Читать книгу Greek and Roman Slaveries - Eftychia Bathrellou - Страница 24

Ammianus here delineates the persecution in Rome of members of the senatorial rank through trials under the emperor Valentinian I. Fausiana was a widow of senatorial rank, accused of adultery with two men of the same rank, Abienus and Eumenius. Anepsia was also a widow of senatorial rank. Simplicius of Emona was at the time (ca. 374–5 CE) in charge of the persecution.

Literature: Harper 2011: 69–78, esp. 72.

But after Fausiana was convicted, they (i.e. Abienus and Eumenius) were enlisted among the accused and summoned with edicts to appear in court. They took themselves off into deeper concealment. Of the two, Abienus was hiding for a long time in the house of Anepsia. However, as unexpected events often aggravate pitiable misfortunes, a man called Sapaudulus, a slave of Anepsia, stricken by pain because his spouse (coniunx) had received a beating, denounced the matter to Simplicius, after reaching him in the night. Public attendants were sent and, when they were pointed out to them, the attendants dragged them away from their hiding place.

 Why did Sapaudulus reveal the secret of his mistress?

 What political conditions allowed Sapaudulus to take his revenge? What are the implications of this for the exercise of slave agency?

 What were the consequences of slave family for this particular mistress?

 What can we learn from this story about the significance of kinship for slaves?