罗马帝国早中期西部地方城市社会结构探析——以共餐捐助铭文为中心

An Analysis of Local Social Structures in the Roman West:Evidence from Inscriptions Concerning Food-related Euergetism in the First Three Centuries AD

罗马帝国早中期时,公益捐助活动兴盛。西部地方城市中所立有关共餐捐助活动的石碑铭文,为探究该时期地方城市的居民构成及社会结构提供了重要线索。铭文所载受邀参与城市共餐活动的群体多元,包括成年男性公民群体、城市议会议员、奥古斯塔里斯、社团、妇女、儿童及外来居民,其中男性公民群体是首要受邀对象。共餐捐助人对受益群体的选择与安排,一方面反映了社会阶层的分化,体现出社会结构的等级制特征;另一方面展现出阶层结构内部存在等级地位与社会重要性不一致的情况。男性公民之外的其他群体受到邀请,表明妇女、儿童、外来居民也被视作地方社会的组成部分。地方社会在等级分层的基础上,呈现出更加复杂的样态。

In the early and middle Roman Empire,there was a flourishing of energetic activities.The inscriptions referring to private munificence on public dining found in the cities of the Roman West provide important clues for exploring the composition and social structure of local society.There were diverse groups benefiting from privately sponsored public dinners,the adult male citizens was the primary target group.The choices and arrangements made by the benefactors on the one hand reflected the hierarchical relations in the local society,and on the other hand demonstrated that the citizen community was still of significance,showing a discrepancy between perceived status and implicit value.The fact that women,children and incolae were targeted as recipients,indicated that they were also considered part of the local society.The stratified society appeared to have been characterized by a complex structure.