Date Published: 11/08/2020

ARCHIVED - Roman tributes return to Cartagena

The honorific pedestals will form part of the collection in a new museum dedicated to the Sanctuary of Isis and Roman Forum District

Two honorific pedestals bearing inscriptions have been returned to Cartagena from the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid, to form part of the static exhibition of the
new Roman Forum Museum.

The pedestals, carved out of limestone, were embedded in the walls of the Castillo de la Concepción hundreds of years ago, suffering the same fate as many other important pieces of historic masonry whch were frequently re-used as construction materials.
<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Roman tributes return to Cartagena
In 1868 the section of the fortress in which they had been re-cycled was demolished, and the two pieces were sent to the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid.

Both pedestals come from the tributes placed in the Forum building of the Roman colony of Carthago Nova, and can be dated to the end of the 1st century BC. and at the beginning of the 1st century A.D.

A few months ago the City Council requested their return to form part of the exhibits in the new Roman Forum Museum.
<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Roman tributes return to Cartagena

The first of them is believed to be a homage to the magistrate Lucius Bennius, who was praefectus Imperatoris Caesaris and who appears cited in the colony's monetal coinage around 14 BC; Bennius probably contributed to the financing of various public works, including perhaps part of the pavement of the forum or another adjacent buildings. The second pedestal was dedicated to the future Emperor Tiberius before its adoption by Emperor Augustus, probably on the occasion of his appointment as patron of Carthago Nova; consequently, it can be dated between 12 and 6 BC.

The new museum is close to the Roman Forum District and is not yet open.