Ab epistulis

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Ab epistulis was the chancellor's office in the Roman Empire with responsibility for the emperor's correspondence. [1] The office sent mandata (instructions) to provincial governors and other officials. [2] [3]

Contents

Ab epistulis wrote in Latin (ab epistulis latinis) and in Greek (ab epistulis graecis), and composed the short responses to petitions on behalf of the emperor. [4] Holders of the position usually had a particular vocation for literary matters. [5] [4]

Notable ab epistulis

Augustus punished his secretary Thallus "for divulging the contents of a letter". [6] Caligula dictated a letter to an ab epistulis. [7] Narcissus apparently worked as ab epistulis, because he was in charge of the grammata of Claudius against Agrippina. [7] Beryllus was the ab epistulis graecis of Nero. [7] The famous biographer Suetonius Tranquillus was ab epistulis to Hadrian, [8] according to the Historia Augusta until he was replaced for too-close relations with Empress Sabina. [9]

One of the leading rhetoricians of this time, Alexander Peloplaton, was Marcus Aurelius's ab epistulis in the 170s. [4] Marcus was impressed by the orator Hadrian of Tyre, so he offered him the job ab epistulis to recognise his excellence. [4] Aspasius of Ravenna was a Greek orator, who between AD 211 and 216 served as ab epistulis. [4] Aelius Antipater was the ab epistulis of the emperor Caracalla, who defined him "my friend and teacher, entrusted with the composition of Greek letters". [4] Marcius Agrippa was a cognitionibus and ab epistulis of Caracalla. [10]

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References

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  2. "Constitutiones principum". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved Aug 30, 2018.
  3. Statius, Silvae 5, 1, 86-87
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Potter, David Stone (2004). The Roman Empire at Bay, AD 180-395. Psychology Press. pp. 77–78. ISBN   0-415-10057-7 . Retrieved Aug 31, 2018.
  5. Birley, Anthony Richard (1987). Marcus Aurelius: A Biography (rev. ed.). London: Routledge. p. 122f. ISBN   0-7607-1186-0.
  6. Suetonius, Div. Aug., 67
  7. 1 2 3 Millar 2005, p. 15.
  8. "Hippo Regius, Inscription of Suetonius - Livius". www.livius.org. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  9. Historia Augusta , Hadrianus 11,3
  10. Millar 2005, p. 17.

Bibliography