Ex voto
The Prevention of Risks with the help of the Gods
PD Dr. Ulrike Ehmig
SFB 933 – TP A03-UP2
Ústav klasických studií
Masarykova univerzita
Brünn, 10.10.2017
Examples of Latin votive inscriptions
CIL V 6875 = InscrIt XI 1, 73,
Great St. Bernard Pass
CIL V 1613 = InscrAqu III 3356,
Aquileia
CIL XIII 8793, Colijnsplaat
Database of the latin inscriptions made by Manfred Clauss and Wolfgang Slaby
EDCS
http://db.edcs.eu/epigr/epi.php?s_sprache=en
The steps of a vow
Main sources:
Literary texts
Fragment of the Acta of the
Arval Brothers
Year 105 AD
The steps of a vow
1. votum concipere
define the wording of a vow
2. votum nuncupare
pronounce the vow
3. votum suscipere
assume the obligation to the God
4. voti damnatus ou voti reus
obligation to the God
5. votum solvere ou votum reddere
fulfillment of the vow
1. votum concipere
CIL III 5862 (p. 1854, 2328,50, 2328,51), Zwiefalten
Deo Invicto / Soli templum / a solo resti/tuit Valerius /
Venustus v(ir) p(erfectissimus) p(raeses) /
p(rovinciae) R(aetiae) sicuti voto / ac mente
con/ceperat red/ditus sanitati / v(otum) s(olvit)
l(ibens) l(aetus) m(erito)
Valerius Venustus, vir perfectissimus, governor of
Rhetia, renovated a temple for the undefeated god
Sol from top to bottom. As he had defined the
wording of his vow, he fulfilled it, willingly and
deservedly, after his healing from an illness.
2. votum nuncupare
CIL III 1110, Apulum
D(eo) S(oli) I(nvicto) M(ithrae) /
pro salute inc/olumitate M(arci)
Aur(eli) / Timotei et Aur(eli)
M/aximi votum nun/cupavit
solvitque / Euthyces eorum
lib(ertus) / retulit
For the undefeated god Sol
Mithra. For the salvation of
Marcus Aurelius Timoteus and
Aurelius Maximus. Euthyces,
their freedman, had
pronounced and fulfilled the
vow.
3. votum suscipere
AE 2011, 859, Rainau-Buch
[Mer]curio de[o] / signum Iul(ius)
[Pe]/rvincus ex [vo]/to suscepto
v(otum) s(olvit) [l(ibens) m(erito)]
For the god Mercury. Iulius
Pervincus dedicated an image
because of the vow that he had
assumed. He has fulfilled this
vow, willingly and deservedly.
4. voto damnatus
AE 1981, 283 =
AE 2012, 415, Sulmo
C(aius) Nonius L(uci)
f(ilius) Serg(ia) [---] / e
munici[p]io Sulmone
p[rofectus] / miles
Herc[u]li Curino sei
salv[us e] / castris
rediset vot[a ---] /
ver(r)em et vitulu[m] /
et votis dam[natus] /
adest
Caius Nonius, son of Lucius, of the Sergia tribe, who had left the Sulmona municipality
as a soldier, took a vow to Hercules Curinus to dedicate a male pig and a young bull
when he returned healthy from the military camps. Obligated vis-à-vis the god, he is
there.
5. votum solvere
Felix Asinianus, public slave of the priests has fulfilled his vow to Bona Dea Agrestis
Felicula and willingly dedicated a white calf because of the healing of his eyes.
Abandoned by the doctors, ten months later he was cured thanks to the generosity
and remedies of the goddess.
CIL VI 68, Roma
Felix publicus / Asinianus
pontific(um) / Bonae Deae
agresti Felicu(lae) /
votum solvit iunicem
alba(m) / libens animo ob
luminibus / restitutis
derelictus a medicis post /
menses decem bineficio
dominaes medicinis
sanatus per / eam
restituta omnia ministerio
Canniae Fortunatae
Query of the database EDCS
votum / voto + causal conjunctions ob, quod, pro
130 Latin votive inscriptions with explicitly mentioned reasons for vows
+ 50 further examples without causal conjunctions, found by the systematic
reading of all 12.000 votive inscriptions
disease 25
birth 2
incolumitas 15
periculum (war, captivity) 28
distress 7
travel 32
work, commerce 11
construction and protection of buildings 9
fight of gladiators 5
processus / promotion 11
liberation from slavery 5
immunitas 3
merits 6
memoria 3
fides / indulgentia / auxilia 5
beneficia / liberation of sin 2
mos maiorum / veneration 4
joy / gratitude 2
Reasons of vows mentioned in the Latin votive inscriptions
n total = 175
Reasons of vows: disease
CIL III 5862 (p. 1854, 2328,50, 2328,51), Zwiefalten
Deo Invicto / Soli templum / a solo resti/tuit Valerius / Venustus v(ir)
p(erfectissimus) p(raeses) / p(rovinciae) R(aetiae) sicuti voto / ac mente
con/ceperat red/ditus sanitati / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) l(aetus) m(erito)
Valerius Venustus, vir perfectissimus, governor of Rhetia, renovated a
temple for the undefeated god Sol from top to bottom. As he had defined
the wording of his vow, he fulfilled it, willingly and deservedly, after his
healing from an illness.
CIL III 06456 = 10389 = ILS 3025, Aquincum
I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) Salutari // et Genio domus / eius L(ucius)
Serenius / Bassus |(centurio) leg(ionis) II / Adi(utricis) gravissima /
infirmitati / liberatus / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)
To Jupiter, the best and greatest, and to the genius of his house,
Lucius Serenius Bassus, the centurion of Legio II Adiutrix,
accomplished his vow, willingly and deservedly, after being freed from
a very serious illness.
CIL VI 68 (p. 3003, 3755) = ILS 3513, Roma
Reasons of vows: ear and eye diseases
Cutius has auris Gallus tibi voverat olim /
Phoebigena et posuit sanus ab auriculis
Cutius Gallus, who had formerly promised
these ears to you, Phoebigena (=
Aesculapius), laid them down, cured of his
ear disease.
CIL III 7266 = ILS 3853, Epidauros
Felix Publicus / Asinianus pontific(um) / Bonae Deae
agresti Felicu(lae?) / votum solvit iunicem alba(m) /
libens animo ob luminibus / restitutis derelictus a
medicis post / menses decem bineficio dominaes
medicinis sanatus per / eam restituta omnia
ministerio Canniae Fortunatae
… because of the healing of his eyes. Abandoned by
the doctors, ten months later he was cured thanks to
the generosity and remedies of the goddess.
Anatomical ex-voto
Republican Italy Source des Roches near Chamalières
Sanctuary Forêt d'Halatte
CIL III 10369 = AE 1891, 61, Baracska près d'Aquincum
Reasons of vows: birth of a child
I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo)
Cocc(eius)
Senecio
dec(urio) al(a)e
I T(h)r(acum) ob nat(alem)
M(arci) Coccei
Senecae fil(ii)
v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)
To Jupiter, the best and greatest,
Cocceius Senecio, decurion of the ala I
Thracum has fulfilled his vow, willingly and
deservedly, for the birth of his son Marcus
Cocceius Seneca.
Reasons of vows: periculum = war, captivity
IDR III 1, 138a = AE 1978, 681, Tibiscum
[I(ovi)] O(ptimo) M(aximo) [Con]serv(atori)
P(ublius) [---]is
Anton[inus(?)]
qu[od]
eff[u]gerit
periculum
v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) [m(erito)]
To Jupiter, the best and greatest, the
Conservator, Publius [---]is Anton[ius?] has
fulfilled his vow, willingly and deservedly,
because he has escaped danger.
AE 1991, 1378 = 2011, 1142, Preslav
[---]
leg(ionis) I Ital(icae)
[[A]l]ex[[andrianae]]
militavit b(ene)f(iciarius) co(n)s(ularis) et
cornicul(arius) proc(uratoris)
quot tiro proficiscens
in bello Bosporano
voverat et adiuvante
numen(e) eius multis
periculis in barbarico
liberatus sit merito
votum posuit
... fulfilled his vow,
deservedly, as he
had promised going
to Bosporan war
as a recruit, after being
released from
many dangers
in the Barbaricum
CIL V 6875, Great St. Bernard Pass
Reasons of vows: travel
Poenino / pro itu et reditu / C(aius)
Iulius Primus / votum s(olvit) l(ibens)
m(erito)
Iovi P[oenino] / Q(uintus) Iu[lius] /
Alp[inus] / pro i[tu et] / re[ditu] / votum
s(olvit) [l(ibens) m(erito)]
CIL V 6873, Great St. Bernard Pass
Reasons of vows: work
CIL V 5609, Sibrium
CIL XIII 8793, Colijnsplaat
Deae N[e]halenniae
ob merces recte conservatas
M(arcus) Secund(inius) Silvanus
negotiator cretariu[s]
Britannicianu[s]
v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)
To the goddess Nehalennia, Marcus Secundinus Silvanus, a
ceramic dealer in commerce with Britain, has fulfilled his vow,
willingly and deservedly, because his merchandise has
remained intact.
IRCPacen 437, Ervedal
… for the bees
… because he had found the fountain
Reasons of vows: completion of buildings
CIL XIII 6509, Odenwaldlimes WP 10/37
Schneidershecke (Mudau-Schloßau)
ob burgum explicitum
for the completion of
the burgus
L(ucius) Apronius / Pius leg(atus) Aug(usti) /
pr(o) pr(aetore) co(n)s(ul) des(ignatus) /
votum quo[d] / coepto op[ere] / aquae
ductu[s] / [[[Alexandriani]]] / [promiserat] /
[opere perfec]/[t]o sol/vit / Clodius
Septi/minus discens / libratorum / fecit
... after the completion of the aqueduct, he
fulfilled the vow which had been promised at
the beginning of the work
AE 1942/43, 93 = AE 1973, 646,
'Ain Charchar
CIL XI 276 = ILS 818 = ILCV 20, Ravenna
Sancto ac beatissimo / apostolo Iohanni Euangelistae / Galla Placidia Augustus / cum filio
suo / Placido Valentiniano Augusto / et filia sua / Iusta Grata Honoria Augusta / liberationis
pericul(or)um maris / votum solvent // Beati misericordes quoniam miserebitur deus //
Confirma hoc deus / quod operatus es in nobis / a tenplo tuo Ierusalem / tibi offerent reges
munera
… to the Holy Apostle John the Evangelist, Gallia Placidia and her children have fulfilled the
vow for their rescue from a shipwreck
Reasons of christian vows
CIL VIII 21551, Mechera-Sfa (408 apr. J.-C.)
… for the liberation of his sins
What happens when the God does not fulfill his part of the vow?
Nothing happens? People do not express their disappointment or
their displeasure towards the gods?
Contra votum : testimonies of unfulfilled vows in 250 epitaphs
IAquil 3087, Aquileia
Innox Ienuari/anus qui vixit a/nnis VI
mensi(bu)s II / die(bu)s XV contra / votum
par/entes fec/erunt
Innox Ienuarianus, who lived 6 years, 2
months, 15 days. His parents have made
the grave, despite a vow.
CIL VI 11793, Roma
D(is) M(anibus) / Anniae / Isiadi / matri /
carissimae / Annia Elpis / contra votum /
posuit
To the Gods Manes, Annia Elpis made the
urn for her dearest mother Annia Isias,
despite a vow.
Fragment of the Acta of the Arval Brothers: Hoc die immolatum non est
CIL VII 2075 (p. 864, 3261) = 32372 = ILS 5046, Roma (105 AD)
(2) Quo defunctus est die, lapidata sunt templa, subversae deum
arae, Lares a quibusdam familiares in publicum abiecti, partus
coniugum expositi.
(2) On the day when he died, stones were thrown against the
temples, and the altars of the gods were overthrown; some people
threw their Lares familiares into the streets; others exposed their
newborn children.
At the moment of the death of Germanicus: Suet., Caligula 5
Martial, epigram 40
Latin votive inscriptions and epitaphs:
Risks perceived and incurred
What kind of risks people tried
to manage with divine help?