Altar of Vettius Agrorius Praetextatus
TNMM 273 ↔ CIMRM 420
Basis magna marmorea. In hortis Matthaeiorum, ubi adhuc extat.
Agorii / Vettio Agorio Praetextato v(iro) c(larissimo).
a) On the first coluum: Pontifici Vestae / pontifici Solis / quindecemviro auguri / tauroboliato / curiali / neocoro / hierofante / patri sacrorum.
b) On the second column: Quaestori candidato / praetori urbano / correctori Tus/ciae et Umbriae / consulari / Lusitaniae / proconsuli / Achaiae / praefecto urbi / praef(ecto) praet(orio) II / Italiae et IIlyrici / consuli designato.
c) On the right side: Dedicata kal(endis) febr(uariis) / d(omino) n(ostro) Fl(avio) Valentiniano Aug(usto) III/et Eutropio cons(ulibus).
387 A.D.
From Vettius Agorius Praetextatus we also know the tombstone, which gives his titles (CIL VI 1779; MMM II No. 15) somewhat more elaborately: augur, p[o]ntifex Vestae, / pontifex Sol[is], quindecemvir / curialis Herc[u]lis, sacratus / Libero et Eleusi[nii]s, hierophanta / neocorus I tauroboliatus I pater patrum.
So it appears, that Vettius was still pater sacrorum in 387 and that at his death he moreover held the place of pater patrum (cf. A. Bruhl, Liber Pater, Paris 1953, 254ff). About his activities: J. Nistler in Klio X. 1910, 462ff: H. Bloch in HThR XXXVIII, 1945, 204ff.
(From CIMRM vol. 2, p.28) T. W. J. Nicolaas, Praetextatus, Nijmegen 1940.
CIMRM II 420
T. W. J. Nicolaas, Praetextatus, Nijmegen 1940.
CIL VI 1778
Vettius Agorius Praetextatus
augur, p[o]ntifex Vestae,
pontifex Sol[is], quindecemvir
curialis Herc[u]lis, sacratus
Libero et Eleusiniis, hierophanta,
neocorus, tauroboliatus,
pater patrum, in [r]e publica vero
quaestor candidatus,
pr[a]etorurbanus,
corrector Tusciae et Umbriae,
consularis Lusitaniae,
proconsule Achaiae,
praefectus urbi,
legatus a senatu missus V
praefectus praetorio {II} Italiae et
Illyrici, consul ordinarius
designatus,
et Aconia Fabia Paulina, c[larissima] f[emina],
sacrata Cereri et Eleusiniis,
sacrata apud [A]eginam Hecatae,
tauroboliata, hierophantria.
hi coniuncti simul vixerunt ann[os] XL.
Vettius Agorius Praetextatus,
augur, pontifex of Vesta,
pontifex of the Sun, member of the college of the fifteen (quindecemvir),
curial priest of Hercules, initiated into the rites of Liber and the Eleusinian mysteries, hierophant,
neocoros (temple warden), tauroboliated (initiated through the taurobolium),
father of fathers; and in public life:
quaestor designate,
urban praetor,
corrector of Tuscia and Umbria,
consular governor of Lusitania,
proconsul of Achaia,
prefect of the city,
legate sent by the Senate five times,
praetorian prefect of Italy and Illyricum,
designated ordinary consul;
and Aconia Fabia Paulina, most noble woman,
initiated into the rites of Ceres and the Eleusinian mysteries,
initiated to Hecate at Aegina,
tauroboliated, hierophantess.
They lived together in union for 40 years.
References
CIL VI 1778; MMM II No. 14.
