's other hand show two rings, which speaks for a certain prosperity of the couple. The image section is just large enough that the couple's clothing can also be seen. Aiedia wears a chiton and cloak, Aiedius a toga that was reserved for free citizens. In addition to the realistic hypothermia, there is also the carefree display of age and physical flaws. The wrinkles, which have already dug deep into the skin, are shown as well as the leathery skin and the warts on the forehead and mouth. The portraits were supposed to be reminiscent of waxy death masks. Age and its characteristics thus became signs of dignity (dignitas) and diligence (virtus) of those who had worked their way up from the slave class.
Today more than 125 reliefs of this type are known. It is no coincidence that they are reminiscent of windows from which those depicted looked out. Such reliefs had been worked into the walls of larger grave structures and were sometimes even located like windows on the sides of doors that led into the interior of the building. The portrayed “looked” out of their windows onto the grave streets in front of ancient Rome . It was not uncommon for freedmen to be buried in the large tombs of their former masters. The grave relief of Publius Aiedius and Aiedia was found on the Via Appia in Rome. It is made of white marble and is 64 cm wide and 99 cm high. In 1866 it was acquired for the forerunner of today's Berlin Collection of Antiquities.
literature
- Max Kunze : Grave relief of a Roman couple . In: State Museums in Berlin. Prussian cultural property. Antikensammlung (Ed.): The Antikensammlung in the Pergamon Museum and in Charlottenburg . von Zabern, Mainz 1992, ISBN 3-8053-1187-7 , p. 202f.
- Grave relief of a Roman couple . In: Königliche Museen zu Berlin (Ed.), Alexander Conze (preliminary work): Description of the ancient sculptures with the exclusion of the Pergamene finds . Spemann, Berlin 1891, urn : nbn: de: bsz: 16-diglit-34567 , p. 325 (directory no. 840).
Remarks
Coordinates: 52 ° 31 '15 " N , 13 ° 23' 47" E