240 Robert L. Mowery Caristanius also identified himself as pontifex. Two previously- known inscriptions also identify him as pontifex, and one of these inscriptions claims he was also sacerdos (94). The fact that he held (or had held) these priesthoods suggests that he would have had a personal stake in the preservation of the religious status quo at Pisidian Antioch. While Judaism represented a known form of religious devotion in the city, Christianity could have been viewed as a disturbing new development, especially if the missionaries actually “turned to the Gentiles” in this city, as Acts 13,46 claims. Caristanius’ personal prominence in Pisidian Antioch may have been more important than any office that he held at the time when Paul was expelled. Besides having been duumvir, pontifex and sacerdos, he had been the prefect of P. Sulpicius Quirinius (95), the prefect of two other notable persons (96), and the first citizen of the city to be honored with a statue erected at public expense (97). He possessed the wealth to erect a huge statue, and he also possessed the wealth to provide games, sacrifices and venatio. He was not only a prominent person but also a prominent member (pater familias?) of a prominent family (98). Even the inscription that honors the freedman Tiberius Claudius Epinicus points to the prominence of the Caristanii, for it contains the word “Caristaniorum”, a word that suggests that Epinicus had once been one of their slaves (99). (94) Cf. CHEESMAN, “Family”, 253-258; CHRISTOL – DREW-BEAR – TASLIALAN, “L’empereur”, 6-11. Municipal priesthoods were typically filled in Asia Minor by men like Caristanius who were prominent members of prominent local families. (95) This is the Quirinius mentioned in Luke 2,2. As noted by SHERK, “Roman Galatia”, 1037, Caristanius “had been given the honor of serving as the representative of P. Sulpicius Quirinius, when that eminent consular had been made honorary duovir in the colony. That man, of course, was not expected to go there and attend to the colonial administration himself. Caristanius became his deputy in that capacity. Such honorary duovirates gave added splendor to the colony”. (96) See CHEESMAN, “Family”, 255-58; SHERK, “Roman Galatia”, 1037-1038; SYME, Anatolica, 233. (97) Cf. CHEESMAN, “Family”, 254-255; MITCHELL – WAELKENS, Pisidian Antioch, 10. (98) Concerning the Caristanii, see CHEESMAN, “Family”, 253-266; LEVICK, Roman Colonies, 62-64, 111-113; CHRISTOL – DREW-BEAR – TASLIALAN, “L’empereur”, 1-20. Another member of the family, C. Caristanius Fronto, attained senatorial rank under Vespasian. (99) See CHEESMAN, “Family”, 258-259; LEVICK, Roman Colonies, 88, 111; LANE, Corpus, III, 59.