A modius: an example of damnatio memoriae

[guy]

Here is an interesting item from Roman Britannia: a modius used to measure grain. It is interesting to see that the name of Domitian on the vessel has undergone damnatio memoriae. Although examples of coinage or large monuments commonly show the effects of damnatio memoriae, it is remarkable to see a rather mundane item found at the distant reaches of the Empire suffer the same fate.

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This is a grain measure made from a copper alloy, called a modius. It's extremely rare and in very good condition. In fact, this example was accidentally found by a postman and is now in the Clayton Collection at Chesters Roman Fort.

The inscription on the outside of this modius dates it to the reign of Emperor Domitian (AD 81-96) and says that it holds 17.5 sextarii. A sextarii was a measurement of capacity used by the Romans. In modern measurements, a sextarii is about 546 millilitres or a pint. This modius can actually hold 20.8 sextarii so if it was used to measure taxes paid in grain, the tax payers were being swindled!

Domitian's name has been scratched out of the inscription. This would have been done as part of the practice of damnatio memoriae – where the memory of someone was damned and wiped from record. Domitian was a cruel emperor, known for his reign of terror, which may be why his name has been scratched out here. 

 

 

(Thanks to Jon Hawke @HawkeJon for bringing this to my attention.)

 

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/teaching-resources/curators-collections/-curators-collections-hadrians-wall/

 

 

Edited June 20, 2023 by guy