In 1816 in Cività Lavigna (Lanuvium), some local farmers unearthed dozens of fragments of an inscription which was to become the most important primary source for several generations of historians studying Roman private associations. After all the fragments had been reassembled, it turned out that the inscription was a list of by-laws of an association which referred to itself as the collegium salutatre Dianae et Antinoi. The text fell into the hands of Theodor Mommsen and became the impulse for writing his famous treatise De collegiis et sodaliciis Romanorum. Mommsen, son of a Lutheran minister and an apostate at the same time, having analysed the ‘statute’ of the Lanuvian cultores Dianae et Antinoi, concluded that the ‘true’ purpose of such associations was to ensure decent burial for their members. In this way, the German scholar equated the concepts of collegia funeraticia and collegia deorum. The religious aspect of the functioning of these organisations was so thoroughly eliminated from the scholarly discourse by Mommsen’s collegia funeraticia that even in the early 21st century many historians were surprised by the assertion that associations of cultores did indeed have clearly religious functions. This study is an attempt to move cultic collegia out of the shadow of Mommsen’s funeral associations and to return them to the role of an independent subject of research, which will enable scholars to answer questions about their organisation and social composition, and most importantly to reveal their multi-functional character.
Pracuje na stanowisku profesora w Instytucie Historii i Archiwistyki UMK. Jego zainteresowania naukowe obejmują różne aspekty historii społecznej starożytnego Rzymu, szczególnie dzieje życia religijnego w rzymskich miastach w pierwszych stuleciach po Chrystusie. Tej problematyce poświęcone są najważniejsze publikacje w jego dotychczasowym dorobku: Untersuchungen zu den Lokalkulten im römischen Aquileia. Herkunft, Funktion und Anhängerschaft (Toruń 2001) oraz Czciciele Herkulesa w Rzymie. Studium epigraficzno-antroponomastyczne (I–IV w. n.e.), Toruń 2005.
Przemysław Wojciechowski is a professor at the Chair of Ancient History and Byzantium in the Faculty of History, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. His work focuses on the history of ancient Rome. His research interests primarily include the period of the early Roman Empire, in particular social history and the history of religion. He is the author of numerous academic articles and books published in Poland and abroad.
Zobacz publikacje autora
- Untersuchungen zu den Lokalkulturen im römischen Aquileia. Herkunft, Funktion und Anhängerschaft
- Czciciele Herkulesa w Rzymie. Studium epigraficzno-antropomastyczne (I-IV wiek n.e.)
- Społeczeństwo i religia w świecie antycznym. Materiały z ogólnopolskiej konferencji naukowej (Toruń, 20-22 września 2007 r.)
- Society and religions. Studies in Greek and Roman history, vol. 4: The Roman Empire in the Light of Epigraphical and Normative Sources
- Cultores Deorum. Stowarzyszenia religijne w Italii w okresie wczesnego cesarstwa I-III w. n.e.
- Roman Religious Associations in Italy (1st–3rd century)