Paul and Caristanius at Pisidian Antioch 235 Antioch. In first century Roman understanding, a vow (votum) was a solemn promise made to a deity in exchange for a divine favor. If the deity granted the favor, the person making the vow was obligated to do what had been promised. Vows were not made lightly, for it was assumed that the failure to fulfill the promise would provoke the deity (65). Caristanius obviously took his vow very seriously, for he acted with dispatch to provide the benefactions he had promised. Although he could not have learned that Claudius had safely returned to Rome until sometime during the year 44, he was able to fulfill his vow by providing the promised benefactions within a comparatively brief period of time, despite the fact that the provision of these benefactions involved the creation and erection of a huge statue. His swift fulfillment of his vow probably reflected not only his loyal support of the emperor but also his desire to avoid provoking the deity to whom he had made this vow (66). There are various parallels between Caristanius’ actions and those mentioned in Augustus’ Res Gestae, a Latin copy of which occupied a prominent location in Pisidian Antioch (67). Augustus made vows before committing Roman legions to battle (68), and Caristanius made a vow regarding the Roman invasion of Britain. Augustus stated that the Roman senate had decreed that vows should be offered on behalf of his health (69), and Caristanius made a vow on behalf of Claudius’ safety. The fulfillment of the senate’s vows included the celebration of games(70), and the fulfillment of Caristanius’ vow included the celebra- tion of games. Augustus erected statues (71), offered sacrifices (72), and (65) See B. KÖTTING, “Gelübde”, RAC (1976) IX, 1055-1057, 1072-1080. (66) It should be noted, by way of comparison, that the residents of Cyzicus did not complete their triumphal arch for Claudius until 51 or 52. See LEVICK, Claudius, 144. (67) Cf. W.M. RAMSAY, “Colonia Caesarea (Pisidian Antioch) in the Augustan Age”, JRS 6 (1916) 108-129. While both Latin and Greek texts of the Res Gestae have been found at Ankara, only Latin fragments have been found at Pisidian Antioch. (68) Augustus, Res Gestae 4:1. (69) Augustus, Res Gestae 9:1. (70) Augustus, Res Gestae 9:1. (71) Since Augustus claimed that he had built various new temples, he must have commissioned various statues to be placed in or around these temples. See his Res Gestae Appendix 2. (72) Augustus, Res Gestae 11:1; 12:2.