Project Report. Roman Rule and Local Society in the Province of Macedonia: The Case of Thessaloniki

The Pre-doctoral Fellowship I have been awarded by the Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece was a unique academic experience. Not only did it support my research in various ways, but also it brought me into contact with a dynamic academic community. The year of my appointment as fellow has been highly productive and memorable due to the wide range of activities organized by the Center (workshops, journeys etc.). I would like to thank the academic committee, especially my supervisor, Eleni Fassa, and the academic coordinator, Evan Katsarelis, for their advice and assistance. Many thanks are also owed to Mark Schiefsky, Zoie Lafis and Ryan Pasco for their hospitality during our visit to CHS in Washington. Last but not least, I would like to make a special reference to my fellow recipients, Panagiota Bantavanou and Mateu Portells-Watson with whom I shared so many beautiful moments throughout this year.

In the framework of my PhD thesis, I am composing a prosopographical catalogue and a study on the society of Hellenistic and Roman Thessaloniki (316/5 BC – 3rd cent. AD). The Roman conquest of the Macedonian kingdom in 168 BC and the establishment of the province in 148 BC constitute a turning point in the history of Macedonia, and ancient Greece in general (Daubner 2018, 52-100). For this reason, during my CHS fellowship, I decided to examine the impact of the Roman conquest on Thessaloniki, the capital of the province of Macedonia. Thessaloniki constituted an exemplary case for examining the influence of Roman presence and administration on the everyday life of the citizens, since it was the seat of the Roman governor (Haensch 1997) and it also hosted a large number of negotiatores who moved from Italy to the east (Rizakis 1986; Rizakis 2002). As a result, its citizens had direct contact with Roman authorities and the Romans in general; in this respect, it is interesting that one of the earliest examples of honors to a Roman magistrate does indeed originate in Thessaloniki (IG X 2.1, 134). Epigraphic evidence sheds light on diplomatic contacts between the city and Roman magistrates or emperors, privileges conferred on the city by the emperors (Ziegler 1988) as well as the complex ways in which the local community adapted to the new regime, mainly by fostering bonds with the Roman authorities and acquiring the civitas Romana.

A series of administrative documents (IG X 2.1, 15 and 17-21) concerning economic issues and the privileges awarded to the city have survived, but their state of preservation does not allow us to interpret their content. It can be observed that only minor institutional changes took place in the city, as is the case with most cities not refounded as Roman colonies. It is noteworthy, however, that a new tribe was established in honor of a Roman magistrate, probably Cn. Egnatius, an action that promoted the incorporation of Roman rule into the traditional institutional framework and the everyday life of Thessalonians (IG X 2.1, 278; cf. Ferrary 2018, 304). The clearest example of the way the locals perceived Roman rule is provided by a fragmentary funerary inscription with provisions against potential violators of the monument (IG X 2.1s, 1434 II). Although it is usually stipulated that the fine shall be paid to the city or the fiscus, this is the sole known case throughout the empire according to which the violator should be accountable to the proconsul himself (Nigdelis 2006, 388-390). It is more than natural that such a penalty was imposed in Thessaloniki, where the proconsul spent the greater part of the year and thus could directly “intervene”.

As far as individuals are concerned, my research focused on the relations between Romans and Thessalonians and self-projection especially of the local elite in public monuments. Ties of patronage are developed already during the first century BC and first century AD between prominent figures and Thessalonian poets, such as Antipater and Philip, whose epigrams are preserved in the Anthologia Palatina. The former praises the proconsul L. Calpurnius Piso Frugi and wishes that Augustus would be favorably disposed towards his patron and his own hymns; the latter dedicated his Garland to a Roman, while in his epigrams a rather elaborate encomium to Augustus can be found. During their lifetime both poets settled in Rome, where they fostered links with political figures of the time. Similar cases of patronage between local notables and Romans are attested throughout the imperial period and it is here that the special role of Thessaloniki becomes evident. Specifically, it is in this Macedonian city that most monuments in honor of Roman officials were erected, while many inscriptions stress the close connection between Romans and the Thessalonians who bestowed the honors (IG X 2.1, 148: τὸν ἴδιον εὐεργέτην καὶ ἀληθῆ φίλον). Apart from their rights as cives Romani and their ties to Roman magistrates, Thessalonians also stress other elements proving their social advancement. For example, in an honorific decree set up for the daughter of an eminent Thessalonian, his membership in the ordo equester and the completion of the tres militiae are emphasized (Nigdelis 2006, 212-214). What is particularly interesting in this case is that both the family’s prestige attained through their rise to the second class of Roman society, and their alleged descent from the Macedonian royal house are projected ([- – -]ων Ἡρακλειδῶν ἀπὸ Τημένου). The exploitation of the local past is not just an indication of Greekness but also the result of the imitatio Alexandri promoted by Roman emperors, especially under the Severi.

To sum up, the role of Thessaloniki as caput provinciae and its elevated status following the bestowal of privileges by the emperors transformed the city into an important center in the province and the Balkans. Thessalonians adapted to the new regime and achieved in various ways to promote their status without abandoning their local past. The close contacts between locals and governors or members of the familia Caesaris indicate the special role of Thessaloniki within the province and the opportunities offered to its inhabitants.

The fellowship offered significant help to my studies and research. The access to the digital resources of Harvard University was vital for the completion of my project and the progress of my PhD thesis. The Annual Research Workshop in Nafplio as well as the visit to the Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington, D.C., provided valuable opportunities to present my research and engage in fruitful discussion with other fellows from Greece and the United States. One of the most interesting aspects of these “conferences” was that fellows represented different fields of Classical studies, thus one could learn a lot about current research on Plato, ancient slavery, and Zooarchaeology, to mention only a few of the topics and disciplines. It was also a great chance that another fellow, Panagiota Bantavanou, did research on a subject closely related to mine. On many occasions we had the opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss various issues about the history of Thessaloniki and its inhabitants. The trip to Washington, after the completion of our research, was the highlight of the program. Our visits to Dumbarton Oaks, the Congress Library and Georgetown University offered us an insight into studies and research at these institutions as well as the rich collections of their Libraries. Visits to landmarks of US capital and other activities made this trip an unforgettable experience!

The project I worked on has yielded some interesting results which will be integrated and further investigated in my thesis, as they shed light on the history and the socio-political developments taking place in Thessaloniki. I am currently composing the chapters devoted to the analysis and interpretation of the data and expect to complete my doctoral thesis in the next few months. I have also presented an overview of my research and some preliminary findings in a conference (co)organized by Mateu Portells-Watson at the Institute of Mediterranean Studies in Rethymno – one further indication of the bonds fostered among fellows! To conclude, the fellowship program was a deeply enriching experience, both on an academic and personal level, and it has been a great pleasure and honor for me to be part of the CHS community.