Abstract:

A funerary inscription recently found in Claudiupolis reveals that the venator/archi­kynegos Iustus was a citizen of the Asian metropoleis of Smyrna, Ephesus and Pergamon as well as of the Bithynian cities of Nicaea and Prusa ad Olympum. Since he and his two brothers are mentioned only with their praenomina but without their father's name, they seem to be of ser­vile origin. The mention of Nikaia at the top of the list of citizenships as well as the use of the words σκυλεύω and ἀνεξοδίαστον suggest that this city was Iustus' patria. After a successful care­er as venator Iustus became a freedman. His various citizenships and the title archikynegos sug­gest that he continued his career as a fighter of wild beasts even after manumission. He must have reached stardom in the arena since the most important metropoleis of Asia honou­red him with gifts of citizenship. The naturalisation of a venator is unique for Asia Minor. Iustus can be compared to the sportsmen and sophists who also acquired the citizenship of various cities.

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