Séquences onomastiques divines à Ostie-Portus

Abstract

Abstract The corpus of dedications from the ports of Rome, Ostia, and Portus, is examined through the lens of divine onomastic sequences, as defined by the Mapping Ancient Polytheisms (MAP) team. About forty onomastic attributes have been identified, nearly half of which appear more than once. The agents of these dedications are then investigated, before assessing the extent to which chronological and spatial dimensions have had an impact on the divine onomastic sequences attested at Ostia and Portus. Some reflections are also proposed on: the onomastic attributes augustus, sanctus, and Numen, frequent in the ports of Rome; divine onomastic sequences linked to groups or individuals; “functional” and “altero-divine” onomastic sequences. Finally, the variety of onomastic sequences that can be applied to the same deity is considered. This research thus testifies to the interest and operability of the tools forged by the MAP team, also in the Latin-speaking world.