Robert L. Mowery, «Paul and Caristanius at Pisidian Antioch», Vol. 87 (2006) 223-242
A recently-published Latin inscription from Pisidian Antioch refers to four
benefactions that a prominent citizen named Caristanius had provided to fulfill a
vow on behalf of the emperor Claudius. Since this inscription refers to the year
45/46 CE, it refers to benefactions that may have been provided near the time
when Paul arrived in the city. After surveying the contents of this inscription and
reviewing scholarly opinion concerning the date when Paul arrived, this paper
reflects on the ethnic diversity of first century Pisidian Antioch, the religious
beliefs reflected in Caristanius’ vow, the likely impact of his benefactions on the
residents of the city, and the possibility that he may have been one of “the leading
men of the city” mentioned in Acts 13,50.
234 Robert L. Mowery
Witulski, for example, assumes that Augustus, his family, and his
successors were worshiped in this temple (60). Would Claudius have
been worshiped here during his lifetime? Caristanius’ inscription
neither calls Claudius a divus nor hails him as the son of a divinized
man, and most of the other inscriptions created during Claudius’
lifetime also withhold these honors (61). Caristanius was an Italian, and
his failure to give divine honors to Claudius is consistent with the fact
that Claudius was not officially divinized in Rome until after his death.
Nevertheless, Claudius was given divine honors at a number of sites
during his lifetime, including sites in both Greek-speaking and Latin-
speaking cities (62), and Christol, Drew-Bear and Taslialan have specu-
lated that Caristanius’ statue may have stood in “the religious heart†of
Pisidian Antioch (63). Some people in the city may have been wor-
shiping Claudius during his lifetime.
Besides the sanctuary of Mên and the temple of Augustus, there
may have been one or more other cult sites at Pisidian Antioch.
Mitchell, for example, cites evidence concerning several other
cults (64). The apostle Paul would have encountered a variety of
religious beliefs and practices in this city.
The fact that Caristanius made a vow on behalf of Claudius’ safety
and victory during the invasion of Britain testifies to his belief in the
power of the unidentified deity to whom he made this vow to protect
and aid Claudius in a land nearly 3,000 kilometers from Pisidian
(60) Addressaten, 183, n. 47. The wife of C. Crepereius Gallus became the
priestess of Julia Augusta at Pisidian Antioch during the reign of either Claudius
or Nero. See B. LEVICK – S. JAMESON, “C. Crepereius Gallus and His Gensâ€, JRS
54 (1964) 98-99; MITCHELL, Anatolia, II, 9-10.
(61) Claudius’ father Drusus was never divinized, and the inscriptions that
mention Claudius’ sonship typically refer to him as simply “son of Drususâ€. See
R.L. MOWERY, “Son of God in Roman Imperial Titles and Matthewâ€, Bib 83
(2002) 102-103.
(62) See M. CLAUSS, Kaiser und Gott. Herrscherkult im römischen Reich
(Stuttgart – Leipzig 1999) 94-98, 510-511; D. ALVAREZ CINEIRA, Die Religions-
politik des Kaisers Claudius und die paulinische Mission (Herders biblische
Studien 19; Freiburg 1999) 65-75. For the possible worship of Claudius’ genius
at Rome during his lifetime, see I. GRADEL, Emperor Worship and Roman
Religion (Oxford 2002) 162-197.
(63) “L’empereurâ€, 12. While MITCHELL, Anatolia, I, 107, initially assumed
that the triple-arched propylon leading to the temple was dedicated to Claudius,
MITCHELL – WAELKENS, Pisidian Antioch, 147, have more recently concluded that
it was dedicated to Augustus.
(64) Anatolia, II, 10, 29.