Publication: Marsia e la civitas Romana
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Date
2014
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EUT Edizioni Università di Trieste
Abstract
Molte città italiche scelsero Marsia come simbolo della loro libertà. Anche municipi e
colonie nelle province usarono questo simbolo. La libertà si identificava con la cittadinanza
romana. Un brano di Isidoro di Siviglia mostra che il primo contesto storico di tale libertà
fu la guerra Marsica e le leggi che poi concessero la cittadinanza ai popoli italici. Pertanto
è confermata l’opinione di alcuni studiosi, secondo cui municipia e coloniae adottarono
Marsia come simbolo della loro cittadinanza romana, che si identificava con la libertà. Marsia
era un personaggio della mitologia Lidia, il quale fu introdotto nelle leggende romane
anche perché era imparentato con i Troiani. Marsia, Antenore, Tirreno, Capi e altri eroi anatolici furono molto apprezzati per la loro vicinanza con Enea e i Troiani. La leggenda
della prigionia di Marsia dipendeva dal mito anatolico del Sileno e Mida, un mito che in
qualche modo fu modificato per adattarsi al caso di Numa che catturò Fauno. Sono note
alcune variazioni sul mito di divinità profetiche o veggenti che furono legati, imprigionati e
costretti a pronunciare profezie. Su questa base mitologica la liberazione di Marsia fu usata
dalla mitologia italica come un simbolo politico del conseguimento di tutti i diritti della
cittadinanza romana.
Italic cities chose Marsyas as the symbol of their liberty. Also municipia and colonies in the provinces used this symbol. This liberty was nothing but the Roman citizenship. A passage by Isidorus of Seville shows that the first historical context of this liberty was the Marsic war and the subsequent laws which bestowed the citizenship to Italic peoples. Therefore the opinion expressed by several scholars is correct, namely that municipia and coloniae adopted Marsyas as a symbol of their Roman citizenship, i.e. of their liberty. Marsyas was a character of Lydian mythology, who was introduced into Roman legends also because he was kindred with Trojans. Marsyas, Antenor, Tyrrhenus, Capys and other Anatolian heroes were highly appreciated for their relations to Aeneas and Trojans. The legend of Marsyas’ captivity depended on the Anatolian myth of Silenus and Midas, a myth which was somehow modified in order to fit for the case of Numa who captured Faunus. Several variations are known on the myth of prophetic gods or seers who were bound, kept in prison and forced to tell prophecies. On this mythological background the liberation of Marsyas was used by Italic mythology as a political symbol of obtaining all the rights of Roman citizenship.
Italic cities chose Marsyas as the symbol of their liberty. Also municipia and colonies in the provinces used this symbol. This liberty was nothing but the Roman citizenship. A passage by Isidorus of Seville shows that the first historical context of this liberty was the Marsic war and the subsequent laws which bestowed the citizenship to Italic peoples. Therefore the opinion expressed by several scholars is correct, namely that municipia and coloniae adopted Marsyas as a symbol of their Roman citizenship, i.e. of their liberty. Marsyas was a character of Lydian mythology, who was introduced into Roman legends also because he was kindred with Trojans. Marsyas, Antenor, Tyrrhenus, Capys and other Anatolian heroes were highly appreciated for their relations to Aeneas and Trojans. The legend of Marsyas’ captivity depended on the Anatolian myth of Silenus and Midas, a myth which was somehow modified in order to fit for the case of Numa who captured Faunus. Several variations are known on the myth of prophetic gods or seers who were bound, kept in prison and forced to tell prophecies. On this mythological background the liberation of Marsyas was used by Italic mythology as a political symbol of obtaining all the rights of Roman citizenship.
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Citation
Attilio Mastrocinque, Marsia e la civitas Romana, in: Monica Chiabà (a cura di), HOC QVOQVE LABORIS PRAEMIVM. Scritti in onore di Gino Bandelli. Trieste, EUT - Edizioni Università di Trieste, 2014, 331-342